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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

184 replies

Acunningruse · 27/09/2021 12:00

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... Grin

OP posts:
ProfSprout · 27/09/2021 14:17

@DrCoconut

I'm not sure that schools have the facilities and time for everyone to get changed out of/into and dry head to toe waterproofs. Not to mention all the items getting lost or stolen every day. I'm pretty sure our school would ask you to stop bringing them due to the logistics. It's one of those nice(?) but impractical ideas. The reality is you either drive/get lift/taxi or your kid spends the day soaking wet and miserable. I just missed the rain this morning luckily.
That’s completely ridiculous. It’s absolutely normal for children to have wet weather gear to change in / out of on wet days, and really no bother. I teach y1 children and they can manage it fine. Schools would much rather children walk than deal with all the parents’ terrible driving and parking doing the school run.
dotdotdotdash · 27/09/2021 14:18

YANBU! Walking and cycling is the way forward... Muddy Puddles does a good range of waterproofs for kids.

I totally agree with @OakPine that you should change the narrative on those people who are exclaiming at you for walking in the rain. You should question how they justify driving short distances!

HairyToity · 27/09/2021 14:19

Yanbu

ProfSprout · 27/09/2021 14:20

OP I have a second car and we still walked our similar length school run this morning. It’s much easier than driving and trying to park, and better for us too. Nothing wellies and a good coat can’t deal with.

BiddyPop · 27/09/2021 14:22

Waterproofs for general use, and for a fraction of 2nd car cost, a small kitty for occasional taxis when weather is particularly bad.

BiddyPop · 27/09/2021 14:23

Mountain warehouse are good for DCs.

Paddingtonsmarmlade · 27/09/2021 14:25

Yep decent waterproof trousers / spare trousers/socks so they can change at school if necessary.

Coffeepants · 27/09/2021 14:26

Agree with this. I don’t personally have the time to also carry spare clothes and help them get changed, etc and then get to work for 9am 🤷🏽‍♀️ Logistics sound painful to me

MsAwesomeDragon · 27/09/2021 14:27

Get some waterproof overtrousers and get on with it. My kids have walked to school with their childminder throughout primary (under a mile each way), and alone now the youngest is at secondary.

On torrential rain days, DD takes a waterproof coat, and a spare pair of school trousers in a plastic bag to change into dry clothes when she gets to school. Yes, she gets wet, but there's not a lot I can do about it when I'm headed in the opposite direction in the car to get to work.

Stellaris22 · 27/09/2021 14:28

Torrential rain isn't common enough for it to be an issue though.

DebbieHarrysCheekbones · 27/09/2021 14:31

We have to have wellies and waterproofs for school anyway she there are suitable facilities to house them

Think you are eminently sensible not to but a second car for that reason. It is also much better for your children to be active and walking to school in tne fresh air. I do this as much as possible and my children are noticeably better behaved in the school playground for it too Wink

Madcats · 27/09/2021 14:33

Trust me, in couple of years your DS will refuse to put a coat on. Teen daughter often comes home looking like a drowned rat.

The Skandi brands make goo quality waterproofs. Helly Hanson do some lightweight waterproofs in navy and black (or at least they did).

Polarn O Pyret and Didrikson are also brands to look out for. If you are lucky their might be some barely worn ones on EBay.

I miss the walk to school. It was a great time to get spellings and vocabulary tests out of the way (and a pretty walk).

RIPWalter · 27/09/2021 14:41

I'm in Snowdonia and Spotty Otter seems to be the go to brand for waterproof and winter clothing. It is expensive but lasts for multiple kids, so worth picking up second hand. I have just re waterproofed handed down Spotty Otter Waterproof salopettes and rain jacket, plus DD has a fleeced lined waterproof snowsuit for full winter conditions which is at least 3rd hand.

Meatshake · 27/09/2021 14:48

Not at all unreasonable.

I walked past the perfectly good car on my driveway to do the school run.

A little bit of adverse weather is character building 😂

MrsMariaReynolds · 27/09/2021 14:57

Less than a mile? No way. Completely unnecessary to drive that distance. My child is now in high school but we've never owned a car. So every day, from age 4 and beyond, we walked the distance (1.2 miles) to school, in all weather. Wet days weren't great but waterproofs and umbrellas do the job. And REALLY rainy days were few and far between. By the time he was in Y5/6 and high school age, he'd rather walk around in wet clothes and shoes all bloody day than wear a coat.

Polly2345 · 27/09/2021 15:06

We walk about that distance to school. Waterproofs are the way forward.

I would say use the occasional taxi but where I live they're all pre booked at that time for kids who need a taxi to get to school every day.

CommanderBurnham · 27/09/2021 15:15

Just get a taxi on those kinds of days?

CommanderBurnham · 27/09/2021 15:16

Also a scooter each might help depending on how safe the walk is.

AliceMcK · 27/09/2021 15:25

Agree with others, waterproofs or a change of clothes when they get to school. Mine would absolutely love to walk to school, especially in the rain. I suppose on really bad days you could treat yourself to a taxi or see if there is someone else at school who could help you out. There was a lady at my DDs last school who arrived by public transport then had a 30 min walk to work afterwards, myself and other parents would happily drop her off, she didn’t even need to ask. There are plenty of times other parents have picked and dropped off my DDs and I’ve done the same for them.

AliceMcK · 27/09/2021 15:29

@CommanderBurnham

Also a scooter each might help depending on how safe the walk is.
This is definitely a good idea. Or bikes. There is a lady at my DDs current school who cycles and her 2 young children scooter, I regularly see her youngest on the scooter with her pulling it along while riding her bike. Or you could get a seat for your 5yo to go on your bike.
cheesegloriouscheeseyum · 27/09/2021 15:36

Do the 99% that drive live as close as you @Acunningruse ? If so they should be ashamed of themselves. Excepting disability and logistical difficulties due to multiple drop offs there is no justification for driving .7 of a mile at all!!!

cricketmum84 · 27/09/2021 16:03

Nah. Get them hardened up!

My mum couldn't drive so when my dad disappeared when I was 4 we walked to school and back every day in all weathers and it never harmed us! Not to sound too stoic and "northern" but I remember walk to school one day when the snow was higher than the tops of my wellies and my feet were like ice blocks!

At high school I was naughty and used to put aside my dinner money and bus fare for less (shall we say) appropriate purchases and walk 5 miles there and back!

God I was slim back then 😂

TheVolturi · 27/09/2021 16:04

No point buying another car, you won't be able to get fuel for it anyway 😂

HalzTangz · 27/09/2021 16:44

Could you team up with a parent that drives. You walk yours and their kids on days where weather is goo, they drive on rain or snow days

HalzTangz · 27/09/2021 16:56

[quote Acunningruse]@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.[/quote]
You can still wear waterproof trousers with the dress, just tuck the dress into the trousers. That's what I did with my daughter when we used to walk to school