I can't cope with the school run anymore!!

[PapayaCoconut]

I don't drive. (Have a tiny breastfeeding baby, so won't be able to learn until she's older.) DH works looong hours. DD (5) just started school 20-25 minutes walk away.

I just can't do it anymore! DD is so tired some days I have to drag her scooter with one arm and push her sister's pram with the other. In the rain if I'm unlucky.

I'm seriously thinking about hiring a taxi to take us every day... 😖 AIBU?

Definitely get a decent buggy board! My friend uses mine with her 5 year old as she wants to get out on long walks still rather than always using the car. 5 year olds really can't walk that far. It sounds like the best solution! Taxi on rainy days too! x

I have 6 and 4 year olds (both at school) and a young baby. I do drive, but refuse to drive the school run as by the time I’ve packed them all into the car, driven there and got them all out again, it takes the same amount of time as walking and there is just as much whinging. Plus the parking is awful so we still end up a 5 minute walk away.
I second taking a snack, I never had to do it with my 6 year old but my 4 year old moans considerably less if I take a banana or flapjack with me.
A buggy board could work but it could also just make the pram really hard to push with a heavy 5 year old on.
Is she better walking rather than going on the scooter?

Learn to drive, I learnt at 35! Once baby gets to 3 months or so hour lessons when dp are home are fine, just feed beforehand. Meanwhile cheap double pushchair off eBay/gumtree/borrow or bicycle trailer for two (some can be towed or used as a buggy!)

If second the automatic driving idea.i learned at 42 and passed within 3months. I did lessons at 7am at the weekends and then did a few lessons at busier times in the run up to the test.
6 months on I can't believe how long it took to me to get round to learning. Wish I'd done it years ago

Get a taxi

I'm sure stories of greater hardship are a huge help to the OP!

I know, it's utterly ridiculous isn't it?

Intensive driving course and taxis when you need in the meantime. I've done loads of school runs in cabs (I live abroad where taxis are really cheap and it's a very common solution!) Schlepping bigger ones to school while the youngest needs breastfeeding is so hard! Husband reckons I'm keeping the local cab economy going and I'm proud of it :)

I could have written this. Dd is 3.5years and her preschool a 30 minute walk away. I use a buggy board which definitely helps. We get the bus if it is raining badly but it only takes us halfway , there is still a 15 minute wall after that but at least my dd doesn't get too soaked. I am currently learning to drive, will have had 10 lessons this week and am going to go out in a dual car with dh too as that is much cheaper than having a second lesson (£6 compared to £32!). It is hard, if you can afford a taxi I would do it at least for morning drop off.

Do you have trustworthy sixth former/older child neighbours that would do the morning run for you? For something like £5 a time, or to satisfy the volunteering section of D of E?

I sympathise with you OP. It's utterly shit doing a walk like that when it's freezing cold and pissing down with rain. I used to have to walk that twice a day for work (so not even with children involved) and it was miserable. Fine in the summer when it's warm and sunny and dry, but utterly grim in the winter.

I would try a buggy board for your 5yo and use a taxi whenever the weather is truly horrendous, and when you can, learn to drive! I passed when I was 28 and it was life-changing, I'm so so glad I did it.

I have the same walk time to school with my 2, so I know how much of a drag it can be. I recommend walking as much as you can to get the 5yo used to it - even if you walk there and get a taxi home once you’ve dropped DD off. My eldest is in yr1 now and now they can walk miles without getting tired (they do moan sometimes 😂) so your DD will get used to the walking, it takes time though.
I also can’t drive and can’t learn yet so I know how depressing it is and trapped you can feel.
On the way home I always give the kids a snack as obviously they can be a bit whiny. I know some people judge that but it really keeps them occupied for half the journey and gives them a little boost for the exercise.
I tell myself every day ‘the walking is good for them, the walking is good for me, it’s good for the environment too’ but it is hard, I get it. Plus this year I swear the weather has been particularly wet and grim which makes it worse.

I remember this. Not fun, especially in the winter. Stick your baby in the sling and your dd in the buggy if she’ll fit. Definitely brings snack for the way home. I solved the problem by buying DD a scooter, which she loved, this sped the journey up no end.

Honestly op, fancy you complaining when some of us had to hop 14 miles to school in only one boot, having shared a single grit butty between 17 for breakfast and after having slept in a cardboard box... a leaky one at that. Tut tut tut. 🙄

Passing your driving test would generally be helpful I feel, but surely a buggy board is the simplest solution in the short term? And a good snack for DS before you set off for home seems a good idea as well. I’m sure she’ll adapt to school soon enough and be much more able to cover the distance but it must be very difficult with a small baby and the exhaustion they bring, so do what you need to to get through this time.

AIBU to take this pot back to ProCook? I bought it because none of the le Creuset colours go with my kitchen. It was a cheapie (£40 odd) and has been used three times. Took it out of the dishwasher just now and there's a chunk out of the enamel. AFAIK DH didn't crash it doing our bean casserole last night, but he's still asleep. Are they likely to replace it? Should I forget this brand, buy French and just repaint my kitchen in volcanic red?

@PapayaCoconut could use a baby sling and get the bus.

I hated the school run.I had 3 under 4 and the school was only 10 minutes away.But when you walk that road 8 times a day for so many years,it really does your head in.

Or find somebody who walks that way and either you do the morning or afternoon.But make sure its fair.

It is tough I know OP. It always seems to rain at school times. Have you any other mum friends that drive that may take your DD too school if the weather is bad? Anyone other relations nearby that can help you? The buggy board is a great idea.

Start practising for your theory test, it took my DS1 2 attempts to pass it, he was 17 at the time, took him nearly 10 months to pass, but a great skill to have.

I drive it has be really handy over the years, think about the future when you may need to pick up & drop off at two different schools, that takes some juggling even with a car.

There’s no harm in calling a taxi if the weather is really rough, the only problem you may find is a lot of taxi companies have contracts at that time so there may not always be taxi’s available, may not be a problem in larger towns, but where I live often you can’t get a taxi when you want one.

Good luck OP I hope you find a solution.

Go with the buggy board op

Or even maybe a double buggy from freecycle .

A 20-25 min walk isnt really very long and driving just causes more problems. Namely making the walk to school fir oryers dangerous. ( school run parents park really selfishly and dangerously ) and long term walking is the healthier option.

As your dd has just started and is so exhausted would going part time be better for her do you think? Personally I would be a little worried that a 5 year old was struggling with the walk. Are you all ok? I'd consider part time for a bit if it's really that hard on her .

I'll get flamed for saying this as everyone sends their kid to school with their limbs hanging off on MN but take tomorrow off! Have a duvet day and rest up. And have a day to think about things, maybe try and get a buggy organised.

Is there a nearer school?

Get her a bicycle
I had a toddler in a pushchair , and Ds on a little bike ( with stabilisers to begin with )
When he learnt to ride without the stabilisers , I had a bike too , with a seat on the back for DD. ( obviously won’t work with a tiny baby though )
You’ll all need some of the waterproof trousers and coats ( and gloves ) for the cold rainy days though

Scooter? We did that for a while, tied a rope to it (a small one) and pulled her along with the pushchair.

Or could a neighbour help you a few days a week?

I would advise against a bike/scooter

You end up pushing them or pulling them along. Its actually much harder work!

The OP has said (in her OP!) that she ends up carrying the scooter as well as pushing the puschair, so that is not a solution.

You'll honestly all get used to it. For 3 years we had a 45 minute morning walk - half hour to dd2 nursery then further 15 minutes for DD1 (age 4 when it began) on to her school. It was exhausting at first for all but we all got used to it. On top of that I then had to walk home - 20 minutes from school to home - half hour to nursery at 11.30 to collect dd2 then back home - 20 minutes to school to collect DD1 then back home at 3. Dd2 used buggy at times up until 3 then almost always used her scooter DD1 walked or scooted so in actual fact the 3 year old was doing an hour and 40 minutes school run a day. Busses weren't an option as it would have only taken us 2 stops and been a waste of time, driving wouldn't have been practical due to busy streets - you'd never get parked near either so end up sitting in traffic and walking pretty far anyway on top of the hassle of getting dc in and out and strapped on etc. We walked pretty much everywhere in those early days. To be honest I never thought about taxis, I imagine I'd have had to wait at that time of the morning and been late and a double drop of would have been costly but if it's an option for you on wet days or for the way home if dd is particularly tired then go for it. Try the buggy board too so she can hop on and off - I saw plenty at the school gates, we have an odd catchment area at are school so lots walk far and no one really drives for the reasons above but as I said first off you will all get used to is and in a couple of years you'll end up with super fit dc with legs of steel from all the scooting/walking. It also makes holidays and days out more fun- my dc never whinge about walking as it's normal to them so we can explore for hours.

Get a buggy board and a snack - 25 minutes is nothing for a 5 year old. I am serious, I have heard so many reception kids telling in their sad voice how tired they were mummy, to start sprinting and running non stop with their friends for an hour or more when a sudden stop to the playground was decided last minute.
None of them are genuinely that tired if they had a normal day at school.

What is the difference if child sat in pushchair or sat in taxi or car.

Use wheels however they come. Buggy board, those double decor pushchairs.... Car or taxi.

Baby will be fine in the buggy/pram with a raincover. DC will be fine on a buggy board with wellies (if allowed in school) and a waterproof coat. You will be fine with comfortable footwear and a decent coat with hood.

Having had the exact same age gap and the exact distance to walk, even though it feels like an absolute PITA sometimes, it's actually good for you to go outside and get that exercise - it's 40-60 minutes a day, so five hours a week - and the daylight, even (or especially) in winter is so important for people. Concentrate upon good posture when pushing the pram/buggy and using your leg and tummy muscles to power you through the walks.

It doesn't change the fact that you're walking, but it does give you a positive - you're exercising and it's good for you (and baby/child) to get fresh air and daylight.