Lone parent, sick infant school child- what's your back up plan to get an older child to school?

[TheVortex]

Just this, I've had the DC with bucket in car before but this isn't always possible nor fair or pleasant.

I have no helpful neighbours, and assuming no local parents that can help.

How about a taxi for a year 5 child so aged 9 or 10?

I'm not a single parent but I've been in this situation many times...not much choice but to drag the sick child on the school run I'm afraid. If you have a car that's not so dreadful... keep them in PJ's, stick a coat over them. If you're dropping older DC at school, surely you can just drive by, stop by the school entrance and get them to jump out and take themselves in?

I’ve done bucket in the car. Have also left sick child at home for a very short school journey and stayed on the phone to them the whole way. It’s one of the unrecognised stresses of single parenthood.

Thanks. It's a common problem then.

I was wondering about leaving sick child alone for very short 6 min round trip so short period of time as long as she's engrossed in tv and has communications to me... I'm sure many here would disagree but might be kinder to all!

It would be good to have an emergency FB or WA group for this kind of thing. Everyone knows where everyone lives and can offer to help when possible with hope it can be reciprocal. Would need careful
moderating to ensure it's not a breeding ground for CFs.

Ask someone local to you to help out there are loads of school mums on my fb page

Its awful isn't it. I've also had mine have to stay at home because I've been too ill to take them.

Up to the age of 7, bundle sick child into elderly McLaren pushchair and take with us - with rainhood on if child was infectious. After age of 7 leave sick child at home in bed with phone. I wasn’t driving but I’m not sure that makes a difference.

Does your child's school have a family liaison officer? If you chat with them, they might be able to help with a solution.

Do you have neighbours or others close by with children at the same school? Our near neighbour has recently become a single mum and we've taken her son in with us a few times when her younger one has had medical appointments - we don't know them that well, but I think it's the kind of thing that lots of people would be happy to be asked anyway, it's easy especially with an older child.

Thanks for the replies. We have a family liaison so will ask her how it works for other families. I'd imagine they have arrangements with taxi firms in the worst case scenario

Young child is only just 6 but pretty switched on and tech savvy.

This is when my green eyed monsters appear for those who have family / GPs on standby. It feel sooo isolated at times.

Wouldn't leave a six year old. Can year 5 child walk to school?

My son’s school would dispatch someone to pick up in an emergency. My daughter was once picked up by the head when I had a migraine so bad I couldn’t see straight enough to get her to school.

I'm not a single parent but I have a dp that goes to work early so have been in similar situation before. Luckily I have a few of the other mums that help each other out in these sorts of situations. Recently one of them took and collected my dd while I had ds home sick. Do you know any of the other parents well enough to do this?