11 Reasons to Drive a Minivan & Love it by Chic Mom Blogger Britney

Hi everyone, my name is Britney and I'm visiting from Britney Dearest. I'm so excited to be guest blogging on "The Chic Stay at Home Mom" today!

Upon reading the title, some of you may be puzzled as to why anyone in their twenties would proudly admit to driving a minivan, let alone enjoy it.

Hear me out before you think I'm crazy!

I was once anti-minivan too. I could not fathom the idea that I would ever drive a van. EVER! A minivan wasn't the right vehicle for this hot, young mama.

How it happened...

In 2011, during the last month of my pregnancy with my youngest son, my family owned two small cars; my husband's black manual 2-door Scion tc & my 4 door Chevy Cavalier. My husband had bought his car brand new and customized and it was his 'baby'. He dreaded the thought of selling it, but knew it was time for a newer, family-friendly vehicle.

I never ever considered a minivan as an option. I was actually searching for a 7 or 8 passenger SUV. My dreams were shattered when my husband said something like, "babe, we're not getting an SUV, we need a van." I probably replied something like, "honey, you have lost your mind if you think I'm gonna be seen driving a VAN." Then, because he's Mr. Logical, he explained all the reasons why a van would be the most practical choice for our family. He was right, but I probably said, "screw that, I'm too young and fly to drive a van!"

A month after the birth of my son, my husband and I contacted my cousin, who at the time was a salesman at a Dodge Chrysler Jeep dealership. A couple of weeks after our initial conversation, he called us saying he had something for us; a van that only had one previous owner prior, it was in great condition, had low mileage, yada yada yada...

I was ridiculously dramatic on the way to the dealership. I guess reality had set in. I don't know if it was my postnatal breastfeeding hormones or what, but I cried (literally) and debated with my husband during the entire ride. I realized I may have lost my battle against the minivan and the possibility that I could really be driving one by the end of the day was over whelming for me. I know it seems silly, but I was really stressed out!

I wasn't sold on it until the test drive.

Needless to say, my husband and I became owners of a 2008 Chrysler Town & Country Limited minivan by the end of that day. I named it Pearl, because of it's pretty, light blue pearly color.

Although my ideas of driving a minivan didn't start out so well, I have made it to a great place and now, it's all love and light.

October 11, 2015

Allow me to explain why...

1. Nice aesthetics. Everything on the inside and outside was close to perfection. It looked brand spanking new. The previous owner kept the vehicle in great condition.

2. It drives so smooth. During our test drive, my husband and I were blown away by how smooth the ride was. It was so much better than what we were used to. It still rides pretty good.

3. Entertainment for the kids. Our van has two TV screens that fold down from the ceiling of the van, a remote, and two Bluetooth headphones so I can ride in silence or listen to the radio while the kids listen to their movie. Every now and then we're offered three free months of SiriusXM satellite radio. I love it! I can't wait until the offer comes back around again. Using an auxiliary cord, I can hook up my phone and listen to my own music via YouTube, Pandora, or any other internet radio apps. We also have an electrical power outlet we can turn off and on in the second row.

4. Rear view screen. My kids leave out their bikes and toys in the driveway pretty often, so when I open the garage, I can check the rear view screen to make sure there's nothing and no one behind the van before backing out. It's beneficial in parking lots because in addition to my rear view mirrors, I have another way to check for other vehicles and people walking by. The screen also allows me to control the radio and has the ability to show a movie while the van is in park.

5. It has automatic sliding doors that open and close with the push of a button. Yeah, SUV's are nice at all, but automatic sliding doors are a great feature they lack. I feel like I'm living in luxury when my kids and I are leaving the grocery store, and I tap the button to slide the doors open for the kids before we make it to the car. Instantly following that, I tap the button to open the trunk for the groceries. Then, I tap the button again to close the trunk, while my kids tap the button located inside the van to close the doors. I get that "I'm so fancy" attitude.

While I'm in the back, slaving away.

6. Because  of the sliding doors, I don't have to worry about my kids swinging doors open and scratching or denting cars nearby.

7. Stow-n-Go seating is great. Instead of removing seats, we're able to fold them down into the floor. It has been great for big purchases. I can put a few seats down to load a large item. We have also used the seating at the drive in, changing the trunk into comfortable seating and a spot to lie down.

The larger front row storage compartment has DVDs, change, hand sanitizer, lotion, car sprays, stuff like that.

8. There are useful storage compartments, including a nice sized trunk. There are two glove compartments on the passenger side and two nice sized storage compartments in between the driver and passenger seats. I store DVD's in the larger one and and stuff like loyalty/reward savings cards, baby wipes, lotion, & feminine products in the smaller. I keep my emergency kits and reusable grocery bags in the floor compartments located in the second row. We're able to fit our groceries, wagon, bikes, and scooters in the trunk with ease. In the third row, there's a few holders and areas where the kids store a few of their small toys.

9. There's so much space. My kids can get in and out very easily. When there are three people in the third row seat, it's still comfortable and spacious. On the day of my sister's wedding, when their limo, which was carrying majority of the wedding party including the bride & groom, became stranded on the side of the road {gasp!}, I was able to seat seven of them into my van... and they watched a movie on the way to our destination. :-)

10. Heated Seating. The driver, passenger, and second row seats have heated seating. It's perfect for the colder seasons! Not only am I able to keep my backside warm, but my kids can keep theirs warm as well.

Our emergency kits, reusable bags, and other stuff in the floor.

11. My family loves having a van. My entire family is spoiled by the perks that our Pearl offers. I don't want any other type of vehicle. I would love to upgrade to a 2016 Town & Country. They're so sleek and gorgeous, inside and out. I considered a 2015 Honda Odyssey; for awhile, it was actually my dream family car, however, when I saw the newer Town & Country, with chrome accents and new logo design, I fell deeply in like.

Truth be told, we won't be upgrading to anything newer any time soon. We'll be driving our current van until it can't go anymore, or as some say, "until the wheels fall off!" But it's fun to dream :-)

Third row. Snapping photos as I clean!

Having a van has most definitely changed my opinion. I was so hesitant to own one, but now, I don't want anything else. Well, I would like to have a nice 4-door mid-size sedan, eventually, in addition to my van, but it's not feasible for us right now, so the other alternative we have currently is my husband's Chevy truck.

Yeah, my vehicle screams, "I HAVE A BUNCH OF KIDS!" But that's not an issue for me, I'm a proud Mommy. I don't mind the "soccer mom" references. Regardless of the negative stereotypes and opinions surrounding minivans, my van is what I make it. And I like to believe my family makes it look darn good. :-)

Any other proud "minivans moms" out there? Or, are you considering joining the club? Did I convince you enough? :-) Thanks for reading! And thank you so much to Tia for having me!

In addition to my blog, Britney Dearest, you can also find me {as @BritneyDearest} on Instagram,  Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.