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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Already fallen out over new school run!

85 replies

Forgossake · 11/09/2014 20:32

This may be complicated so I apologise if it doesn't make sense.

So Ds 2 has just started secondary. The school is local but still a car journey away, I work 3 days a week and also have Ds 3 to get to primary school and dd to nursery. It's hectic and involves a lot of back and forth journeys, getting stuck in traffic and me nearly always arriving a few minutes late to work.

There is one other boy going to this school who lives in our area and Ds 2 is good friends with him. I approached this boys mum about a school run. I asked if she could do 3 days and I do 2. As I thought this felt slightly unfair to her I offered to also take her younger son to his school so she had no school run to do for 2 days.

Last week went fine. This week, the older boys have wanted to start after school clubs. There was football today and it was my turn to do the run so I spoke to the mum this morning and said obviously I would be picking the older boys up at 4.30 but when the timings are different it would be difficult to pick her younger son up at 3.15 from his school. This would mean 2 separate trips in the afternoon. She said she was working. She had not considered the fact that her younger Ds finished a lot earlier. So I said if it was difficult today I would help but she said no she would do it.

I can be a bit rubbish at saying no to things like this normally and was trying hard to be fair but assertive. I would not dream of asking her to go out of her way to collect my little ones so I felt quite strongly that going out of my way to collect her younger son at a much earlier time was unreasonable.

I worried all morning that I had let her down so texted her lunchtime to remind her that if she was struggling I would help out today.
Heard nothing until 4.20pm as I am loading the little ones up to go and collect the older boys. She sent me a text saying she had had to leave work early to get her younger son and ' it's great to have friends, isn't it?'.

I saw and replied to this text outside the secondary school, waiting for the older boys. I told her I thought she was being a bit unfair and she had assumed that I would always go out twice to collect all the boys when after school clubs occur. She clearly thinks I am being unfair. Pointless texting back and forth starts up. And I admit to feeling I had to fight my corner as her text messages were unbelievably patronising and passive aggressive.

After 20 mins of waiting for the boys, I went to check if they were still in school ( my Ds is known for chatting away with his mates in the changing rooms!) But they had left already. I drove around looking for another 15 mins then called this mum. She didn't answer my calls or text messages. Then I tried her home phone and her older Ds answered Shock. She had gone and picked them up herself and hadn't bothered to tell me. By this time I was on the verge of tears and furious. I drove home and only then did she text me saying she had picked them up, my Ds was now home and she would speak to me when I had calmed down. Angry

I have told her to leave the school run. It will be tricky but I will manage on my own anyway. Just seems a shame when we were both benefiting. But I don't like confrontation and it has left me feeling awful and doubting myself. Was I unreasonable? I hate to take the piss out of people and consciously tried not to do this with this mum. But apparently I can now go and 'find some other mug'

If you are still with me, you deserve a medal. And please don't flame me. It's a sign of my upset state of mind that I am even brave enough to post this - she knows I like MN and if she reads this, it will be pretty bloody obvious!

OP posts:
antimatter · 11/09/2014 22:14

YABU - maybe her having to leave work earlier put strain on her working relationships

that is not a done thing to change your mind on the day - I would be furious!

she was wrong for picking 2 older boys up

unfortunately in order of events it is you who was wrong first

Forgossake · 11/09/2014 22:16

She knew I was outside the school waiting for them and failed to mention that she had collected my son already! You actually think punishing me like that is right?

I was in the wrong to not consider after school clubs when we originally discussed things. What I should have said was that if they all finish at the same time, I will also collect her younger Ds. If my older Ds had a club and her older Ds didn't, that's my problem not hers.

I should also have just collected her son for today and discussed this at a later date.

I have said plenty of times that I can see I am in the wrong.

I said I was tempted to apologise, but I would also expect an apology in return for collecting my son without telling me. I believe she did this on purpose. And I don't think she apologise so it's best to walk away.

In fact my biggest mistake is actually thinking this could ever work.

OP posts:
educatingcats · 11/09/2014 22:18

Her reaction was childish and over the top, but you were the one who was initially in the wrong. You actually sounds quite demanding. Perhaps she felt forced into doing the school run for you on those 3 days per week, and felt that you were being cheeky refusing to get her younger son today?

perfumedlife · 11/09/2014 22:19

YABU.

Beckamaw · 11/09/2014 22:21

I don't understand how she managed to pick the boys up and disappear with them, if you were waiting to pick them up!?!?

Also, I agree that you started the issues.
She had agreed to do 6 trips a week (3 there and 3 back). You were doing 4. You then found that there was some 'additional inconvenience', possibly making it more like 5 trips. You decided that 5 trips for you was unacceptable (even though perfectly achievable), but thought it fair for her to do 6 trips??

Forgossake · 11/09/2014 22:22

Yes we should have thought this through. First flaming. Extremely painful!

OP posts:
Forgossake · 11/09/2014 22:25

Missing each other at school gate is easy. It's a huge school and very busy. And I wasn't looking out for her as I didn't expect to see her. Maybe she saw me, I don't know.

OP posts:
BackforGood · 11/09/2014 22:29

Agree with most - YABU.
You offered to pick up her younger dc, then, on the morning you were supposed to do that - whilst the other Mum worked - you just decided not to because you couldn't be bothered !!! Shock

Out of interest, how far away is the older boys' school? If it's too far to walk, could they not have practised cycling the route in the holidays, if you think cycling will work?

Ilovenicesoap · 11/09/2014 22:29

I dont think you have been flamed OP Grin

A flaming is when it gets very nasty not when people disagree with you politely !

starlight1234 · 11/09/2014 22:47

I also agree you were both wrong but you first for the fact the older boys are friends I would apologise for what you did wrong. I doubt you will get one back but at least it may make things worse .

And never ever do these things again without thinking or talking these things through

WinifredTheLostDenver · 11/09/2014 22:58

Are you sure she texted late after collecting your DS and that a prompt text wasn't stuck in the system?

Agree you shouldn't have changed the arrangement on the day!

WaroftheRoses · 11/09/2014 22:58

I'm afraid this it how it is going to be now your eldest is at secondary school. We have regular odd pickup times, sudden late pickups from matches or last minute cancellations changing meaning normal pickups are required. We lift share with neighbours and regularly are waiting around, heading back and forth, having to change plans. I have collected her kids when mine have a different finish time and vice versa. I feel you have shot yourself in the foot here as a lift share for any time can be a life saver, especially when you have 3 kids who will in the future all be doing different things. It's sounds like you both were a little unreasonable but I think your refusal to have to collect her youngest a little bit earlier and "going out of your way" was the catalyst so I think YABU.

WaroftheRoses · 11/09/2014 23:00

Have to add-it does work-there just has to be a bit of give and take!

Forgossake · 11/09/2014 23:04

I will apologise, maybe tomorrow when things have calmed down. I doubt I will get one in return. But either way, I'm steering clear of her in the future mad staying well away from school runs.

OP posts:
Forgossake · 11/09/2014 23:10

I honestly think that we would have run into other problems at some point anyway. I know I am in the wrong but she is always upset with someone or offended by something. I just didn't think this through. But the last couple of weeks have been stressful and I'm just trying to get through the best I can. And clearly failing.

OP posts:
kormasutra · 11/09/2014 23:19

Op, things will seem better tomorrow:)
As for your ds being nervous, he will probably thrive on the independence of travelling without you.
My ds is also 11, started secondary school last week, half way across our (big ) city.
He has aspergers and was the only one from his primary going there.
Obviously we had trial runs but since his first day he leaves at 7.30, gets 2 buses and 2 home in the afternoon.
He has grown up so much.
Rely on nobody and you have nobody to answer to.

HavanaSlife · 11/09/2014 23:19

Yabu u
You put the idea to her then you went back on it

Forgossake · 11/09/2014 23:26

korma thank you. Big well done to your Ds. He should be very proud of himself.

OP posts:
kormasutra · 11/09/2014 23:45

You're very welcome and Thank you too:)
He is very proud of himself but keeps making subtle obvious hints to the new fifa 15 for Xbox due out in 2 weeks!- not soft are they...

kormasutra · 11/09/2014 23:45

Bloody kindle!

Balaboosta · 12/09/2014 07:14

I said I was tempted to apologise, but I would also expect an apology in return for collecting my son without telling me.

I can see you're in distressed and tired state for which I have sympathy - but apologies don't really work like that. An apology is when you are able to say sorry to the other person without expecting anything back. It's an unconditional thing. It comes from the heart with no strings attached. You'll feel loads better about it all if you can get to that in a day or two.

waithorse · 12/09/2014 07:27

YABU. Massively so. But she was very childish not to respond to your texts and by picking your ds up. That's why these arrangements often don't work.

WinifredTheLostDenver · 12/09/2014 07:27

I know I said this upthread but sometimes texts from DH take 20 mins to come through and sometimes 2 - are you sure she didn't text you and it arrived late?

VeryStressedMum · 12/09/2014 07:47

I'm actually a bit confused about all the picking ups, but you said you were going to pick her younger ds up then realised on the day it would mean more trips for you so you said you weren't going to do it? If that's the case of be pretty peed off tbh, it was you that suggested this in the first place because it was easier for you then you back out at the last minute. Yes she behaved like an idiot but I wouldn't be happy to be let down on the day for something I didn't particularly want to do in the first place.

WinifredTheLostDenver · 12/09/2014 08:07

It's also possible she thought you meant you wouldn't do either!

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