Mumsnet Talk

Ok to cut a long story quite short, my son is 3 yrs old and due to start Nursery school after the summer but as I don't drive and the school is 4 miles away I cant get him there, I have failed 4 driving tests and its really beginning to upset me as I dont know what to do, I put up a small poster at the Nursery asking if any of the other mums could help but no one has got back to me.. what should i do?

Can you get a bike and cycle there with him in a child seat on the back? Or is there a nearer preschool that he could go to?

Bus?

is there a preschool on a bus route for you to get him to.
As already suggested can you cycle there?

Could you afford to use a taxi for him and you?

Don't stress about the driving. Just think of alternatives for him.

Thanks for getting back to me, We stay like in the middle of no where and the nearest town is 8 miles away and his school will be just a small country one, there is no bus route here so my partner takes into the shops at the weekend I have 2 other little ones so a bike is not an option I have even thought of moving out but I don't want to split up the family.

You can get three children onto a bike, but it's hard work. The Christiania Bikes are good for masses, as are the Bakfiets ones.

Do you have any family that could help out? Is the nursery attached to a school? Have you enquired if you could use the school bus to get him there?
Can the local authority help??
Friends in the area....??

mummy2424 have you spoken to the teachers and asked them to ask around? My son's nursery is the same and we all carpool and I think we could find a way to bring someone's kid to nursery in this situation (there is another nursery one mile further away on a bus route from our village though so people here have a choice - it's very hard though and expensive in petrol (6 miles and up a very very large hill). Biking would not be a sensible option here and I am a cyclist...

I have been asking the head teacher at school for advice but she wasnt much help at all, the school bus is only for primary kids the only option I can think of is keep him at home until my daughter starts the same Nursery after Christmas and hope that it may be more relaxing for them both being there together.

How will it help that your DD is starting after Christmas?

How much would a taxi cost? How many days will your DS be attending? Do none of your neighbours travel to the school?

Hmmmmm....

I just thought I might be driving by the time she has to go, none of my neighbours travel to school they use the school bus. I am not even sure there are taxis here honestly we are so far out from any where, I wish i checked all this out before we built the house.

Well stick at the learning to drive. You'll get there eventually.

Find out about taxi companies and it may be worth contacting the local council to ask for assistance. Are there any circumstances that you might qualify for help with transport / costs?

Yeah I think tax credits would contribute to travel costs, I just worry to much I think, I will call around taxi companies 2morrow x

Post how you get on. I'm sure a solution will be found before your DS misses out.

Ok thanks I will let you know x

For regular bookings, especially those at not peak times you can often get good taxi deals - def worth a try.

Just being nosy - how do you get out and about with your DC now if it's going to be a struggle come term time?

Major, I would presume the OP doesn't plan to go out with the DC for a set time every day, 4 miles away...I know I didn't as I don't drive, and only have the one

so there is a school bus? Can he get that?

ok so i just looked at a site that sells christiania bikes, how cool are they??? my daughter said Moosh and Mogo, which was quite funny as we watch same smile everyday, but I think my eldest daughter would be embarrased of me, I guess it would be fun as they love me pushing them around the garden in the wheel barrow, the only thing is we live near a huge hill and i dont know if my legs could handle it I wouldn't really want to turn up at nursery puffing out of breath and dripping in sweat thats not the best aproach for a parent.

Namechanging as I might out myself telling you about my trike, but what about a trikidoo? www.trikidoo.co.uk. Depends how old your kids are, but you can get 2 big kids and a small one on there.

My DC love it - and there's an electric assist version for the big hill!