Talk

Flip

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler.

Sleep

Sleep/School Run/Schedule Dilemma

9 replies

NotQuiteCockney · 11/01/2007 12:37

Ok, the winter term has started, and I'm really struggling with the schedule.

I have two DSes. DS1 is at school. DS2 goes to a childcare co-op, mornings only.

The co-op ends at 1:15 or so. I pick up DS2, bike home, bf him, put him to bed. He's in bed by 1:45 or so. At 2:55 or so, I wake him up, put him on the bike, and bike to DS1's school.

I get to DS1's school at 3:20 or so. Collect, back on the bike, go home.

The problem? Waking up DS2 sucks. I've been trying to go open his door earlier than I need him up, so he can wake gently. This helps a bit, but still, he often howls all the way to DS1's school, and sometimes all the way home, too.

DS2 is nearly 28 months. He sleeps for an hour or so in the afternoon and maybe 11 hours at night.

If I dropped the afternoon nap, he'd have to sleep more at night, but sometimes there isn't time - sometimes I have to take him with me to DS1's school (normally a neighbour takes him), and our mornings are really hectic.

The other crappy bit is, there's no wiggle room. If I feel ill, don't feel like biking, um, tough. If I want to bring home an extra kid, um, tough.

Are there other solutions that I'm not seeing?

OP posts:

Report

Skribble · 11/01/2007 12:40

I had same problem when my 2 were younger, it was a bit of a trek to school but I could do it with DD in the pram, so in the afternoon I put her down to sleep in the pram, so I could just put a cover over her and head off to the school.

Report

hana · 11/01/2007 12:43

i have a similar problem - waking up 2 youngest to leave house at 230 to get dd1 for 3, but I don't have them anywhere in the am so really I should move their naps forward.

any chance that you can take him out early, even 15 min from the nursery? could you bf him after you've done the school run or fit in a feed somewhere else?

you're spot on though, I dislike this weather when I'm waking back and forth to school, but more hassle to get girls in car and park than it is to drive.

Report

NotQuiteCockney · 11/01/2007 12:51

Skribble, that was my original plan, but when I tried it, he refused to stay in the pram, never mind sleep! He howled almost all the way there.

I should probably give it another go, he sometimes accepts the pram these days. And although it's a longish walk (maybe 45 minutes?) with my ipod, it'd be fine.

Picking up from the co-op much earlier is tricky, they only eat at 12:30. I do sometimes run a bit late on collecting, though, out of sluggishness.

I can be late to get DS1 - they just let them play in the playground, or keep them indoors, depending on the weather. In theory, I can pick him up any time until four, but I wouldn't want to do it regularly ...

OP posts:

Report

Skribble · 11/01/2007 13:07

DD used to have her afternoon sleep in the big silver cross when DS was at nursery so we just continued this when she moved to a lie back pushchair. Just stood and sushied her for a bit after her lunch and she soon went off, then she would be sound asleep for most of the journey there and wake up on way back.

Report

NotQuiteCockney · 11/01/2007 13:44

Ah, DS2 hasn't slept in a pram in yonks. We almost don't use prams any more, not since before the summer, tbh.

I do have a big pram that would be good for the journey and sleep, and I've mentioned the option to him, just to plant the seed. It would be nice to have the option.

Oh, I don't think I can move the breastfeed, as it's the fastest way I know to wind him down, and a big part of his sleep ritual. I do it pretty fast, though.

Unfortunately, I think I tried to do it too fast now, as he's not gone down happy. I'll go see what I can do ...

OP posts:

Report

NotQuiteCockney · 11/01/2007 17:44

Ok, today was better than yesterday, maybe I just have to get it working again. I woke him slowly, gave him food on the way, and dressed him up in lots of layers.

We'll be in this schedule for another 5 terms (including this one) so I'm sure that DS2 will drop his afternoon nap sometime, and we'll be able to amble over to DS1's school, rather than having to race, but I'd rather not hurry it.

OP posts:

Report

fennel · 11/01/2007 17:47

my dd2 and dd3 usually napped in the buggy for this sort of reason. then you don't have to worry about waking them for the school pick up.

a bike trailer would also work for the little one to sleep in and not get disturbed but it's quite an investment so probably not a useful suggestion.

Report

NotQuiteCockney · 11/01/2007 19:10

I don't think I could face a bike trailer in London, I'd be too nervous!

Yeah, I probably should have kept him napping in the buggy, but once he went to one nap a day, I was happy to do the naps at home, so he got stuck this way ...

OP posts:

Report

NotQuiteCockney · 12/01/2007 13:58

F*ck. Yesterday was good, but today is not looking good at all.

I got to the co-op on time, but DS2 kicked off into a massive tantrum when he saw me. I think he didn't want to go home? He didn't have any words, he didn't have any demands, just screaming, shouting, hitting, crying and (sometimes) biting. He hasn't been tantrumming much lately (ok, I lie, he tantrummed on Monday, but that was the first for a few weeks, I think?), and this was probably the biggest ever.

Thankfully, a neighbour is home today, and she's willing to sit with him, so I don't have to get him up for the school run. I think I will use her, as it will save me a lot of unpleasantness.