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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Hate the school run

217 replies

CandyFIosss · 06/09/2021 00:05

Does anyone else hate the school run? I honestly dread it, I hate it and if I never had to do it again I would be happy, it seem unusual though and most parents seem to love it! Does anyone else hate it?

OP posts:
Explosivefarts · 06/09/2021 08:21

You are not alone I feel the same

ilovesushi · 06/09/2021 08:21

No more school runs! Kids are in secondary! Thought I might miss it, but I don't.

KaptainKaveman · 06/09/2021 08:23

Yes indeed. All parents - especially the women - are 'cliquey/bitchy/trashy/gossiping/hostile/childish' etc. There is no such thing as a nice one. Having a child at primary school transforms once decent, reasonable mothers into vindictive harpies, hauling themselves up to the school gates in their slippers and onesies, swearing and grasping a can of special brew, fag ash cascading from their vitriolic gob. Hmm

Original poster
CandyFIosss · 06/09/2021 08:26

So what if I have 4? Doesn’t mean I have to like the school run, if it’s the holidays we certainly don’t all rush to get dressed and run out the door by 8am. We take our time no chance on a school day.

OP posts:
beigebrownblue · 06/09/2021 08:26

@Sisalcarpet

You are not alone op , either in loathing it (I hated being tied down to it every day, I hated the slow walk with tired or protesting DC, and I hated the playground politics and having to interact with other mothers, although one or two were really friendly) and I don't think you are alone in thinking that some other mothers love it either. I have a friend who genuinely looks forward to doing it every afternoon.

This September, I am finally free of it after fifteen years and I have so much more time in my day. I honestly feel like I have been released from prison! (I do love spending time with my dc but walking them through noisy, polluted streets every day was not my idea of fun, or theirs! )

Op, if you hate it so much, could you increase your work hours and maybe pay for someone to do the school run part of the week? Looking back, I wish I had done that, and hadn't been such a martyr about it.

It's a big milestone isn't it, when the get the bus? And/or walk on their own.

Today, around half and hour ago feels like a momentous moment for me, as DD got bus to college (sixth form).

Somehow with Covid and home schooling for ten months odd I felt like things were going backwards for me, as some plans I had I had to put on hold.

Now DD has had vaccination last week and I empathise with that feeling Sisalcarpet,

'being out of prison'...

I didn't hate the school run in primary school, but it was often stressful as it was a roundabout route to get there and had to get taxi do the breakfast club drop and then get to college myself. I was always worried about something not working out.

So hoping there will be a new lease of life now, bus helpfully goes from the end of the road...

Waiitng for a text to say she has got on it okay!

Looking back on various school runs and walks with fondness, as others say it is such a cliche, but can't beliew where the time went!

trumpisagit · 06/09/2021 08:26

I don't have a school run anymore, but yes I enjoyed it on a sunny day.
It was a longish walk (20min downhill on the way there), and lovely on a nice day with cheerful children.

Obviously there were wet, miserable days with recalcitrant children that were horrible.

The other parents element doesn't really matter does it?

Bobmonkfish · 06/09/2021 08:29

I am not a fan but your school run sounds very stressful OP. I am not surprised you hate it!

languagelover96 · 06/09/2021 08:34

My mom hated the school run. To make it easier, she and dad took it in turns to do it.

Camandmitch · 06/09/2021 08:37

I hate the journey to and from school. It's over a mile from my house and is a miserable walk in the winter especially when my youngest who is 2 walks as it sometimes takes us over 45 minutes to walk home. Bus timetable is stupid, it stops outside the school 5 mins before school ends and the next bus isn't for half an hour. I can't drive, and even if I could parking is so limited that I'd have to arrive 30 mins early like my neighbours do.

Hellotree · 06/09/2021 08:39

I work a lot, so mine are in breakfast and after-school club almost daily. Which is great. Drop and run!

Sorrento2014 · 06/09/2021 08:39

I used to enjoy it but 4 children later and I've had enough! Over those years I got to know a number of families so could normally find someone to chat to if I wanted to.
Mostly I just tried to get in and out as quickly as possible! Staggered times due to covid really helped and Year 6 being allowed to walk home.

On the odd occasion I tried to be friendly to people I didn't know so well I seemed to attract either very 'moany' parents (I liked the School and thought they always did their best) or those that started to show off about their child/achievements!! Why?? I never asked and certainly never mentioned my children/how fabulous they are at everything??

Glad they are all at Secondary now and get the bus!

Hellotree · 06/09/2021 08:40

My husband does it most of the time also, which helps. I find it takes too long esp if you are a working parent, all the waiting around. When they are in clubs its much better as there is no waiting.

MsVestibule · 06/09/2021 08:42

it seem unusual though and most parents seem to love it!

How do you know that? How many parents have said to you 'I love the school run'? I quite enjoyed it but I was a SAHM with a car, could easily park a few minutes away and went home for a nice relaxing coffee. I fully appreciate that my experience was very different to most parents at my children's school, so I think I'd have felt quite differently about it if I'd then had to dash to work.

And as for the 'smug, cliquey mums' that so many MNers seem to meet - I honestly don't think I've met one! (Unless I'm that mum 🤔.). I saw some of the mums in their smart work gear and felt a bit inferior, they probably saw my more relaxed life and thought 'lucky cow'.

thegreylady · 06/09/2021 08:51

As a dgm I enjoyed it. I made friends with some mums/grandmas etc and often went for a coffee or was included in a play date with the little ones. All the children are at secondary school now and I miss it. I was sad to miss the end of yr6 with the youngest.
I am still fb friends with some of the mums.

KillerFlamingo · 06/09/2021 08:51

I'm dreading having to be up, ready and out for half 8 every morning, I don't function well in the morning and neither does DS.
Luckily it's only about 20 minutes walk but can take longer when traffic is bad and crossing roads takes a while.
I always yawn so much, I get tears running down my face, it's embarrassing.

I dislike being tied to pick-up every day and it's so stressful hearing from the teacher how the day has gone (a lot of issues Sad) but I do love seeing DS come out and getting a big cuddle. Smile

I read today how it was important to sit down and play a card game or something to help your child decompress after school but realistically, who has time for that?
Even if we walk straight home and don't call into the supermarket or play in the park, I need to cook tea and supervise homework, get him to eat tea, bedtime etc. And that's not taking any extracurricular activities into account.

ManifestDestinee · 06/09/2021 08:51

Wait?I presume you do not have a job then.I can imagine that it is much less stressful when you don't have to, say, do a nursery drop then a school drop then get to work on time. Compared to being a SAHM who has no 9am meeting to worry about. Any empathy for other people's situations at all?

LOL. You're talking about empathy but think anyone with a job has 9am meeting or they must be a SAHM? She could be a nurse on the night shift or a CEO with a flexible schedule for all you know

cjpark · 06/09/2021 08:52

Surely it's just another job that you do on a daily basis? Part of being a parent. I hated changing nappies, baby sick and de-nitting the DC more to be honest.

Popcornbetty · 06/09/2021 08:52

'I saw some of the mums in their smart work gear and felt a bit inferior, they probably saw my more relaxed life and thought 'lucky cow'.'

@MsVestibule i feel that way too and I'm struggling to deal with the embarrassment i feel when working Mums ask if i work and have to say 'no i'm a sahm' and find myself rambling 'but I'm looking for work once youngest in school' to somehow justify it. I feel like they will think it is lazy! It is ao stupid i know but i hate telling people and would feel better to say i worked even part time!

Sparklingbrook · 06/09/2021 09:02

I have 2 DC. I did the school run for eight years and that was more than enough, thankfully DC2 started walking to school in Year 5. The more DC you have the longer you have to do it for.

I was a SAHM for some of those years and that was easier, but still always felt a rush twice a day.

Dartsplayer · 06/09/2021 09:02

I've always hated it but today, my youngest started secondary school so no more school runs for me. Just remember, it won't be forever

Bananarama21 · 06/09/2021 09:06

FannyFifer

I honestly never understand all the school run stuff on here, I just drop my kids at school then wait & collect them at home time. Sometimes I say hello or chat to folk, sometimes I don't.

Same I don't get the angst, I drop off and run that's it really no dramas.

GintyMcGinty · 06/09/2021 09:09

I have almost never done it.

My kids have always either taken the bus on gone to breakfast club.

wednesdayweather · 06/09/2021 09:10

I don't like it either.

Fedup1995 · 06/09/2021 09:12

I don’t like it either. DS can be a bit of the pain in the morning getting dressed so I’m stressed every morning. I also have social anxiety too so standing in the playground full of people seems like hell

WTFisNext · 06/09/2021 09:12

I really enjoy the walk and chat with my daughter, so does she. Much better than the rush that existed when I had to commute.

Really don't understand all the angst about other parents. A polite nod of the head generally suffices round here and that's not hard...not even for someone as antisocial as me!