What is average commute to work for mothers?

[user1461609321]

Hi

Just curious about how long most of you would commute to and from work each day if you have primary/ early secondary age school children?

Just curious about the norms particularly in London and whether this has posed any problems for you?

I currently leave home at 7.30 each morning then back at 6.30pm, eldest in secondary from September, youngest will be yr5, just trying to see how to manage commute/ school runs and ensure adequate supervision of kids before and after school

So my questions;

1. What time are you leaving home in the morning?

1. Who oversees your kids getting ready for school,

1. how old are they and do they get to school on their own?

1. How far is the child's secondary school? How do they get there? How long does it take them?

1. At the end of the school day? Are kids home alone? What time do you get back?

So reading this I have concluded that pretty much working is impossible funny don’t have a darling husband or family to help to support you I mean I knew this because I lived it for years but it was nice to see it written down this kind of confirmation.

It's varied alot over the years as I worked interim roles, but I always said that I would be within an hour of home.

Primary School - she went to breakfast club that opened at 7:30am but mostly my OH dropped her off about 8am before continuing into his local job. After school club until about 5:30/5:45pm, or later if I was collecting.

Secondary - 4 miles away. She gets the bus about 7:30am and then we leave just after (OH now works further afield also). Was a council run service but now public. She gets home about 4:45pm and lets herself in. Pre Covid - he's usually home by 6pm and worse case scenario I'll be home at 7pm (I do condensed hours now, so one day a week I take her and collect her). Now we're wfh again and so we're here when she gets home.

@jessie75 I would not say that work is impossible. On reflection, I should have started working from home much sooner than I did, or I should have found something a little more local. I think there is a balance to be struck. The fact that I spent so many hours away from home, had a detrimental effect on my children.

I've never like a commute longer than 30 minutes

@badspella my current dilemma is child taking itself to school 5 days out of 10 knowing it wont go or a £20,000 pay cut or private school next to my office if theyll have them.

@jessie75 I can really empathise. The reason I had to give up going out to work was due to school refusal (anxiety related). I was fortunate insomuch as I could work from home. I realise that not everyone has this option. I hope things get better for you.

1. What time are you leaving home in the morning? 7:30

1. Who oversees your kids getting ready for school, me till I leave

1. how old are they and do they get to school on their own? secondary, one walks, the other two use school bus

1. How far is the child's secondary school? How do they get there? How long does it take them? college is about a mile and a half, school is just over 3 miles

1. At the end of the school day? Are kids home alone? What time do you get back? yes, home alone, I get in between 5 and 6

My two are adults now, but I used to leave home at about 8.20, as soon as the nanny arrived, have a 30 minute commute to work, leave work variably between 4 and 6pm (depending on when my operating theatre list finished, or whether I could hand over to an on call colleague), and get home anywhere between 4.30 and 6.30, to relieve the nanny.
As a widowed single parent I didn't have the option of not working - I was sole breadwinner - and as a doctor, I couldn't work from home. So I would still have done it, however long the commute.

I think I have PFB syndrome, child never been left home alone or travelled independently so this will be a big transition for us all

It’s ok to recognise this What’s great is you have until Sep to start building up the independence your DC needs, and do some test runs of the journey with them at weekends etc to get them (and you) used to it.

Plus build up some time with them being used to being at home alone, and doing other things alone too like nipping to a shop etc?

I bet some friends will be doing the same journey who they’ll be able travel with too - do you know yet if anyone who lives near you are likely to be going to the same school?

Hi

We find out school allocations on 1st March so until then not sure of which school it will be, but first 2 options are generally the same journey but 1 stop apart