To attempt the school run with two 4year olds, a 2 year old & 8month old??

[Dordeydoo]

Am a nanny and been asked to look after 2 extra children once a week for the autumn term.

I was thinking of walking with the 2 older children walking, 2 year old on reins/ buggy board & youngest in pushchair/sling.

Is this do able or am I totally mad??

Loads of mums do it, what's the problem? Isn't this your profession?

How far is it? Any difficult roads to cross?

perfectly do-able if you know the 4yos will walk holding onto the buggy.

1 main road to cross which is quite fast although it should be a 30!
It's only a 5-10min walk each way

If you can't do this for one day a week you are in the wrong profession

It could work depending on how willing the 4yr olds are with walking. Are they likely to try going in opposite directions etc?!

I still have trouble getting my 5, 3 and 2yr olds to walk anywhere. Lazy beggers take after their Mum

Good luck!

X post

1 of the 4 year olds tends to wander off and the other is happy to hold hands etc

I think it would probably be easiest to have 2 yo in the pushchair, 4 yos holding on each side and the baby in a sling. 10 minutes each way should be no problem though.

Valium - Its the crossing the road I'm more worried about than the actually school run with 4 children

Rubirosa - did have that idea but think baby will be to heavy for sling soon.
Really don't want to have to buy a double pushchair

It's perfectly doable but you'll have to be strict about them holding onto the buggy.

I suppose it depends on how they've been brought up til now really.

Some parents seem to never insist their kids do this as they're scared of the possible tantrums.

Yes be very strict about the 4 year olds holding onto the buggy - bribe them with a reward!

Another parent has offered to walk the children home (all parents agreed this would be ok in bad weather).

Strict on holding pushchair is a big yes!

Which two children are the 'extras' and where are they the other four days of the week?

Extras are a 4year old & 2 year old. They go the grandparents but grandparents can't do the day each week because it would be too much

I'd use a double pushchair. I think it would be safer. I'd get the kids to put their hands on the pushchair's handle and then you lightly put your hand over theirs to push the pushchair when you cross the road. This works for me. (I've got four dcs). If you ask them to hold the side of the pushchair they can just run away and you don't have a chance to grab them! I'd also get a wrist strap and tell the four year olds that if they run off you'll put this on them.

Journey - great idea about wrist straps, am trying to avoid buying a double pushchair as will only get used about 12times

Totally doable.

Should be perfectly doable, just make sure that you have rules and that the kids know what they are and that you expect them to abide by them. (I once took 24 6 year olds to the cinema and marched them crocodile fashion for over a mile each way! )

I have a 7 year old,5 year old and 3 year old walkng and a 2 year old and a 6 month old in a double buggy.It is totally doable but i wouldnt like to walk the two year old as well - i dont think i could cope with the constant stopping to look at stones or the sudden changes of mood etc! The school is about a mile away so perhaps if it was closer may consider it.

Buy a dirt cheap double buggy in argos or have a look on freecycle or somesuch, will be much easier / safer.

see if a cm has a double they are not using at moment that you could borrow for the one day a week failing that i don't see a problem with 2 yo on a buggy board for 5/10 mins on journey wrist straps for the older ones to be taken away if they show they can walk next to the buggy

Have spoke to the 2 local childminders I know and both use theirs everyday. Off to free cycle, gum tree etc