How should I do the school run? WITH DIAGRAM

[TrippinEdBalls]

I'm probably over-thinking it, but this has been worrying me and I thought the MN hivemind could help me - and I know people love a diagram around here! DS1 will start school, having just turned 4, in September. His 1 year old little brother (DS2) will still be at nursery, and I'm struggling to work out how best to get them both there and me to work on the days of the week that I need to do that. The diagram shows the locations. My work is a 15 minute cycle from either school or nursery. I was thinking of getting a bike seat for DS2, and then walking DS1 to school while pushing the bike with DS2 in the seat, then cycling DS2 to nursery and then me to work - does this seem like a reasonable plan? Or would you do it the other way round, have DS1 do the 'full' journey - to nursery and then onwards to his school, so that he gets the later start (he'll have to go to breakfast club either way, but he could go for less time that way)? Any other ideas beyond the bike for me to speed it up? DS1 can't scoot or balance bike to school because the hill is so steep that that's slower than walking.

I really don't want to have to drive everyday because parking is a hassle at every stage of the journey, particularly at nursery (see diagram), and because it feels so wasteful for such short journeys - but I do need to get to work on time! I have to get everyone everywhere, including me, by 8.30am - the evening isn't a worry because DH is around to pick-up at least one of them, but he leaves at 7am so can't help in the mornings. Any tips or thoughts on how you'd do this very welcome!

I don’t understand - where is work in the journey? You do the final drop off nearest work.

School first pushing the bike. Think about it - just 4 yo legs going to nursery, then back home then onto school up a steep hill will take 44 mins to drop both off. Sitting in the newly vacated child seat after the nursery drop off won't be feasible once he's grown a bit.

School first. 20 mins. Then you can whizz off to nursery - assuming the 17 min walk can be cycled in 10 mins that's 30 mins, a saving of 14 mins a day.

She said work is 15 min cycle from both school and nursery.

Oh sorry, thought she said 15 mins from home.

I still want to know where work is though!

You do know it's not that simple for some people??

Which one is nearest work?

Good thing with a tagalong is that a tall/big child is doing some work pedalling it and can put some decent effort in and over time will go towards cycling themselves. You can get a bar that connects a proper bike to yours and folds forwards when not in use for the bit where they can cycle some of the time but maybe not up the big hill

Oh my! I’d last about a week before I gave in and got the car out. It’s all very well intentioned but you can’t do everything and do it well. What about the day when DS needs both his school bag and PE kit? Perhaps a musical instrument? Today we came home with two bags, two lunchboxes, one PE kit and a cello. I couldn’t have cycled with that lot if I’d tried! And then there’s the weather. Glorious today but are you really going to do that in the snow and ice? Or rain? What about the days DS has to hand in an A3 sheet of homework/a poster that he’s spent hours on and it gets ruined in the rain? If I made it to work by 8:30 after that lot, I’d look like I’d been dragged through a hedge backwards and wouldn’t be fit for a day at work. I’d want a stiff gin.

Fully aware that some will call me cynical and lazy, but after 10+ years of this crap, various drop offs/pick ups/nurseries/childminders/a million different combos both solo and with DH, I would keep it as simple and easy as possible!

I would drive to nursery come home collect bags and bike and then go to school and work. Or just drive to both. Sorry.

He's a teacher with a 30 minute commute by train. He takes on plenty of childcare (including all holiday care, obviously - we also both work a four day week so happily I will only have to do this three days a week) but a later start for him isn't a possibility no matter how 'simple' it seems to you.

Without buying anything else, I’d definitely take DS1 first to school, pushing him on your bike seat if needed (going uphill when you are freshest), and then zip down the hill on bike to nursery.

Loads of parents around us have cargo bikes (electric I think) which would speed up the commute. Either that or a trailer which you could lock up at Nursery or school.

Does your work run a 'Cycle to work scheme'. You can spread the cost of a bike or accessories across a year and save as you don't have to pay Tax or NI on it.

Actually, on second thoughts, I agree 100% with @Foolsrule 😀

just put 4 year old in a double buggy or on a buggy board for nursery trip, pushing them it will be quick. Then drop it and collect bike with tag along from home on your way to school. I wouldn’t fancy pushing a bike with toddler in child seat up a big hill

It makes very little difference for work - I have built on my diagram glory to show why (but the scale is off, work is further away than that makes it seem - but the distance is more or less the same from either point). Work is also the point where it really is just as, if not quicker, to cycle than to drive because I have to either park a ten minute walk from my office (and pay quite a lot for it) or I can cycle almost to the door. I do currently cycle to work so am used to doing it in rain etc - but the children aren't (though we do always walk to nursery). I can and do work from home a fair bit but don't always have control over when so need to plan in the assumption I'd need to go into work rather than home.

Ha! I remember getting a comment like this on a similar thread of mine years ago. Because all people work nice 9-5 jobs with loads of flexibility 🙄

I’d take youngest to nursery first with eldest walking, then bike him back to school

Plus if it’s a rare torrential day you can factor in driving or a taxi occasionally

lol at the assumption that it’s that simple for some workers to ‘start work later’. Am trying to imagine my head of department’s face (not to mention the parents’ faces!) if Year 10 were left to start their lesson by themselves at the beginning of period 1 because I was doing the school run 😂

Yes, I have access to a car so don't need a solution that will work under absolutely any circumstances - I could drive if it was torrential, or if DS1 needed to take in a project for school, or whatever. I just really want to work out if I have a realistic option other than driving every time - and have had some good solutions for that, thank you everyone!

My worry with the pushing bike option would be that if you quickly had to reach for DS1 running into the road or falling over or whatever, you couldn't do that because the bike with DS2 on it would fall over. But maybe your DC1 is more sensible than mine 😬

I ride with my 2 year old on a front seat and my 4 year old on the back but they are featherweight so it’s easy. We’ll have a similar dilemma come September. The 4 year old is great on his own bike but there is a big hill to contend with too.

You can get bike wheels which adapt your bike to an electric for a bit cheaper than buying a whole electric bike but not sure if they’re any good.
Have you checked out the cycle sprog website? They have great articles about carrying children on bikes, including tag alongs and bike seats for bigger children.

I'd take the car drop the youngest of first so they are done and dusted then you've just got to concentrate on the older one. You don't want to be taking a toddler through a busy school playground if you can help it speaks from bitter experience also at our school you can't take bikes on the yard so would you have to leave it outside and unstrap toddler and go in the playground etc I wouldn't do that.

Can you and oldest walk or bike to nursery to avoid the car park issue and it looks fairly close, then you drive to school then on to work.

I would get the hill out of the way and take DS1 first, as he is in breakfast club it shouldn't be busy so having toddler will be manageable. Then downhill with toddler and then work.

I think this would be my preferred option. And also if you have to wait around at nursery drop off you might worry you'll be late for school too?

Or give each way a go for a week and see what works best?

Probably you need to think of every combination of options and create a spreadsheet and time each one and score your stress level. Or give in on day 2 and take the car. Good luck though.