Comments on Girl's Gone Child: The Ironic Momstache

I finally traded in my Jetta Wagon for a minivan. ...

2010-09-15T09:18:30.082-07:00

I finally traded in my Jetta Wagon for a minivan. I am on my third child so it was time. I put my Aphex Twin sticker on the back and MST3K sticker on the side. But I still feel like a tool. But you can't beat those awesome doors. While it is kind of punk rock to have the kids dent every single car I park next to, its kind of nice to not have to worry about any more nasty notes left on my windshield.

It's all about marketing. Your whole life is d...

2010-08-19T15:34:57.153-07:00

It's all about marketing. Your whole life is directed by marketing and product placement. This cereal is hip because it's "organic." These jeans make you feel young because the print ads show bored-looking teenagers wearing them.
As long as you buy ANY new, mass-produced item you are being guided by marketing. Nothing is truly original unless you refuse to be a lab rat and make your own decisions based on the rejection of mass market consumerism.

I'm a little late to this conversation, but I ...

2010-08-07T19:25:34.335-07:00

I'm a little late to this conversation, but I have to say, if you're feeling the minivan, rock it. I have a slightly different perspective as I've had a minivan since I was in my mid twenties, way pre-kid. My husband turned me onto the beauty that is the elegantly practical minivan. In fact, we were a two minivan family for years before we procreated.

We're both musicians, so minivans make sense gear-hauling wise. And now we can haul gear and a19 month old (practically) worry free.

I know you care about appearances, but minivans are like that peice of clothing that most people would consider ugly, but that looks awesome on you purely because you rock the look without fear of negative feedback.

At least I think so.

BUY TOYOTA!!!! i think your mom driving the previa...

2010-08-04T07:28:24.099-07:00

BUY TOYOTA!!!! i think your mom driving the previa since 90 is a good enough sign. don't make me go into detail of how much we LOVE LOVE our toyotas! vw's are money pits!

DeLIGHTful post. This is the best rationalizing, ...

2010-08-03T09:44:13.008-07:00

DeLIGHTful post. This is the best rationalizing, talking-self-into-a-minivan stream of consciousness I've ever read. Okay, it's the only one but whatev.

Stefanie put flame decals on hers to make it cooler. I envision something equally cool from you.

Get a Suburban! I love mine! I only have two kid...

2010-08-02T20:39:07.446-07:00

Get a Suburban! I love mine! I only have two kids, but we have two dogs and lots of equipment to tote around. :)

We drive a Ford Taurus X. It's American made ...

2010-08-02T20:37:37.563-07:00

We drive a Ford Taurus X. It's American made and a crossover. It's a GREAT car. And I won't drive a minivan! It seats SIX.

Hope you find what you're looking for!

Two words you will never regret: Toyota Sienna.

2010-08-02T13:55:30.132-07:00

Two words you will never regret: Toyota Sienna.

I have two friends in different towns who got the ...

2010-08-02T07:41:47.680-07:00

I have two friends in different towns who got the Mazda 5 and love them. They're not so bad, methinks. Check them out.

I love my mini-van. I rock it. They also make da...

2010-08-01T23:04:02.315-07:00

I love my mini-van. I rock it. They also make date night car sex much easier. What?

Do not buy a minivan!!! It will suck your mojo out...

2010-08-01T22:42:11.636-07:00

Do not buy a minivan!!! It will suck your mojo out through its exhaust. I have two boys and cart other kids in a Nissan cube for God's sake! I adore my car. There is no need to drive a walrus just because one has kids.

dude, embrace the minivan. All the cool kids are d...

2010-08-01T21:27:05.075-07:00

dude, embrace the minivan. All the cool kids are doing it.

A short while ago, we were listening to Car Talk o...

2010-08-01T12:25:27.318-07:00

A short while ago, we were listening to Car Talk on NPR and they dealt with a question from a woman who wanted a minivan, BUT... wanted it to be sexier than it is. The Car talk gang advised a custom paint job... they specifically recommended getting the sides of the van painted to resemble a motorcycle... the wheels are in place as is the rider.. all you need is the motorcycle's body painted on the van's side. There were other ideas that would make the van sexier - we thought the entire idea worth pursuing... consder it!

Rebecca, SERIOUSLY, OMG, you are IN MY BRAAIIIINNN...

2010-07-31T19:49:38.022-07:00

Rebecca, SERIOUSLY, OMG, you are IN MY BRAAIIIINNNNN.

Ok, so. I read a lot of baby blogs. Many of them make me want to go out in a field and put myself down. Harbingers of doom, all of them. One of these doom-spelling blogs recently posted about this, all about how she went out and bought a Minivan, and how we can all SUCK IT, and I was despairing to my friend over dinner tonight about how sad it made me. SAD. I wailed over the ways she was trying to convince us, her anonymous readers, about what a good decision it was ultimately, how she can fit everything in the car, etc, etc... well, the whole thing just reeked of defeat with a wedge of lame. Back from whence you came, Minivans! Back into the technicolor sludge of America!

Right, so tonight I said to my friend (TONIGHT, LITERALLY) "there's this one blog I read; that I cling to, in fact, where this girl is ROCKING it day-to-day. It's called Girl's Gone Child. You won't catch her in a minivan" And then my friend was all, "that blog name rocks" and I was all, "yeah, duh." Anyways, my point: Sweet Jesus, please get a Honda Pilot.

You know what though? I don't know anything better than anyone else, and everyone has a different journey, and if yours is more comfortable in a minivan then heaven's sake Get You One. We aren't the cars we drive. It's a skin you can shed, right?

And maybe that's what you've taught me on this very topical day. Rock on with your bad self. I suppose my knee-jerk reaction is a hearty "NOOOOO!" but anyone who gets truly upset about a car is a crazy person. Amiright?

i felt the same way about minivans...my MOM drove ...

2010-07-31T17:02:24.594-07:00

i felt the same way about minivans...my MOM drove the original white plymouth voyager with the woody sides! i would NEVER drive one!

then, i had MY epiphany...if i want 4 kids, i have to drive a minivan. and until they come out with a hybrid/electric/better-fuel-efficient car for 6 people, i'll drive my odyssey.

p.s. the automatic doors are awesome.

Can someone explain the automatic doors to me, ...

2010-07-31T12:28:24.160-07:00

Can someone explain the automatic doors to me, 'cause I just don't get it. On a trip back to visit family this month, my husband and I borrowed my brother-in-law's minivan (a Nissan something) that had automatic doors. And we both found them so annoying! We'd go to close them by sliding them and they'd stall and sputter. Then we'd remember to push the little button and wait for the door to close itself. It just seemed like it'd be easier for us to close it ourselves, the old way, if only the van would've let us.

Maybe I'm clueless and childfree, but is it that hard to manage doors and kids? Or are all these bells and whistles just gratuitous gadgets?

What about a Subaru? They are roomy and not miniva...

2010-07-31T10:08:21.292-07:00

What about a Subaru? They are roomy and not minivans. My mom has an Outback and I'm not even kidding, I'm 24 years old and I would take her car in heartbeat!
Also, they last FOREVER.

I am a Honday Odessey owner and have never looked ...

2010-07-31T09:26:21.818-07:00

I am a Honday Odessey owner and have never looked back. I know that one day I will nor NEED the function of a moni-van and I'm sure I'll mourn it. Driving my mini-van full of my kids, their gear, their friends, their laughter (and arguments) is my life. My sweet, fleeting life as a "Mommy". Go For It Rebecca. You won't regret it! xoxo

So, I always thought there was no possible way tha...

2010-07-31T07:23:26.067-07:00

So, I always thought there was no possible way that I could ever, EVER drive a minivan, but now that I have one, I don't ever think I'll go back. Ever. Because I don't have to get in the car to get Maren out of the carseat. Because there's space for everyone. Because we can go to the fireworks and pop open the back hatch and watch like we're in our own living room. Because there's 97 cupholders. And also, have you been introduced to the car seat mirror? I have a mirror specifically designed to help me see what's going on in the back seats without running myself off the road. I love my minivan, and I'll probably still drive one when I'm carting my grandkids.

I hope someone gives you a free one. Heck. The fri...

2010-07-31T01:09:14.618-07:00

I hope someone gives you a free one. Heck. The fridge happened. Perhaps tell the Universe and it will send you a sexy minivan.

I share your previous distaste in mini vans. It al...

2010-07-30T20:54:55.774-07:00

I share your previous distaste in mini vans. It always seemed to be that vans are somewhat unnecessarily large given the availability of roomy hatchbacks and sedans AND they have crap gas mileage in comparison. And don't let the propaganda fool you- there is NO SWAGGER in a mini van. None. It is proven to suck out the mojo. I'm not being dramatic. Dead. serious.
My husband, on the other hand, is a grandpa in disguise and is dreaming of the day he can talk me into it. Until then...I'm rocking the old malibu with the scratched bumper. With swagger.

I am a cool mom like you. And I got a minivan (Hon...

2010-07-30T20:26:14.488-07:00

I am a cool mom like you. And I got a minivan (Honda Odyssey) and it has been wonderful. My kids talk about the "magic doors" because of the button that opens the doors, etc. With two kids and finding I often have a third along for a playdate, it is just so much more convenient. I also have a bad back and it is just so much easier on me. - Missy

I don't own a mini van but I drive one at work...

2010-07-30T19:50:40.213-07:00

I don't own a mini van but I drive one at work. And at first it pained me to admit this... but I love it!!! I like that I'm up higher then most of the other cars, lots of room (I can split up fighting siblings between 2 rows!!)and it is a really comfortable ride. Get whatever feels good to you!

Might I suggest the Mazda5? Good mileage, third r...

2010-07-30T16:31:58.807-07:00

Might I suggest the Mazda5?

Good mileage, third row even though it's tiny, and isn't technically a minivan.

You can also get a good deal on late-model used ones from Hertz Rent-to-buy. That's how I bought mine.

I drove minivans for years before I had kids. I ...

2010-07-30T14:18:20.232-07:00

I drove minivans for years before I had kids. I don't anymore but I never really thought about the fact that people maybe thought I wasn't cool for driving one. Someone gave me one (actually, two) and who was I to refuse a free van? And people were always borrowing it when they were moving.

You know, since becoming a mum, I have never once run into a high-waisted khaki's wearing stereotype soccer mom. I don't think this person really exists outside of paper towel commercials. If you look beyond the surface, most people are pretty interesting even if their vehicles aren't.

If minivans were marketed as the hallmark of quirky fashion, would you be happier to drive one? Because it's all just marketing, right? Minivans are marketed to families, sportscars and stupid oversized SUVs are marketed as fun. I say, Who cares? Drive whatever works. There are a lot more important things to worry about.