School run Dilemma

[Cocomelon101]

Hi Mners, wondering how people figure this out.

I will Have a newborn and year1 dd.
DH will need to leave home at 6.30 to be at work. I will be doing drop off and pick ups. Is there transport to school or does everyone walk or drive?
I'm thinking this is going to be tough with a newborn.
Moved abroad and now moving back after dc so not sure what options I have?

How far away is your school?

We are looking at under 1 mile

Walk or drive. Newborn easy to transport

I would walk unless it's absolutely vile. It often coincides with newborn nap if they're up early so can stay in the pram on your return.

Would setting up a walking bus be an option if there are several kids going to the school in your area? Parents could volunteer to do the walk once a week or something to split the burden between several of you and save doing it every day?

Pretty sure the vast majority of people walk or drive. Baby not a problem in the car/pram surely?

Baby goes in the pram and walk, some gentle exercise for you and the fresh air will probably help the baby to have a nap.

I’d walk every time, when the weather is wet you can’t get near the school to park as everyone has the same idea. I wouldn’t dream of driving less than a mile unless I was really tight for time

If it’s less than a mile, I would walk.

There isn’t transport, people walk or drive.
How old exactly will the baby be?

Under a mile? Walk unless you are on your way somewhere else

Loads of people are in this position op and just walk or drive taking baby with them. There isn’t usually school transport for primary schools.

Transport not provided! Walk or drive, up to you. You'll manage, everyone does.
Maybe if you get to know people they can take your kid a couple of days a week and you take theirs a couple of days.

Goodness - I didn’t realise this was a dilemma!

Thank your lucky stars your elder one isn’t a toddler and you’re getting them to nursery. Year 1 will be able to do a lot herself.

You’ll be fine. Will provide a nice structure to the day. And then I used to still down to coffee shop and get A coffee if weather decent

I remember having eldest DC starting school, at the time I was heavily pregnant and had 2 yo. I found it easier taking the newborn in her pram or baby carrier, than when I was lumbering after my 2 yo with my massive belly! In fact I found the newborn easier than my toddler all round! To be fair she has autism and ADHD so was a handful🤣 was a slapstick performance every school run.

So you will be fine op. Believe.

Where I am free school transport is only provided for those living more than 2 miles from their catchment school (applies to us and i am currently at the bus stop waiting for DS). In non Covid times you could pay to put your child on the bus if you didn't meet those requirements but it is not happening at the moment due to Covid. Only those entitled to the free transport can use the buses.

School transport in England at least is generally only provided when you are allocated a place in a school over a certain distance away, say your child has additional needs which mean the appropriate school is quite a distance, or in rural areas where the nearest school is still a fair way.

It doesn't tend to cover those who choose a school further away when there is a closer option.

As to doing the school run with a newborn, I found that once we had our routine it was fairly smooth. Making sure school bag was packed the night before, packed lunch that was either made the night before or something really quick to stick in the lunchbox and generally anything we could do to ensure we were not searching for last minute bits and pieces.

Nappy change and feed for the baby but generally I left the sleepsuit that they had spent the night in on with a fleece suit over the top. Any sort of dressing in daytime clothes waited till we were back home.

Personally I found walking easier, parking by the school is always a nightmare and by the time I'd strapped them both into the car, then out at the other end and into buggy/sling it was quicker to just walk.

You either put the baby in a buggy and walk or you drive there with baby in a carseat. If you decide to drive them once you arrive at the school, pop baby into a sling to walk your older child to the drop off point.

School transport only available if you are allocated a school more than two miles away and no places in schools closer.

Under a mile most people walk.

I don’t really understand why this is a dilemma if you’re not also expected to be in work. You walk, or if the weather is really terrible, drive. Your DH needing to be at work is of no consequence.

Driving a journey of less than a mile is madness, for yourself and for the climate (and air pollution at your child's school).

Get a decent waterproof coat and stick the baby in a sling under it. No one will dissolve in a bit of rain

My council provide school transport in the form of a mini bus but you have to be at least 2 miles away and it has to be deemed unsafe to walk, (we are very rural no pavement windy tracks/roads etc)although they might consider it for special circumstances. If it's normal pavement and less than a mile I would put the baby in a sling and walk tbh, seems easiest!

You won’t get transport for that distance (unless particular circumstances like your child has special needs that require it or there is no safe walking route). Walk/scoot/cargo bike once baby is bigger....

It feels difficult thinking about doing it with a newborn before you actually do it but it’s not actually a particularly big deal once you get into it and that phase is really short. I actually found it harder with a toddler that wanted to be out the buggy but would immediately then pull at my hand trying to run off or just sit down and refuse to budge! It’s all entirely manageable though, it’s just life with two children.

Get a decent rain cover for the baby!

I don't see your dilemma, I had a tiny baby and one at school.
Baby goes in pram, walk to school walk home.

We walk that distance. It's actually really lovely to get out of the house twice a day, because the temptation during a lockdown and a winter is to stay home. Invest in a decent waterproof for you, a snuggly snow suit for the baby and a great rain cover for the pram.