October 15, 2013 at 9:12 pm , by Nick Shell

2 years, 10 months.

Dear Jack,

There used to be this stigma with minivans. I was very aware of it.

I figured if I was a 32 year-old dad who drove a minivan, it would be like giving up on being cool.

To me, driving a minivan was like wearing a t-shirt of a wolf howling at the moon and tucking it into jean shorts, with a flip phone in a holder on my woven leather belt.

At best, driving a minivan would be an ironic thing to do- like it was when I did it in high school.

But this past year, I started realizing… minivans are actually pretty cool these days.

Call it perfect timing, but then Toyota let us take one of their 2013 Siennas on our family road trip from Nashville, TN to Louisville, KY this past weekend. That’s what made me realize, it’s officially cool to drive a minivan now.

(By the way, you were pretty sad to have to say goodbye to it today. You waved to it as I dropped you off for school.)

And no, I don’t just think it’s because I’m older now and have a kid that I think minivans are cool.

Driving a minivan is fun.

I can say this, now that I’m back in my normal car, it feels like I’m driving with the emergency brake on. Mommy coincidentally said the same thing today; with this being our first day back in our own vehicles.

She and I both agreed that the Sienna rode like a boat. I mean that in a good way.

It just seemed to effortlessly hover across the road; never seeming clunky or like driving a loaf of bread.

One of my favorite parts about driving the Sienna on our road trip this weekend was when I shuttled the 8 of us around Louisville.

You, me, and Mommy met my parents, sister, brother-in-law, and your cousin there in Louisville. There were 3 vehicles and I figured we would have to do sort of a caravan thing as we drove around the city for the weekend.

But sort of by accident, Mommy discovered the stowaway seat in the very back of the van which could be attached in between the 2 captain’s chairs in the 2nd row.

That meant there were 8 seats for 8 people; 2 of those people being 2 year-olds. It’s not like we felt like a can of sardines, either.

In fact, my mom (your Nonna) commented: “I feel like I’m riding in 1st class!”

(She’s never actually ridden 1st class so we’ll let this count.)

It was a lifesaver for me because I get stressed out when I have to lead, or be part of, a caravan; especially in a city I haven’t completely memorized. Instead, all I had to do was drive (with Mommy riding shotgun) and follow the built-in GPS to the zoo.

Also, we saved money on parking by being in just one vehicle.

So, I’m over my conditioned belief that minivans uncool, or at best, ironic.

Things have changed, now.

We had a great family road trip anyway, but it totally (!) added to the enjoyment factor and subtracted from the stress factor by having the Sienna. Now I don’t like the thought of taking another family road trip the old fashioned way… without a minivan.

 

Love,

Daddy

 

Disclaimer: The vehicle mentioned in this story was provided at the expense of Toyota, for the purpose of reviewing.

P.S. To see more pictures of our family road trip, go to The Dadabase’s Facebook page and click on the picture folder, Louisville AdVANture Road Trip October 2013.