Apparently minivans are for dorks

Seriously, I had no idea.

From the time I was a small child, my family had minivans. And we loaded them up with our stuff and schlepped across the country in them. I have spent countless hours of my life looking out the window of a minivan and watching countryside go by. I've seen mountains and prairies and cities and three legged deer (thanks to our minivan) from the inside of a minivan.

So naturally, when I grew up and began birthing humans, I decided my husband and I needed a minivan as well. He agreed. So we bought our 2000 Toyota Sienna five years ago (and just paid it off!!) and have put it to great use. We are totally "The Swagger Wagon" couple.

I like it. It's roomy inside, but not too big of a vehicle that I have trouble driving it. It's convenient, what with the automatic sliding door and the captains chairs and the 8,000 places to hide gum wrappers. Its leather seats are easy to wipe child goop off of. I can listen to my MP3 player through the sound system. It gets good gas mileage.

My single complaint? The horn. I have done extensive research, and Toyota and Honda horns are so wimpy sounding. Not like the blaring, in your face American horns. It's like a gentle whispered "Get out of my way", which isn't usually what we're going for when it comes to horns.

So why do all my friends who are just now entering the life stage of having multiple children hate minivans so much? I constantly hear "Oh, I could never drive a minivan." and "What am I, a soccer mom?"

It's amusing to me that these people complaining about minivans being used to cart kids around are spending half their lives carting kids around, just in smaller, less convenient vehicles or huge on the outside, tiny on the inside, gas guzzling SUV's.

What's the big deal about owning a family friendly vehicle when you have a family?

Do they wish they didn't have families to drive around?

Do they resent the idea of not having to pile 63 bags of groceries in their little trunks?

Do they like bruising their heads every time they place a child in a carseat?

Do they enjoy climbing ladders to do the same in an SUV?

I'll admit, I've never been one to worry much about social stigma. I really don't see what the big deal is about driving minivans or buying off brand clothing or choosing a PC over Mac or listening to Carman music. Maybe it's because I tend to be a global, big picture kind of person that the little details readily escape my notice. I like what I like. I don't usually ask everyone's opinion first.

Not that I don't have my own stigmas that I push on other people. Like how I hate country music. And the WB. And anything with "NCIS" in the title.

But I would hope that I would be open minded enough to be able to overlook my initial reservations if something would really benefit my life. For instance, the WB is playing the first season of Fringe on its website. I'm so there.

Maybe I'm just more mature than everyone else.

What are you laughing at?