To not buy a second car we can't afford just to do 0.7 mile school run!

[Acunningruse]

Our second car broke during the first lockdown and we haven't replaced it as DH and I now both do 3days wfh/2 days in office. This means that the parent wfh that day walks the children (9 and 5) to school. We live 0.7 mile away from school and to be honest it's been absolutely lovely over the spring and summer months, having time together on a morning and not fighting for a parking space. However...
This morning was absolutely biblical rain, just torrential. I wrapped kids up as best as I could in waterproof coats, wellies and took ab umbrella (utterly useless in wind!) but we still got soaked. Dd (5) thought splashing in puddles was hilarious but DS (9) was increasingly grumpy, muttering about how 'no-one else' walks (this unfortunately is almost true, 99% families drive) abs then got very upset that his trousers were soaked so now of course I feel horrendously guilty. Not to mention all the playground comments this morning of 'oh goodness, you walked in THIS! You must be soaked!' No shit Sherlock but it's a bit of water I'm not sending them down the mine ffs!!!

AIBU- no, buy another car at once, walking every day will be awful in winter
IANBU- no, buy the kids some waterproofs (where to change them though? School not really set up for it as above no-one else walks far) and tell them when I was a girl I walked to school in rain hail or snow, uphill both ways...

Invest in some good waterproofs and warm clothes. We live a mile from the school and I prefer to walk in all weather rather than do battle for a parking space. Kids grumble sometimes and some parents have passed comment on my meanness in making them walk or bike in the winter but can’t get worked up over it. Decathlon are good for waterproofs.

It would surely still work out cheaper to get an uber on days when its pissing it down than buy a car

0.7 miles?? 😂 If you'd have said 7 miles I could have understood it.
Just put some spare socks and their school shoes in a waterproof bag to change into when they get to school and hang their waterproofs to dry ready for home time.

The fact people even consider driving 0.7miles (in the absence of disabilities or whatever) appropriate is why those same people will be constantly complaining about traffic and congestion and weight gain and aches and pains. Of course you should continue to walk it. The rain here was horrendous this morning too, but I do the nursery run on foot and it hasn’t rained like that for at least 6 months.

Get waterproofs / a snowsuit for them.

0.7 miles! Honestly unless you have a disability who on earth can't walk that far?

No way would I buy another car I couldn't afford for such a short school run! It honestly doesn't rain that much, even if you walk every day (which I did for years). Get some good waterproofs, good, sturdy umbrellas and wear wellies so trousers don't get soaked.

I usually walk - roughly the same distance. This morning I took the car. I parked maybe 300 yards from the school entrance. (as close as I could get), by the time I had run with my 7 year old to the gate, and back to the car I needed to change my trousers when I got home - and realised my old waterproof was still effective. I don't think the car will help that much!

Bike with biking poncho

@3totheright4totheleft well, 99% of the families who live where we do and attend the same school, apparently. Obviously some live farther away and some will be dropping kids off then rushing to work, I get that. But for us the walk is enjoyable most of the time, I just need to get decent waterproofs, so thank you for recommendations received. Good point about the school dresses though! That won't work with snow trousers or waterproof trousers will it.

You’ve said in the title that you can’t afford it, so that’s the end of it. 🤷🏻‍♀️

On bad weather days, would it be an option for the working at home parent to take the other parent to work and pick them up so that the working at home parent has the car for school runs?

Definitely not unreasonable
We live just under a mile from school and I put the toddler in a puddle suit then pushchair this morning. Older one was sent with a change of cardigan as it was so wet
It takes just as long to park in the rain so I find it less stressful to get soaked
Plus I think if I don’t make them do it now I’ll never get them to walk as teenagers!

Sometimes school runs in bad weather can piss me off, but I have no choice but to walk them as well. As I tell the kids when they moan ‘you have waterproofs and it builds character’

Dress in the bag and change at school? Or bumfle it up found their waist?

Those suggesting Uber that doesn't exist here! Think rural Yorkshire. I'm not convinced a taxi would turn up either. I don't have a bike (kids do) but could look into this.

*round

Get wellies too.

Better waterproofs. And if it was really bad I might resort to a taxi. Certainly cheaper than paying for a second car.

@SuperstarDog this is a good idea but we both work 45 minutes away. DH can sometimes get the train depending upon which of the 3 offices he has meetings at so that might be a back up.

Unless one of you is disabled or has mobility issues driving 0.7 miles is the height of laziness. No wonder the propulsion is obese and roads near schools are chaos. Walk or cycle. Change of clothes if it’s that wet.

I absolute hate it when people walk to school when they live so close, even in the pouring rain. I live near school and we have never driven. Yes it's a bit miserable in the rain but it's part of life and otherwise teaches kids to be lazy.

I’m rural (no school that close though!) and I wouldn’t be sure a taxi would turn up either coz they’re booked up on contracts to take kids to school. Plus we don’t have a taxi firm in the village so if one came it would be v expensive.

Mornings like this one aren’t the norm- just remember that. I speak as someone who did it with 1 baby, 1 toddler and a 9 year old all last winter- 3 miles in total. Get a taxi if it’s particularly bad.

I really despair about climate change. It's 0.7 miles, I can't imagine driving that distance.

Exactly, it’s a short walking distance - not exactly a character-building hike! I’m sure you can’t be the only walkers as others will live even nearer the school.

In 14 years of school runs I have always refused to drive, if only because so many others drive that parking is an absolute nightmare and you'd still get wet going from car to school. No need for the second car.