Struggling with the school run

[whatsthepointthen]

I live quite far from my childrens school, it means getting the bus. Every morning the bus is packed! It means frequently missing it if I have the pram this means getting to school late. I have tried other alternatives. Like a sling, but dont know why they are raved about so much as I find it extremely heavy. Could be because dd is 20 months now, but as the bus is always packed it means standing then walking to the school and because I have 3 children at the school I have to walk all the way round the building, (very big school 700 pupiles) and back again. There is no way to drop them
off without doing this. Im just finding the sling to heavy and a struggle.

Ive tried taking a pram that can be folded but again its the same thing, bus very packed, having to stand holding a pram and a baby which is pretty impossible. So we are always ending up late getting the later bus.

Obviously dd can walk but I think thats abit far off for now as its such a lot of walking that she will struggle for now as shes still pretty tiny, and tbh will take just as long.

Aibu to be struggling this much? 😩 Are there any alternative carriers for older babies or something im not thinking about?

Fair enough op. Cars are expensive. I haven't always had them and I struggled to afford lessons even without 3 kids to look after.

I second a sling library. You can hire them out. They're great and you really can carry a 20 month old comfortable with the right sling.

You try a back carrier, something like this

www.google.com/search?q=littlelife+carrier&oq=littlelife+carrier&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l3.7189j0j4&client=ms-android-huawei&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#lbl=OVERVIEW&pie=plaji-i

Are you carrying her on your back or front in the sling?

Get a cheap umbrella style buggy that you can fold up when you get on the bus? That's how we all used to do it before wheelchair/pram spaces became a thing.

As your older children have SEN are they entitled to a taxi to school funded by your local council? Apologies if this isn’t a ‘thing’ anymore.

Highly unlikely at a mainstream school.

I was just going to suggest a cheap buggy too. Something like this www.amazon.co.uk/Red-Kite-Summer-Stripe-Pushchair/dp/B0098KVI68/ref=sr_1_16_a_it?keywords=fold+up+buggy&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1547114887&sr=8-16

If you had a cheap umbrella fold buggy you could lie it down or prop it up in the bus and hold your DD.

Get a bike with a trailer and load them in.

You'd probably find one second hand quite easily. We loved ours when our DC were little.

I thought it was the case that when primary children were allocated a school more than 2 miles away they were provided with free transport? Or is it the case that they are free on the bus and the council considers it has discharged its duty in this regard?

Can you get on at an earlier bus stop so it’s less crowded and you are able to fit?

3 miles is a long walk for a child. As this is going to be going on for a few years you'll have to find a solution.
As the kids get older the bus journey will become a bit more manageable. At least in terms of not having to carry someone to the bus stop.
Can you speak to the bus driver and ask can they keep you space at the front on schooldays if they know you'll be getting on every day?
Go in and officially speak to the school and explain the situation fully so that they know why your child is late every day.

Get a backpack carrier, we take it on holidays much handier than a pram and more appropriate than a sling age wise imo.

@FraterculaArctica its 3 miles at least for us, and 3 miles is quite a walk

What does it matter whether she chose the school or not?

Because if she didn't, then the LA would need to provide transport at that distance, is the provided transport the bus pass?

@SnowWhite33 backpack carriers are not for everybody, just like slings. my almost 6 year old still goes in a preschool sized sling and is easy to carry on long walks. framed carriers - no way for me. its like shoes, what fits you and what fits me is likly quite different

Mookatron the difference it makes is if you chose a school miles away its you choice and your responsibility to get your child there on time. If you are allocated one miles way you should qualify for school transport:
www.gov.uk/free-school-transport

Oh. Sorry, @GrumbleBumble I thought you were about to do a 'you chose it you deal with it' post but I shouldn't have assumed. My apologies

My friend’s son was allocated a school 7 miles away that wasn’t even on their choices and was in a different LEA. They didn’t qualify for free transport as it was an academy not an lea school!

For my bigger child I used a seated carrier. It was only £10 From aliexpress and meant the child was sitting on a base seat rather than hanging from their weight. I'd have the youngest strapped to me that way and the other two walking/in a fold up slimline buggy.

Is there anyway you can get even EARLIER to the bus stop? I know you said it was full, but I'd get the earlier earlier bus when I was younger as subsequent buses were so busy. Another mum I know has bought a second hand double child jogger thing - it was £30 But both kids fit in it and she pushed the thing on a jog all the way in to school, though admittedly she's only 2 miles from the school and not 3 like yourself.

Uber? For 3 miles I can't imagine it would cost much more than the bus.

Do you go home after the school run OP? Would it be possible to get someone near where you live to take the baby for that hour?

Is there a way that you could take the buggy to the bus stop and padlock it somewhere then get it on the way back. I used to do this with my wee one; pushed in buggy to forest to walk the dog then left buggy padlocked with bike padlock.

I love the bike trailer thing, I actually see someone local who uses one of these but would 4 fit in it?!

Its a case of the earlier the bus the more busy. The sling is a front one think its called baby k sling or something, I just picked
it up second hand but honestly it does my back in. I have always found it heavy even when she was smaller but now its unbearable. Some good suggestions though I will have to try. Will look at the transport thing. The school has never mentioned it, they know its a struggle for me to get there.

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07GBRWD76/ref=asc_df_B07GBRWD7657961226/?hvlocphy=9046404&linkCode=df0&hvptwo&hvnetw=g&hvadid=218125876022&creative=22146&hvpone&hvlocint&creativeASIN=B07GBRWD76&hvpos=1o4&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl&hvqmt&tag=mumsnetforum-21&hvtargid=pla-526999556800&hvrand=2619967975189079218

Not this exact one, but one very similar saved my sanity when my son was little - he didn't walk until late and then took time to build up his strength. It takes the weight off you a bit and helps your back. It was one of the best baby products I ever bought.