School run mum

Honestly, whenever I meet people like this I kill it with niceness. If you gave a similarly snarky response she'd be pleased! This is what she wants. If however you were kind and friendly in response she'd be pissed off. She wouldn't know what do with her snarkiness. It always works for me.

You might be mistaken, when my dd started nursery there was a mum at the gate who looked like a mean woman and for some reason I felt awkward about her,
Then when it was my dd birthday she said her dd couldn't make it which didn't surprise me but she said we can do something on her actual birthday so she didn't miss out on her present and we met up and 4 years later she's one of my best friends.

She still has a resting bitch face and looks like she's staring at people with an attitude but she isn't aware of it and it's not intentional.
She's actually got a lovely heart and would be gutted to think that was my first impression.

Honestly? She doesn’t sound great. But what will annoy her more - your engaging with her or you being completely indifferent to her? Ignore her. If anyone else mentions it, be breezy. You don’t know why she always makes comments about you and you aren’t interested in them.

Just a loud comment “it’s such a shame we live too far away to walk, some people live much closer than we do” to your child should do it.

My kids primary is a 35/40 minute walk for me (far longer with small kids) so just not practical. I occasionally used to drive there, then leave my car and walk home then back again for pick up when I was on mat leave, but it’s not practical on a working day.

So what? She doesn't have any bearing on your life. Just smile give a good morning and get on with your day. Stop letting her get in your head, she's insignificant and her opinion doesn't matter in the slightest. You don't need to even engage with her comments. If your kids mention it then just say to them that sometimes people can be rude. How you react will be the biggest bearing to them.

One person's smirk is another person's smile 😶😂

I'm sure that she isnt so invested in you and how you get to school!

Just ignore it, carry on with your day as normal and try not to even look in her direction and then you won’t know what she’s doing or saying. Don’t go out of your way to cause any conflict by commenting or watching her. It may not even be about you.
If she does have a bee in her bonnet about you driving, at some point she’ll probably find out/realise/over hear where you live anyway and she’ll feel like a right knob

Of course OP doesn't know what this person is thinking

But half the comments seem to be missing the part where the person said OUT LOUD loud enough for OP to hear that they "walk to school, we're not lazy" while LOOKING DIRECTLY AT OP. While there could be some room for error in this assumption, it's a pretty strong cue that this person IS judging OP for something they know nothing about.

OP. Just ignore the person. Their judgement is unkind. They don't know your circumstances. Even if you did live round the corner, you might have another valid reason to drive children to school, such as a disability. This person isn't worth your time. Don't smile at them, don't talk to them, just ignore them and focus on getting your child to school.

And ignore all the commenters here telling you you don't know what she's thinking when she said is clearly out loud. They know less than you, and yet they seem to be giving this person the benefit of the doubt. I can't imagine they'd like to experience the hostility from them either.

I find it best to always assume the best of people. It makes it easier to sleep at night, and you never know what someone is thinking or what they are going through.

ultimately though, what other people think of you is none of your business . Just go about your day and forget about her.

I would loudly respond, "oh it must be lovely to live close enough to walk to school, we live a 15 minute drive away so not possible for us"

Are you parking in a way that inconveniences pedestrians or endangers children?
If not, then she is a just a grumpy so and so who feels entitled to make judgements despite knowing very little about people’s situations. Or she feels insecure about her own parenting and feels the need to congratulate herself every so so often on what a stellar job she is doing 🙄🤣

Say this

”gosh you’re right. We really shouldn’t be driving. Do you think you could pick up DC and walk them for me? My address is… does (whatever time you would need to leave) work?

Nahh just ignore her. I live a 10 minute walk from the school but I drive because I'm disabled and on day 3 of walking I'm in bed for the rest of the day, AND, I drop my daughter then go to the office, so I need to rush off. I don't care if anyone judges me, needs must! Just smile and carry on, don't let her ruin your morning

I’d tell her you don’t have an hour to walk to school everyday and that you don’t want your child to be really tired when she gets to school. Make her feel sorry and she maybe won’t be so awful with anyone else because I assure you she is. Some of these people just really annoy me.

”I live a 15 min drive away, you dick.”

Life is too short for other peoples bullshit.

Im so pleased i dont have to deal with schools anymore or the fruit loop mums that i had to pass on the way.

Makes me remember the one mum that i will never forget on a school run she always had to look her best and would brag very loud about how some need to get in style.
She looked orange her hair was a mess with extensions and make-up that a clown would say calm it down.

Well around 8.15 one morning she comes walking past very smug with a pink track suit on not a problem huge chunky bright red boots and the biggest white sun glasses ive ever seen anyone wear and a coat i can only describe as very large black bin bag it was awful i held my laughter my son said very loudly mum why is she wearing a bin bag why do she look like a space man.
I hurried along but another kid said the same thing in the playground to her mum MUM SHE LOOKS LIKE A SPACE MAN MUMMY kid had no filter.
At the words space man mummy at that point i could not hold it in hahahahaha i thought quick and got my phone out it looked like i got a funny text.
Im sure she knew different.
I never saw her wear it again you had to be there to see it it was awful.
That afternoon on pick up she was wearing leggings and a long jumper she looked normal very nice.
She never went on about style again but i only new her as space man mummy so did a few others.

Ignore her, not worth your time.

Is your parking poor? Do you pull up on zigzags, double yellows, over driveways or on corners? Or driving like a twat?

If you're not parking or driving badly she's probably just smiling at you. Maybe at that moment her child had asked why they can't drive to school?

I have never met all these evil, smirking horrible school mums but to be honest I'm not looking around at the other parents trying to analyse their facial expressions.

This would amuse me. I mean who cares what some random woman thinks about you? I would laugh inwardly and get on with my day.

Maybe the kid was moaning about walking to school and she has a resting bitch face. Maybe she hates cars. Maybe you parked badly outside her house once. Could be the kids don’t get on. Who knows. Who cares. Just ignore and get on with your day.

My resting face is really grumpy. If I'd had DC, I'm sure the comments would have been "This school mum looks daggers at me..."

I had one of those years ago when the kids were at primary. It was bizarre as I didn't ever care about making friends on the school run beyond a quick hello and chat about the weather. I just dropped in and picked up quickly. I just used to carry on saying hi in passing and ignoring the side eye and no reply. Kind of made it funnier and no skin off my nose. Six months after school was done for my last child at primary, she friend requested me on Facebook. I obviously didn't bother accepting as what was the point -but I always wonder what all that nonsense was about and if she thought I really gave a shit? Let her get on with it, do you really care what some stranger thinks? You see each other briefly for 20 mins a day.

Why is she a nob head exactly?!

Sometimes I think I look like I’m smirking but actually I can’t see! I’ve done it in the gym plenty of times.

Could you be paranoid?

Well at least she’s letting you know she’s someone to steer well clear of!! What a loon!