People who are late for school every day or almost every day.

[MrsJAlfredPrufrock]

Why don't you just get up 15 mins earlier?

"If teachers have infant children, then they have to drop them off." Yes, I do realise that. But many of them do not have children who cannot get themselves to school, or indeed any children at all. Whereas the majority of people on here do. So, again, silly comparison.

I've tried that Prufrock. Sometimes they turn up very early (20 mins) so we're not ready, most of the time they are late. They are a law unto themselves.

Actually it does matter to everyone if people are late.

There is plenty of evidence that it affects the learning of that child, as well as the other children in the class. Over 12 months, it can end up having the impact of the equivalent of 2-3 weeks of school missed for each child in that particular class each academic year, if lateness and absence are persistent. It affects educational outcomes in the medium to long term, and for that reason, Ofsted are very hot on lateness and absence issues at the moment, and schools get in a lot of trouble if parents don't comply.

Things you can do to get out the house on time:

1. Set the clocks fast without telling the kids.
2. Refuse to allow TV and radio on in the mornings. Also no DS, computer or anything else like that.
3. Lay out everything they need for the next day the night before.
4. Book school dinners for them, or at least do their lunches the night before and put them in the fridge.

See my blog post "Morning Has Broken" for more tips and timings

"I have been known to dress my 8yr (fully capable of doing it herself) for school & have taken her out the house with no shoes & socks on before." I think, in the long run, it is more important that my child becomes self-sufficient in dressing herself than in not being 5 minutes late. When she gets older, it will similarly be her fault if she's late for school, not mine; she will learn that lesson for herself as teachers get stricter on her.

Also, I would gladly take an 8-y-o out unshod if it was her fault, but I cannot do that to a 3-y-o; similarly refusing her breakfast for eating slowly. As for the 1-y-o, if she decides that the right time to shit herself is one minute before we are meant to be leaving the house, then that's when she needs changing.

As for the 1-y-o, if she decides that the right time to shit herself is one minute before we are meant to be leaving the house, then that's when she needs changing

Been there, done that! I became a master at changing nappies very fast! :)

The very worst nappy (explosions aside) still take 5 minutes only, so surely you leave a 5 minute room for error? I can get to school on time by leaving at 8.40 but we leave at 8.20...this allows for running around in the playground time.

Oh, he's very rarely that late. His tutor takes the register bang on 08:45 when the bell goes, he gets there 2/3 minutes after so has to go to reception to sign in. He's not late for his lessons.

I think, in the long run, it is more important that my child becomes self-sufficient in dressing herself than in not being 5 minutes late

Oh, my daughter is more than capable of dressing herself, you should have seen her get ready for her trip out with Nanny & Grandad! She did all she needed to do in under 20 minutes. School days it can take her over 90 minutes, because she dawdles. She will not be late for school if I can help it. It is an unspoken rule. Dressing her embarrasses her enough to get her to do it more promptly. I'll do what I have to, to get her to school on time.

When she starts work she needs to be punctual, her job may rest on it. This is me teaching her that. That's my job.

Not read the whole thread.

I am regularly late to school with DS3.

He is autistic and for a variety of reasons this causes problems with going into school in the morning, anxiety about the day ahead, dislike of the hustle and bustle of the morning playground..etc etc.

I am never late to pick him up. this clearly demonstrates that the issue is due to my sons SNs and not my tardiness.

Thankfully the school are understanding.

I dont give a shit what other parents think, they are not living my life.

I leave at 8.25 myself, having been up since 7.15 at the latest, but find that if my children cannot be persuaded of the urgency of our task then we will end up slightly late.

I also find that our journey is a Catch 22; if we drive, the journey is gridlocked and we cannot park; if we take the bus (bus stop 10 minutes' walk) then the bus is gridlocked by the same traffic.

Don't worry, you don't need to convince me that it is all, ultimately, my fault - but these are the reaons why I don't allow myself to spend too long beating myself up over it.

Some of the excuses on here are driving me nuts!

I have 8 yr old, 5 yr old and 2 yr old. DD1 has been at school for 3 and a half years now and we have not been late once. By simple mathemeatics you can see there have been times when I have had babies and toddlers in the house, at one point a newborn a 3 year old and a 6 year old.

There have been some horrendous mornings, mega meltdowns, last minute searches for shoes, shitty nappies...you name it, but we have never been late.

I'm not looking for a medal, and I know there are lots of extenuating circumstances (SN, public transport, traffic/parking for those who drive) but the simple fact of having babies and children in the house with all the associated annoyances/tamtrums does not preclude the ability to be on time.

Are you judgey pants wedged up your but OP?

It must be lovley being so perfect.

I have a 5yr old to get ready for school.... fine no problems there.... i also have twin 3yr olds.

5yr old is dressed hair done bookbag/drink bottle in hand ready to go - no doubt one of the twins will want a wee / the other has taken coat/shoes/trousers off - Both now throw a fit if i attempt to stap them into a buggy -and can undo the harness and tend just to throw themselves forward so are not safe so we have to walk..... its 5 minutes.

it has taken 20minutes before...... I phsically cannot carry 2 x 15Kg+ wriggerling 3yr old whilst keeping an eye on the other one I am to leave at 840 gates open at 840 school starts at 855..... TBH i am happy if we are on the playground when the bell goes :-)

Then there is all the lovley comments from the other mums...ooo your cutting it fine etc as they carry their 1 child accross the playground.. :(

For those who are making shoddy excuses we all have children, can't imagine has Mary Poppin's mornings...but we get to school on time.

why do you care? worrying about what others do/dont just causes you stress.

"School days it can take her over 90 minutes, because she dawdles." So let her be late and get a detention for it. Presumably, when she starts work and needs to be punctual, she will need to take care of that - you won't still be letting her dawdle and then dressing her?

I don't see that what you are doing is teaching her anything very useful except that we can rely on others to do things we ought to do ourselves. Not judging you for this, but if I try not to imitate you (and her mum does imitate you, which is something we disagree on on some mornings) it is because I am not convinced by your logic.

I get up at 7.50 8 and leave at between 8.30/8.40, have 3 children and am on time mostly. Aren't I great. Look like a bg of shite though.

I hate being at school early. Just loathe it. Okay if I have a book to read or the handful of people I like to talk to are there, but otherwise, just mind-numbing. Especially since DS's class is always the last to go in & DD's class is always the last to come out.

And by the way the child not eating their breakfast, not eating it quickly enough, refusing to get ready till they've finished... again in the abnsence of special circumstances (ie SN or other issues) who is in charge here? You haven't haven't finished your breakfast, its time to get ready to go, tough. It won;t kill them to go to school one day without a full breakfast.

I have been there by the way and i know children dawdle, faff around and are often downright stubborn and disobedient but I am in charge and one way or another they will get ready in time for us to leave the house. Its a rule, there are punishments (toy confiscation, removal of treats/priviledges) when rules are broken.

ever since I had a baby I have been slightly late to work about 75% of the time. However much preparation I put in there's always something. Can't wait until I have to factor in a school drop-off too! eeeek

And reading some of the comments on this thread just confirms that the people who are continually late (due to no good reason other than lazyness) really do not give a toss.

The sarcastic comments about how their lateness doesn't affect others just shows how some people only think about themselves and obviously not about how being late affects their children

I've known my best friend from primary school, and she was always the 'late kid'. Every single morning the teacher would be doing the register, call her name, and then someone would say "not here", or point out she was currently trundling slowly up the school path. There was just no sense of urgency in her family, everything moves at their pace. She was the same at secondary school, and even now we're in our twenties she's perpetually late for everything- work (got several official warnings for this, in different jobs), social stuff, and even when we go to pick her up she's not ready. I don't know how long I must've spent in total over the years waiting in cars and taxis at the end of her driveway.

I adore her, but it's a really selfish way to behave.

Punctual people - what's it go to do with you if someone else's child is late? I really don't get why someone would be interested enough in some random child who is not related to them and whose family aren't friends with yours to start making sweeping assumptions and massive judgements. No-one's perfect - no doubt you will have your own failings in areas where some of these late people might be doing well.

Get your children to school on time, you lazy slatterns.