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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

BananaDaiquiri · 16/10/2020 18:02

Walk.

Baby either in a pram or sling. I used to commute to work with my kids in slings (walking and London transport, kids went to my workplace nursery). Then later walked them to school.

Onesailwait · 16/10/2020 18:08

I can imagine it does feel overwhelming, moving to a new country , logistics with a new baby you'll be fine. Under a mile I would walk & it's a bonus if you have a car or can take the bus when the weather is really shitty. I used to really like walking to school, although somedays it was tricky getting everyone ready & leaving the house in time it was worth it because the fresh air & activity really boosted my mood.

blue25 · 16/10/2020 18:10

I don’t get the issue-just walk!

Thatwentbadly · 16/10/2020 18:10

With a small baby I found putting the baby in a sling with a baby wearing coat over the top and umbrella the best option. The baby would fall asleep and you have hands free to hold your older child’s hand or carry their bag.

DoAllMeerkatsComeFromRussia · 16/10/2020 18:15

Newborns just adapt easily. My DD started the nursery class at her school aged 3, one week after DS2 was born. The distance from us was the same as yours- about a 15 minute walk for a fast walking adult, or three days for a 3 year old . I had a double buggy for DS1 (20 months at the time) and DS2. I had a buggy board so DD could hop on for a ride when she needed to. This is nearly 17 years ago btw!

The baby fed before we left for school and usually dozed off on the way there. We had to take the nursery children into their classrooms and a lot of the other parents left prams outside with younger siblings in but I never liked that idea so I always got DS1 and 2 out of the pram and they came in with us.

Then if I needed shopping I'd walk the 20 mins to the supermarket before going home.

Those days weren't the easiest but it's just what you do. Everyone does. You can't say there's an issue getting a child to school because you have a baby.

Planty13 · 16/10/2020 18:15

Less than a mine is an easy walk unless you have some difficulties?

Hercwasonaroll · 16/10/2020 18:17

Don't newborns live in pyjamas? Why would you get them changed unless they were dirty?!

Pushchair and scooter and go. Why is this a question you need to ask an Internet forum.

NeonBella · 16/10/2020 18:23

We walk a mile and a half to school in all weather.
It takes 15 minutes.

Baby in pram and wet weather clothes and it'll be fine.

TheNewLook · 16/10/2020 18:30

How is this a dilemma?

How do you intend to transport both children to other places? Do that. Your older child can’t stay at home until their sibling can walk!

Muddypuddlesinthewoods · 16/10/2020 18:32

I don't think this is a dilemma many new mums do this every week.
I had new born dt and a reception child and managed to do the school run as a single parent with no help, you just have to get a routine and baby falls into it.

honigbutter · 16/10/2020 18:34

We walk a mile and a half to school in all weather
It takes 15 minutes

Wow, you're fast.

Nanny0gg · 16/10/2020 18:49

@honigbutter

We walk a mile and a half to school in all weather It takes 15 minutes

Wow, you're fast.

Bet it takes longer on the way back with tired DC.

Some of you really should think before posting.

Such unnecessary sharp comments.

You move to another country with a different climate and systems and see how you get on.

BreconBeBuggered · 16/10/2020 18:54

OP is asking so that she doesn't arrive with too many misapprehensions based on her current set-up. It's not that hard a concept to grasp, provided people manage to RTFT before posting their arsey comments.

Good luck, OP. There are some nice people here, honestly.

Bingbongbinglybong · 16/10/2020 18:57

You'll be fine walking with a newborn. I had mine out in the pram when it was -2 degrees, a week after I gave birth (1.2 miles each way, so 4.8 miles a day, mostly quite flat). My DS absolutely loves going out now and at nearly 2 years old, he will walk about a mile and half quite happily (so just in the pram for a part of the trip) although it takes a long time!

It is absolutely rubbish on wet days though as you probably can't hold a brolly too, so you will need a decent rain coat and good shoes or boots.

When your baby is a bit bigger, consider getting a baby carrier to go on a bike, it makes the school run a lot faster. Your DD can scooter or cycle with you.

RB68 · 16/10/2020 19:04

there are a few ways to make this easy on yourself...keep baby in babygro and get decent waterproof lie down pram. Get child used to dressing themselves for school before food, have straight forward brekkies with table laid night before, pack all bags night before and coat and shoes ready nightbefore etc. DOn't hang about in the am - get on iwth getting everyone ready and out the door. Babies at that age are easy to be honest except for the last minute poonami which is bound to happen as some point.

Maryann1975 · 16/10/2020 19:11

As others have said op, you will be fine. With any luck you will meet a couple of other mums who live around you and you can walk together. The dc quite often like a friend to walk with to and from school and you can chat to the parent and make a local acquaintance/friend at the school gate In case you have a problem and need your dc picking up at short notice, eg baby has projectile vomited all over you and themselves as you were already running late for pick up.

There really aren’t that many torrentially rainy days (although there have been more so far this term than In the entire last winter), a bit of drizzle is fine to walk to school in.
You just need a good routine in the mornings and you will be fine.

SandMason · 16/10/2020 19:25

Sling under your jacket so you don’t have to go through the faff of dressing baby up for the cold every journey - he/she will be snuggled into your body heat and wrapped up in your coat. Also very unlikely to fuss if close to you like that, unless starving, in which case walking/BFing in sling is doable when needs must. Your hands are free to hold your other DCs hand as necessary. Ignore PPs being snarky, I thought about this sort of stuff too before each of mine arrived, like HOW WILL I MANAGE??? But then you just sort of jumble on through. Congratulations!

Ewanthescreamsheep · 16/10/2020 19:26

Just under a mile here. If I don't have to work (I which case school run is part of a longer car journey), I walk with the pram and dd goes on her scooter, which folds up under the pram for on the walk back

PoodleMoth · 16/10/2020 19:45

I had a simar age gap and distance to school. Wking was easiest in all weathers (no faffing with car seats, parking etc) and I just left the baby's pyjamas on on the morning schhol runs until she was almost a year! It will be fine

PoodleMoth · 16/10/2020 19:45

Walking!

carly2803 · 16/10/2020 20:02

walk!

newborn in pram, child on buggy board or walk!

good for you and the environment

lazyarse123 · 16/10/2020 20:03

@TheNewLook

How is this a dilemma?

How do you intend to transport both children to other places? Do that. Your older child can’t stay at home until their sibling can walk!

Did you bother to read the op properly? She is asking what system most people use as she's coming from another country. I can't believe how many bitchy comments there's been from women to another woman asking for a bit of advice.

Etinox · 16/10/2020 20:27

@OhCaptain

I don’t understand the dilemma? Walk or drive.

What am I missing?

Other countries have school buses as a default.

laudete · 16/10/2020 21:00

Real school buses are rare in the UK unless it's a private school. (I have attended a school overseas, with a school bus and a bus chaperone to look after the kids. It's just not the done thing over here.)

It's normal to walk (or drive if there is parking at the school). You will be expected to escort your child to/from school until they are at least 8 years old. After that age, you can give them permission to travel to/from school by themselves. You can continue to escort them yourself, of course, and that is not overly unusual.

nighttrains · 16/10/2020 21:12

All of the state secondary schools in my part of the UK have school buses, it's the only way most of the pupils would get there, I don't think there are any state schools in the county without several dedicated school buses so to me it's the norm - I thought everywhere in the UK had them except the big cities?

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