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!

Would it be feasible to just walk up the hill with little one in a buggy an drop eldest to school, then home to grab bike, put baby in bike seat and cycle to nursery then off to work from there?

Do you drop dc1 at the gate for breakfast club? I'd be lazy (because of the Big Hill), and drive him to breakfast club for it opening. Then back home, bike yourself and dc2 to work via their nursery.

Dc1 is likely to have book bag, waterbottle, pe kit, homework, egg decorations, be in costumes etc. Then after school it's piles of drawings, random plastic bottles glued to cereal boxes etc. To carry home. Usually manageable walking but I imagine a nightmare on a bike with another child too.

I do one child to school with bike and the assorted stuff is not too bad. Book bag only goes in on book swap day and DC brings drawings home on that day. Bottle, hat, extra clothes etc go in a backpack that DC carries. DC tends not to make giant craft constructions. On days there is something bulky to take in/bring home, the car gets used. You get used to it and we only take car when there is a need to drive somewhere straight after, it is torrential rain, or the aforesaid bulky items. We cycle most of the winter. It may get harder if DC ever takes up an musical instrument!

Oh I’d presumed there was no car. If there is then I’d probably do the school and nursery run in the car, come home, park the car and grab the bike to get to work. But I do admire your commitment to both cycling and diagram drawing!

Oh I feel for you OP! I have three in three different locations at the moment and my DH does have flexibility but even with 2 of us in the mornings it's still always really fraught! I had to change my work hours to fit it all in but appreciate not everyone can do that, as you've said.

Hopefully you'll befriend a couple of parents you can share it all with once your eldest is settled in to school.

Best of luck (and as others have said, excellent diagram!)

Someone near me has one of these, I want one but can barely ride a bike when it's just me on it. Maybe not great for your youngest but the tagalong/child seat combo sounds like a great idea.

Excellent diagram. One thing that I would also consider is breakfast - do the kids eat at home first or only at nursery/breakfast club and if so, what time do they stop offering food?
our breakfast club stops serving it at 8:20, but nursery does breakfast until 8:45 so for me I had to get the school child in first or potentially no breakfast for them.

We have a tag along for DS and it’s been great - they can give you a boost uphill and as they get stronger, it can be quite considerable! Make sure you have a good low gear so you can go right down and just sit and spin the pedals uphill, and do have a couple of practice runs because the trailer bikes can feel a bit wobbly until you get used to it. They’re honestly great though - we still use ours with DS, who’s now in Y1. You can also get spare brackets so you can switch between your bike and DH’s bike, if he ever does the school run, or just for nice bike rides as a family.

I'm sure you have considered this, but does the nursery do a breakfast club that drops off to school. All the nursery's I have worked at offer this to local schools. It might cost slightly more than the school breakfast club but would solve the issue x

So, our children were tall and heavy when little, so my thoughts on the practical issues.

Bike seat, great from age 1-3. By the time both of mine reached 3.5 they were the weight of an average 6 yr old and I struggled to ride anywhere with that weight on the back. Our nursery was up a hill and I recall being amazed at the (non-electric) family bike one mum managed to cycle up regularly with front and rear child seats.

Tag-along - definitely recommend. OK from age 4, how much benefit you will get at first varies but brilliant as they get older. Youngest was on one for his school run till age 7 I think, thereafter on his own bike (but we had a lovely flat and mainly off-road route).

Mounts - this is something you need to look into before deciding on a definite arrangement. Both the child seat and the tag along we used had seatpost mounts and while I think we had mounts for both on both bikes for a while, you could only attach one or the other at a time. If you want / need a child seat and a tagalong attached at the same time, there are some that mount to a specialised rack to make it possible.

So, the trailer option (or cargobike) may be more practical for your needs. But then you don't get the boost going up hill and it will be sooner not later that you need the eldest to ride his own bike to school.

Which leads me to another option I've also seen around here. Maybe an adult/child tandem with child seat and/or trailer could work very well. And if the hill is sufficiently difficult, trade it in for a triple bike when the youngest starts school (if the eldest can't manage the hill on his own bike by then).

Good luck figuring out a good solution!

you and DC2 on the bike. DC1 on a scooter. All go to nursery first. Drop DC2 and the scooter at nursery. You and DC1 on the bike to school.

Get a longtail cargo bike that can take 2 kids

www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/314970567675197886/

failing that, I think the school-first plan suggested upthread is good - small bike seat for smaller child, all walk to school with bike, then it will be a quick trip to nursery & work.

Would it be possible to drive both kids, then go home and swap to the bike? The time you save by not walking a 4yo up a big hill will make up for the additional journey length.

There is always one poster who refuses to accept that OPs DH isn't just a dick and that the scenario posted is having considered the second parents job.

There's loads of threads where OP made it really clear that the kids father absolutely couldn't do it yet posters push and push. Some of my 'favourite' responses to that have been:
'he's dead'
Works on an off-shore oil rig
Is on a tour of duty.

OP I recommend a trailer with rain cover, less hassle and fuss, especially if it starts raining.

Is your littlest too big for a front mounted seat - like a wee-ride? We had one of those for DS. It wasn’t ideal as you do end up cycling with knees sticking out mind you.

The other option would be a follow-me tandem, which is a gizmo that lets you basically convert a child’s bike to a trailer bike. So you would have the option of your older one being on or off tow, as you need. Not sure if that’s more flexible around a rear bike seat? Worth looking into though, perhaps.

I am also a teacher. I have been in the horrendous position of having one DD at school 10 miles away from where we lived, DH working 10 miles in the opposite direction and a baby at nursery near where I worked. We had 1 car. We had to get an additional car so DH could drop DD1 at breakfast club then get himself to work and I dropped DD2 at nursery on my way to school.
we didn’t want 2 cars, but necessity made the decision for us.

Yo u say they have to be both dropped by 8.30 but what time can either be dropped from?

If you drop the baby first , then DS is walking that route out then practically home then out to school. If you drop eldest first, DB presumably is not walking.

So for now if pick that. When they're older see how it goes and amend as you go