How much value do you place on being able to pick your kids up from school?

I've done both. Being able to pick up at 3 wins every time.

I don’t do any. DS is at ASC until 5.30ish Mon, Tues, Thurs (inc a sport on Thurs), and has a sport at school on Fridays for an hour after the main school day. ExDH does pick up on Weds and ferries to swimming and cubs.

i work full time, ex is retired (early) - I would love to do pick up (and would do Fridays if DS didn’t want to do his sport)- but not an option economically.

DS is happy but would like to drop ASC next year when he goes into Y5. I’d like him to keep going until mid year 5, but realistically once he does - whenever he does- he’ll be coming home to mooch until I finish work, which doesn’t feel great either.

I agree with this. I do pick up once a week (DH does one too) and I don't really notice any huge quality time difference, it's not an enormous amount of time.

As I said up thread, I like it to have the ability to do playdates and swimming lessons, not so much because I think the time together has such a big impact.

I am surprised by the number of people whose children are shattered at 3, mine v much are not! But - and this is an observation, not a judgement - we are are a high energy family, we all like being busy DH and I have full on careers, volunteer etc, and the kids whether it's nature or nurture I don't know take after us and don't especially want downtime after school

DDs are in after school club three days a week but because I work part time I can pick them up two days a week and I really value that. DH and I share the drop offs in the mornings.

After school club is great and they get to play with their friends but I personally wouldn't want them to be there every day. It's nice to see them come out of school, hear about the day and we can do impromptu playdates or trips to the park.

Not important at all. We have full wrap around care because my job has no option to do otherwise.

None.

I took fewer hours and relied on savings to pick up mine from primary. They loved it. I loved it. I’m so glad I did it.

When dc were at primary I did 2 pickups per week (Tuesday and Thursday), DP did one (Fridays). They went to after school club Monday and Wednesday and before school every day except Friday, when DP took them.
It worked well, homework was mostly daily reading and any bigger stuff had a week to be completed so we might start on a Tuesday / Thursday and finish at the weekend. They made friends across a variety of age groups at after school club and complained if I picked them up too early. It was also mostly screen free with time in the playground and games and books inside too.

Zero and I have the choice.

I picked up my kids when I was a SAHM for a year and not when I went back to work: No difference in their happiness, homework being done, quality time etc.

Kids had plenty of play dates, socialised, etc. This wasn’t dependant on picking them up from school.

People over place importance on these things and romanticise them. I am a better parent when working and my children see a successful Independant woman in business.

Do what works for you and what you want to do.

Well, I get that it’s a rhetorical question and I’m not trying to make anyone feel bad but I do think there’s a massive difference between 330 and 5, especially for young children. They are tired, an hour and a half is a long time and they are winding down.

But tbf my DS tells me nothing about his day!

@FancyCatSlave

Because she's fresh out of school, seeing friends in the playground, excitement of seeing me rather than going off with the childminder. By the time I pick up at 5pm from the child minders she is usually tired, whingy, we have to get into the car rather than walking which is a disconnect to me and we don't have the same quality time as our walk home because it's the stressy part of the day to get home and get dinner cooked / fed etc.

To me it is a massively different feel from picking up at school to picking her up from the child minder.

I get to go home with her, we have time to do homework together and chill before the busy evening.

That's my opinion and that's what the OP asked for.

I don’t get this as DD does all of that when I pick her up at 5pm?! What difference does it being 3.30 make to smiles, talking about the day etc?

I like doing it. Before school DS was in nursery and I'd pick him up about 6pm 3 times a week - I felt quite bad about those long days. He doesn't remember nursery and I've done the school runs throughout primary - I see it as a privilege.

My parents never did the school run and I felt jealous of friends who had mums waiting for them at the gate. It's not scarred me or anything, I'm just happy I'm getting to do it with my DS. He's my only child and now in year 6, primary has gone by in a flash!

For me, I am grateful I am able to work around school and do pick up. My kids are always shattered by 3:30 and wouldn’t want to stay in at school any longer, they want to come home and crash. I also wanted to have that experience as a parent.

That being said, if our situation was different I would absolutely use that resource if needed.

Might be less important as they get older, but my eldest is in Y1 now and DH or I pick him up from school 3x a week - the other days he is either in after school club or at sports club.

Those days when we pick up are really helpful for us, not just because DS1 might get tired and ratty otherwise, but because it's the main time we get to hear from his teacher if there have been any concerns during the day, and also a chance to chat to other parents.

There are a few kids in his class who go to wraparound care every day or near to it, and I've heard those parents complain that they don't get to know who their kids are friends with as much, or talk to the teachers.

It probably depends how important those aspects are to you, and what the majority of families at your kids' school do.

None. My DD isn’t at all bothered, she likes wraparound as she’s really sociable and prefers playing with friends to coming home. She went to nursery 7.30-5.30 (4 days) from 13 months so the school day is similar although she actually does 2 shorter days now (9-4.30) and 3 that are 7.45-5.30.

On the rare day I get to pick her up at school finish she is not the least bit grateful as she just wants to watch TV. Cooking club, lego club, drama club etc is all much better for her.

Very important. I'm a SAHM, oldest 3 are in school, toddler is in nursery full time and baby is home with me, occasionally in nursery. I only use afterschool clubs for when I want or need 1:1 time with a child, usually for a trip to get a hot chocolate or for the dentist. School pick up is my favourite time of day by far. My ultimate priority when deciding what to do with my time.

Ours were picked up by a childminder 3 days per week, and by DH twice a week, eventually me as well once a week when I went down to 80%. It is great if you can manage one day, to see them in the school environment etc, and it’s really nice to be able to do an after school thing like a play date or swimming lessons or something. But it’s not always possible, and if the after school club is good, it’ll be fine, plenty of other children there too. It’s much more chilled than school time.

Ours talk all about their days, but later when we’re eating, not straight after.

I do pick up twice a week and drop offs three times a week. LOVE my pick up days, the happy face when DD sees me, the enthusiasm at showing me what she's made, the chatter on the walk home etc.

I would say if you have options then try to allow for a couple a week :)

For me it was important that I did school pick up sometimes, but I was happy with a mix of wraparound and 3.30 pick up.

DD is year 2 now. Sometimes it's just been Friday pick up. Now it's 2 nights a week plus a friend picks her up and takes her to a sport club once a week. Then 2 after school clubs.

When she was in after school club 4 nights a week I tended to pick her up "early" (by 4.30) most of the time although she did have some later pick ups.

Kids will get used to whatever routine you go for.

Personally I would sacrifice a lot to do drop offs and pick ups. But everyone is different.

It’s important to me but I do have to use before and after school club twice a week.

DD hated ASC. She went twice a week but we would collect her earlier if we could. I prioritised taking her to school as it seemed better for her to start the day well.

My eldest is super sociable and loved after school club.
I have always worked full time and was in the office in those days. He had a great time.
My youngest hates it, hates too many people and unstructured play, I have had to take work from home jobs so I can pick him up.
I do love the after school clubs though, they are free play, loads of fun activities and like a play date with snacks.
If your child is the type to enjoy playing with friends then you might find she loves it.
They make friends from all years and become more well known across the school when they go. It has a lot of benefits, not just the fact you can have wrap around care.