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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

School run Dilemma

141 replies

Cocomelon101 · 16/10/2020 15:21

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?

OP posts:
2bazookas · 16/10/2020 16:35

under 1 mile, no school transport.
If you're SAHP I strongly recommend that you put baby in a pram, wrap everyone up in suitable clothes and walk DC that short distance to and from school. Routine and regular excercise in fresh air will both children and you a power of good

Save the car for terrible weather. Car drop-offs around schools are notoriously difficult. and fraught .

Cloudburstagain · 16/10/2020 16:36

Get yourself a long, thick and waterproof coat with a hood for winter. Mine is invaluable - as standing on the playground in bad weather is not fun some days!
Even those who drive still have to stand and wait. Also parking can be bad near schools - so for people who can walk, much better to walk.

newpup123 · 16/10/2020 16:39

Walk for sure.

It will be quicker than loading 2 kids into a car, parking up not much closer and unloading them again.

I would never walk anything less than 2 miles.

supersonicginandtonic · 16/10/2020 16:43

I did the school run with baby the day after I had her. Easy birth and needed fresh air. Just put baby in the pram and walk slow if you
Need too.

BexR · 16/10/2020 16:47

So the OP has explained she lives in another country where things work differently (I'm guessing yellow school buses etc). She is trying to understand what the set up is in the UK. It's a reasonable question, so maybe give her a break?

Original poster
Cocomelon101 · 16/10/2020 16:49

Thank mn, it seems like walking, appropriate clothing and being organised it is!

I definitely dont have the problem of walking!

We have an earlier start here, and teachers are monitoring playgrounds so its much easier for parents who have an early start.
So dh easily does that currently. And we have private transport per area for pickups. Just trying to figure out logistics as everything changes now.

OP posts:
DragonPie · 16/10/2020 16:54

You get your DD a scooter, they all scoot to school. You just walk with the pram.

Changedmyname26 · 16/10/2020 17:02

For less than a mile I'd walk every time (and we do) by the time you've faffed about getting the children in and out of the car, sat in school traffic, parked and unloaded the children, you could have probably walked there and back.

ivykaty44 · 16/10/2020 17:02

I found it was easier to walk

pop baby in pram in whatever clothing

coats on and go

use scooter for dc1 for fun

trying to get two children in car seats, drive, then find somewhere to park, get two children out of car and then walk to the school was such a faff and took nearly as long

nighttrains · 16/10/2020 17:13

It's less than a mile, just walk.

Not sure what moving back from overseas has to do with it, a mile is a mile, a baby can go in the pram no matter what country you are in.

ArcheryAnnie · 16/10/2020 17:14

You are better off walking than driving - you will probably have to park quite far away from the school in any case, and you will make yourself unpopular with the locals by just parking anywhere.

I walked a lot longer than that with my DS when he started school, and I found it really helped him get settled as school in the morning as he'd already worked off a bit of energy on the walk there.

DragonPie · 16/10/2020 17:16

There is generally no parking around schools and don’t piss people off by parking over their driveways.

Danascully2 · 16/10/2020 17:18

Another reason not to drive: even if you can park somewhere in the vicinity, the streets will usually be very congested with other cars, small children running out into the road etc. Not the ideal environment for driving, especially when you are sleep deprived with a newborn and feeling
under pressure to get to school on time.

Herbie0987 · 16/10/2020 17:18

I used to put baby in pram and walk

movingonup20 · 16/10/2020 17:19

Unless the nearest school is over 2 miles you need to get your dc to school. Plenty of people will have other little ones. Just put in the pram or drive on wet days

Cloudburstagain · 16/10/2020 17:20

My husband took parental leave and a week’s holiday ( had a C-section with last dc) so I had three weeks of help before I had to do the school run alone!

HibiscusNell · 16/10/2020 17:21

Blimey, why do people have to be so arsey to the OP.

I think you will be ok too OP. You will probably have the odd bad day where everything goes wrong but give it a few weeks and you will wonder what you were worried about.

Katypyee · 16/10/2020 17:24

It's only a mile each way. Walk. Use it as exercise. Dress for weather conditions. Baby will probably sleep. I don't see the issue?

OhDear2200 · 16/10/2020 17:26

Laughing myself silly at this being a dilemma.

Isn’t it just life???

OhDear2200 · 16/10/2020 17:39

Sorry, not a helpful comment from me!

You will find that loads of people are walking.

I’ve made some really good friends from the school walk, one of my closest friends is someone I walk with.

OhCaptain · 16/10/2020 17:40

@OhDear2200

Laughing myself silly at this being a dilemma.

Isn’t it just life???

What a weird sense of humour you have...
Nameandgamechange123 · 16/10/2020 17:43

I found this post quite hilarious.

Jenasaurus · 16/10/2020 17:46

@helpmum2003

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.
I agree, I had 3 DC, a newborn, a 2 year old and a 5 year old and the 2 little ones were in the pram, baby sleeping, toddler sitting on pram seat and 5 year old happily walking alongside. It is quite a nice little walk depending on the weather, I dont drive but lived a lot close than you do. Baby will nap and it will get you out in the fresh air.
Doodar · 16/10/2020 17:47

I kept my newborn in their pj's until we returned home from the school run, one less job to do before leaving.

TicTac80 · 16/10/2020 17:56

It's difficult when you move to a completely new country with different climate, routine etc. I get that (I moved to England when I was 10 - and was terrified that I'd freeze to death here!!). Get yourself some decent cold weather clothing and shoes, and the walk will be a pleasure rather than a miserable chore. I'm assuming that you're coming to England, so normally the schools (state) drop off will be about 8:45 for primary Yr 1. Depends on the school of course!

My DD is Yr 3, and goes to Breakfast Club (starts 7:30) as I have to work. When the weather is not too hideous, we cycle to her school (approx 2miles from home) and then I cycle on to work (approx 5miles). Beats the traffic and trying to find bloody parking (v stressful!).

Try not to worry too much, things will be ok :)

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