To sometimes find the school run completely dreadful?

[ICameOnTheJitney]

I find that I go through periods of just hating it....the drag of getting the DC ready....mid week is worst when they're tired and the long week stretches out. I hate getting ready....I hate smiling that early in the morning....it's 2 miles for me so means a bus if I've not got a lift....it's so frigging WEARING!

I know it's not like going down a mine or something....but what a fucking commitment! Twice a day EVERY day while they're little. All that "Hi...how are you? Cold isn't it!" drives me NUTS.

Walk? My son and I love our daily walk. It's 1.5 miles and we dance and sing and have a grand old time.

Get there early/late and then you don't have to talk to anyone.

I HATE it too , you are not alone, I love a good 45-50 minutes walk from the school because we moved and have to take the car, the school have conveniently made it the least automobile friendly school ever so every trip is so stressful .

Walking sounds great and the health benefits will become apparent after a while.

It's a dual carriage way all the way. Plus it's going to be frigging baltic soon! I'm not walking with a 5 year old who hates walking. We'd have to leave about 7.30 to make sure we got there she's such a moaner. My 9 year old's not much better. I have a bus to catch and can't change the time I get there. I just get so sick of the merry go round that is the school day. I work from home...so my day is filled...then I'm tied to the school run...it's always there LOOMING!

a mile each way isn't that far - can you not walk rather than faffing around with buses?

Mine is a half hour walk,today my toddler screamed all the way home and I got not one but TWO flat tyres on the pushchair.

Sirzy it's TWO MILES there and two back. And as I say it's a dual carriageway and parts have almost no path. Not possible.

I thought you said 2 miles for you therefore as a round trip.

Even so I think I would rather walk than get the bus!

Anyway...it's not so much the bus....it's the relentless routine that I hate. I hate the fact that I am stuck with it. I love the DC...their school is a good one so we're lucky but GOD I WISH SOMEONE ELSE WOULD GET THEM THERE! Including getting them ready.

Sirzy no...I meant 2 miles for me as in "We live two miles away"...I worded that badly. And no way would I rather walk. NOt in this weather and on a dangerous stretch of road with barely any path! Massive lorries whizzing past your ear!

I loathe it - the cajoling to get out the door. Other people getting in the way...

I have to say if I just take one ( and not the preschooler) it's a Doddle. The 2 together are more than the sum of their parts.

Sounds horrendous
This us why we moved house to one closer to school as I don't drive
Could you learn to drive?
Or with no commuting costs for your job get a taxi?

It's dual carriage way.

I did the school run for 15 years, walking every day (except holidays) and I now miss it, I still have the chaos every morning of 2 teenagers getting themselves organised (it can't de done quietly) but now I don't have the quiet walk, nattering about nothing and the kiss and hug before they go into the yard.

I used to hate it. We moved and live further from school it there's a school bus. Oh how I live that bus.

The Hi How Are Yous are the fuel that get me through my walk. Only half as far as Tee's, but uphill both ways and we've just had to go back to pushing my 7yo in his Mac Major buggy as the alternative - scraping him off the ground most of the way home, while DS1 runs off ahead and crosses difficult roads alone.

YANBU. 16 years I've done the school run for. Can't wait until DS finishes school before exams next year.

I used to like it.

But then I only did at pick up, DH used to drop off.

I miss it now everyone gets themselves to school - I liked the random hellos from my mates whom I now seem to see so much more rarely and I miss seeing the other kids too

posted too soon - the alternative was leaving me completely frazzled and hurting my back and shoulders. Now it's jsut my knees that hurt.

I have times like you OP where I have to mentally drag myself out the door and I have a car so there is no excuse. I think it's the fact it breaks the day up, I have to go like a bat out of hell the second I'm awake to get everything done (no I can't do it the night before! ) then once the kids are there I set about my day, only to have to go back and get them and almost start again when we all get in. I long for holidays some times.

I like the morning drop off, it's nice walk, and we get there early so no chat. But then you have to go and do it again in the afternoon. It always comes around so quickly.

Don't you just love those smug parents who love walking for miles and miles and have children who happily skip and jump their 10 mile journey to school.

I don't have your problems OP, but I do have a reluctant walker and roads that aren't safe for walking along (winding country lanes with no pavements) so you have my sympathy

The thing I hate at school is, when it's raining in the morning the children are let in early, ushered in by teachers so neither get wet.

In the afternoon, no such thing! The parents are left to get wet and cold while the children come out 5-10 mins late as per usual.

Agree about smuggies, no my 4 year old wouldn't walk a 100 miles there and back while piroting and singing. my 9 year old would struggle with the 2 miles we would have to walk each way... A lot had no paths.

The walk itself doesn't bother me, it's quite a nice walk through a London park.

But what really drives me potty is everyday having to chivvy them along every step of the way, get dressed, face, teeth, brush hair, check school bag, get shoes on. It's not hard kids, it's the same everyday.