AIBU to question the school banning prams from the buggy shed?

Leave earlier to give the slow walker enough time to get to school so you don’t need the buggy.

I can totally understand your frustration, the school sound rather pig headed.

The bit I really can't understand is not allowing bikes or scooters. I would expect any school to be encouraging active travel, particularly if the grounds are pedestrianised. If I was you this is what I'd be pushing them on, as it might expand your options and is a much easier case to argue than the buggy storage. Arguments... climate change, air pollution, obesity crisis, multiple reasons children should be encouraged to travel to school on foot or wheels and not in cars.

I'm sure you'll find some government or council guidance out there to reference...chatgpt is useful at helping to identify relevant policies and guidance to back up an argument. Stay away from personal circumstances in your arguments and stick to things that apply more generally to the school/ local population.

It’s not your shed!!!! Do as you are asked!! Your 3 year old should be walking anyway as they are old enough! They will be in school soon so being babied because you don’t want to leave the house 10 mins earlier is ridiculous! They will learn to walk faster once it becomes habit

I agree v odd that school doesn’t have a shed for scooters and bikes that the children can use. Seems to go against green policy.

if they’re insistent that there’s nowhere to park them -then just bring children to school on their scooter and stroller - then push the scooter and buggy home with you. Scooter folded up on buggy. Or in the buggy basket.

if you hate face-to-face confrontation-send a polite email to school or PTA suggesting they consider extending their facilities for children to store their bikes and scooters, to enable & encourage green modes of transport to school.

Ours banned bikes and scooters because too many kids were riding without helmets

A couple of practical suggestions:

1. could you have the three-year-old any compact back sling? A preschooler size one should do it, and you just put it in your bag after.

2. could you get a really really cheap pushchair that you don't care about, and use a bicycle lock to chain it to some railings near bikes? It might get nicked or removed, but if it only cost you a ten a second hand it's cheaper than booking them in breakfast club all the time. It depends if you've got somewhere suitable you can abandon it each day! My kids school is next to a playground, so it's pretty easy.

But she can set* off 12 minutes earlier? What’s preventing her? A troll under the bridge who requires that she only leave 13 mins before 🤣

I would get a lightweight pre school carrier and take it with me to work afterwards. You can get a size 3 Integra/Connecta fairly cheaply on Vinted.

So does no one cycle or scoot to school then? As you say, it's not practical for parents to be dragging potentially multiple items back and forth with them.

I wonder if they are being left in a space that's outside of the school grounds, and you could similarly use it for your buggy?

I often ran with a buggy with a child still in it. Off course she can run back with the buggy, she just doesn't want to

Can you get an adjustable scooter?

I used to have a two mile walk to get to my daughter's pre school and needed to finish work on the dot to make it.

On the days I'd run over I'd take her scooter (globber three wheeler) with handle bars lifted up and scoot there then she'd come back on it.

You look a tit but who cares! It's quicker on a scooter than walking.

Some rules are batshit. I don’t know why you’re being given a hard time. Some schools are solution driven, some schools aren’t. It’s really odd that there’s nowhere to leave scooters etc too. Mornings with little ones are stressful enough, without withholding minor conveniences provided by most schools.

I know you have a solution, BUT, just a thought....what about one of the decentscooters with Pneumatic wheels. Put youngest on it and like drag them along to school on it. Then you can WHIZZZZ home on it for the meeting?

Why can't you just take the buggy home?

Take your 3 yr old on a scooter and carry it back home like almost every other parent does?
BTW, what would you do if there was no buggy park at the school - like many schools?

I think it's batshit OP. Sorry. I think it's reasonable to raise with school and ask how they reconcile this with the need to encourage people to walk bike or scooter rather than drive
But I guess if they dont respond then not much you can do

If the buggy park is used for one set day a week then they should allow the school and nursery to use it on the other four days. Even if it wasn't set days then they could easily put up a notice, or notify parents which days the park was out of use.

I think it's totally insane to make parents go back with bikes and scooters in tow. What about those who have more than one kid? I've got three (almost four), and that would be impossible.

I'd lobby the school with other parents' backing, tbh. What a silly rule.

It doesn’t seem fair that a small select group are allowed to do this and you are not?! Think I’d email the head to complain. Explain why you need it and how it would impact your day. I’m sure they’ll say it’s okay.

I'd be pissed off the school is enticing new dc but isn't accommodating to the dc already there...
Nobody wants to drop an already shattered 3yo off for the day.

Ridiculous that they don't have a bike park at least, they ought to be encouraging active travel to school. The bike park at DS's primary school is bigger than the staff car park and all children are encouraged to bike to school.

You'll just have to either leave earlier so there's time to walk and still run back or try running with the pushchair. Very annoying though.

Why dont you wheel the pram back home after drop off?

Can u not cycle there - cycle considerately on the pavements or push for the dangerous bits and then easily cycle home for meeting