to pick kids up from nursery + school and get on a train to London?

[BrittaPerry]

Last day of nursery and school. I have a train booked at 5pm from Sunderland to London to see my sister.

Is this madness?

Train amusement techniques, London tips (sister lives in Stratford) etc greatly appreciated.

DDs are 2 and 5. DD1 loves reading and writing but if she needs a wee, she needs it RIGHT NOW. DD2 is very...energetic and has quite a few very impressive tantrums at the moment. I can get away with pull ups with her though.

Train is grand central, standard class.

Essentials:

• Ear plugs * 100 for other passengers on train.
• Gags *2 for offspring
• Valium * 20 for you

Or just hope the girls fall asleep.

Grand central trains are lovely! I think that standard class has plenty of tables so you could end up sat round one.

I would take books, pens and paper, perhaps make a sheet with things to spot on the journey and then they can tick them off en route.

I often read stories to the kids on public transport - it's amazing how many other people start to listen in too

If you've booked & paid for it, surely just go? How long is the journey? About 4 hours?

I don't know what seats you have booked, but it will obviously be better if they are very near one of the toilets.

Take plenty of books, colouring & drawing stuff, portable DVD player and headphones if you have that. You'll be fine, I travel on long-distance trains frequently ad there are always people travelling with small DC.

I travel to Edinburgh with my two quite regularly. They are a bit older now, but I did it at that age and you'll cope!

Picnic tea that you can eat very soon after getting on the train. Go for little things that take a long time to eat (boxes of raisins etc) to string that out! And some more snacks for later, that they don't know about, so that you can give them a boost when they're getting cranky.

Get a couple of kids' magazines. Take paper, pens etc. A couple of small toys hidden from view so that you can get them out when they start being bored. Something to cuddle/use as a pillow when they get tired. If you've got one, MP3 player/iPod loaded with music that your 5yo likes.

Take them for a walk along the train from time to time, especially if it's not too crowded. Make sure you know where the loo is as soon as you get on the train.

And start hoping that one of your fellow-passengers is a frustrated elderly lady that would love to have grandchildren of her own. We sat next to one of those once - it was fab!

London tips - do you have to travel by tube? If so, my main tip would be to pack your stuff in a rucksack, if you've got one, so that you have a hand free for each child. When you get off a tube, stand still for a couple of minutes, to let any crowds get ahead of you and then take your time. You don't have to rush just because everyone else is. But by the time you get to London, it shouldn't be too crowded anyway.

Is your sister going to meet you at the station? Stratford is going to be exceptionally busy because of the Olympics I would imagine.

And enjoy visiting your sister!

why is this is AIBU? are you concerned about the journey or something else?

If you have time get a bif envelope and fill it with bits and pieces, stickers, pens/pencils, sweets etc etc.

On the outside list things they could see on the journey, every time they see something on the list they can have a lucky dip into the envelope. \but remember to cross them off so only the first sighting counts

Things to look for

Ticket inspector
aa canal
a boat
someone in a purple top
a bird
a cat
a dog
a horse

you get the idea. Some from inside the train some from outside.

I think I've just had a bit of a scared moment tbh. I travel across to Preston regularly, but that is Broken up into one 90 minute journey, then a walk about at Carlisle, then an hour to Preston. Plus I have been doing that at least four times a year since I was pregnant with Plus it sets off from Newcastle and not Sunderland.

Unfamiliar train, London (endless stories of how rude people are - what if no one will watch our stuff when we go to the loo? Wha if no one helps us off the train? What if I get off at the wrong place?), underground trains (we have the Metro, but that is two lines), kings Cross is a famously busy station, and presumably even buser and with more security for the Olympics, no idea how accessible stuff will be with buggy and luggage (thinking small wheeled suitcase, backpack, buggy). If the kids are silly, that is a long time for one set of people to tut at us. Kids will be tired too.

Ok. Plan. Pick kids up, go to inlaws (next to school) to get dd1 into mufti. then get straight on to the 56 bus to Sunderland with fil. There is a burger king a the station at Sunderland, so have tea there, then downstairs to the platform (it is essentially a metro station). fil helps us on to the train. Stow suitcase and buggy, take children and backpack to seats. We have two seats paid for between the three of us, but hopefully more will be free. Amuse kids with looking out of window for a while.
Toilet trip

Then, magically produce comics and pens, a snack and some fruit shoots. Toilet trip.

Then, get out iPad, which will (when I work out how) have a kids film on it for them o watch with the headphones I ordered from amazon that I hope arrive in time.

Then another snack. Possibly from the shop, then I can get a coffee.

Then toilet trip and cobble together beds out of coats for blankets and errr...something for pillows. Give dd2 a bottle of milk and blankie. Read story also handily put on iPad today somehow. Hope for sleep from girls.

Wake them up 20 minutes before arrival, another toilet trip. Gather belongings. Set up buggy in some kind of handy space near a door. Add dd2 o buggy and hope for no tantrums. Wear backpack.

When doors open, push buggy out with aid of helpful passer by. Help dd1 down step. Lift suitcase down step. Tell dd1, using serious voice, o hold buggy. Push buggy with one hand, drag suitcase with other. Try to stop dd1 from daydreaming/getting upset at noise and change. Find sister somehow.

Hand dd1 and suitcase to sister and let her show us the rest of it. I think it involves tube and dlr?

Will my disability bus pass work?

Oh, dd2 obsessed with Thomas, so hoping I can spin that out a bit.

Which comics have good gifts a the moment?

I live in London, and am constantly surprised at how many people help out when I travel. Went across London a few years ago when I just had one in a buggy and there was another toddler in the tube eating snacks, his parents automatically offered DD one too. In London as a previous poster said wait for the crowds to die down, before exiting a station then make your way. There are also wider exit ticket gates for parents with children, mobility impaired etc to go through. On escalators stand on the right and all should be fine.

Oh and work out what line you need to go on before you get to the tube part, when I first moved to London, I wrote my route down on my hand so I would not forget.

Enjoy it, London is a great place.

Try and get a rucksack, suitcase and pram sounds like a pita

We have two seats paid for between the three of us, but hopefully more will be free

Unlikely on a friday at the time when all schools are breaking up and the Olympics in London are about to start.

Not sure about your bus pass as I dont think it will be valid on London Transport, but someone else may know the answer to that one.

If you are arriving at kings cross id get the train from st pancras to stratford international and bypass the tube completely. The train takes 6 minutes and its the first stop.

Stratford international is beside stratford,you can walk between the 2 very easily just like kings cross and st pancras,just thought id add that in!

You could get some app games for the IPad too, there are free ones / some v cheap. DD aged 3 does pairs games, jigsaw puzzles, and loves fishfarts .

Your plan sounds great btw. London not that unfriendly, someone will help you with stuff, but do just ask if noone is offering, people don't mind. At least you won't be in London at rush hour so will be less busy.

Kings Cross is very accessible now for tube transfers, shouldn't be a problem. What lines do you have to take? People really are helpful with buggies and just ask someone if no one offers.

Ok, so as soon as DH gets back from school run (I'm waiting n for deliveries, he oes to work t 11) I will go to the shopping centre and try to acquire a rucksack and some comics/snacks.

Oh I see the advice above. Definitely transfer to st Pancras for the train, the station is well sign posted from Kings Cross

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how helpful your fellow passengers will be.
And don't forget most of the people on your train will probably be from Sunderland not from London if that makes you feel better!
I don't think the Olympic buildup will start this weekend as the opening ceremony not until next Friday so I expect most people will travel down early next week. Certainly I haven't noticed any extra people 'traffic' yet.

Don't worry it sounds like yoy've got everything covered and it will all be fine!

yy to the train from St. Pancras to Stratford. It's so fast. Don't go near the tube.

No travel advice, but the Olympic torch is going through Leyton on Saturday between 4-8 (I think) and there will be a mini olympics at Leyton Cricket Ground. The children (and adults) might enjoy it and it's only minutes from Stratford. Check out Waltham Forest website or the Olympics one (sorry, don't know how to do links) for times and events on the day!!

How long is the journey?

When I was a nanny I used to ferry 4 kids all under 10 from London to Norfolk every friday after school. I am not sure how much longer your journey is, but it was absolutely fine for us.

I would do as others suggest and pack a picnic dinner for the train, make sure you have your ipad (and make sure it is fully charged and working!) and headphones. And make sure all go to the loo at every opportunity whether they need to or not.

Someone will give you a hand with the buggy in the tube and I agree with the poster above who suggested waiting for the crowds to clear.

But I think Squeaky is probably right, you will be lucky to get a spare seat on a Friday evening. Boo.

And definitely go with the rucksack.

Good luck and have a great time!

I leave at 5.30pm, arrive 9pm. So 3 and a half hours. Could be worse. Then journey to sisters house, but she is a teacher and apparently does school trips with loads of y1 children on public transport, so is pretty calm about the concept of a 1:1 ratio with one in a buggy. . Suppose I need to take her lead...