Page 4 | To have never really done the school run?

pastypirate · 12/01/2022 17:54

Having children at all seems like a nightmare for some people.

MajorCarolDanvers · 12/01/2022 17:58

My kids have either gone to breakfast club or got the bus to school.

They are 13 and 9.

Hopefully I will never do the school run.

PiesNotGuys · 12/01/2022 17:58

I’ve been doing the school run daily for 13 years and have realisticly got another 3 to go

It can be a pain as it’s a bit tying and it’s hard to motivate eg toddlers up and down the same route twice a day in all weathers

Other than that though it’s fine, why wouldn’t it be?

It’s no more remarkable a daily event than getting milk from the shop or posting a letter

Restart10 · 12/01/2022 18:05

@EishetChayil

Honest question, as I'm not at this stage yet, but what is so anxiety-inducing about the school run?

Small talk with other parents. Absolutely loathe.

FireworkParrot · 12/01/2022 18:08

Ours is a bit of a mix of parents that are really friendly and chat to one another, others don't talk to anyone and are on their phones and others that say hi and may exchange a few words but that's it (I'm in that group.) Honestly though NOBODY CARES. Everyone is thinking about what to make for dinner/willing the teacher to hurry up so they can get back home and do some work/rushing to get to a club or after school hobby/remembering they need to call the doctor or book the car in for its MOT.

I have to say though, school is a 10 minute walk away and I love that time with DD on the way to and fron school. We just chat and notice the changing seasons. I'll really miss it.

Caterina99 · 12/01/2022 18:09

Mine just started at a new school and due to covid the drop offs are staggered and parents have to wear masks and stand 2m apart and basically aren’t encouraged to speak to anyone else at all. So it’s not really a social experience. People say hi, but no one is lingering around chatting. I think it’s a shame as I’d like to meet more people, but it’s definitely nice too some mornings to hide behind the mask and not interact too much

ZenNudist · 12/01/2022 18:15

I do it once a week in the afternoon on my day off. Monday and Friday morning they walk themselves/ walking bus with school, Tuesday to Thursday breakfast club and After school club. Dh picks them up Friday. Once a week is enough. Its quite sweet to hold ds2's hand but other than that it's tedious. The teachers don't even talk to us "because covid" and we don't have the benefit of being allowed into school to collect lost property for the same reason.

runningfromtheoutlaws · 12/01/2022 18:23

No, unless I couldn't I want to do it part of the week, I usually do pick ups.

gogohm · 12/01/2022 18:24

I always did the school run because I thought it was important for for kids to have lots of time with their parent and so I could communicate with teachers, friends parents etc. yes it's a privilege not to have to work full time, I worked 9.30-2.30 but I probably would have spent the extra 2 hours pay on childcare!

SoftPillow · 12/01/2022 18:28

I don't enjoy the evening parking stress, but otherwise enjoy the school run.

It's a chance to chat to other parents, I enjoy seeing them play with friends, lovely to hear about their day whilst they're stuffing their faces with snacks.

SoftPillow · 12/01/2022 18:29

Oh yes, and the lovely feeling, as a PP has said, oh having a warm little trusting hand in yours.

Wonderful

liveforsummer · 12/01/2022 18:30

I used to love it with dd1. Single parent new to the area and it was my only opportunity for adult interaction. Also formed a great relationship with the school, volunteered for trips etc so I knew nearly all the dc on dd1's year group. Dd1 was part of the crowd of kids who's parents were free to go to the park after school so extended friendship group. Parents were all a nice bunch too. Fast forward 8 years I drop at breakfast club and am that parent sprinting down the street 5 minutes late every day to collect dd2. I barely know the parents (although judging by the year group what's app I don't mind - a much more intense pfb bunch). Got too much to do so can't be bothered with the park. Dd(8) has excelled her self this week walking herself while I've had covid and has enjoyed it so I'm pretty much redundant now. Feel a bit sad but not really. Will miss seeing her face looking for me at the end of the day though.

ChateauxNeufDePoop · 12/01/2022 18:36

I was unemployed for 6 weeks whilst DS was 5 years old. Due to the geography of my previous role (and the one I took since) I never got to do the school run due to commute times but I absolutely loved it in those 6 weeks. Granted I never really interacted with other parents except for ones I already knew so was never privvy to the playground politics that get mentioned on here at times. Didn't do it every day but loved seeing him interact with his friends when he got to school and seeing his face so happy at the end of the day as he told me what he'd done all day at 100 mph.

Now he's 14, every days is "ok"

Ionlydomassiveones · 12/01/2022 18:38

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at the poster's request.

Original poster

Veeveeoxox · 12/01/2022 18:42

To make it clear I don't leave her there when I'm off work at after school club (she loves breakfast club and always wants to go so that's not an issue) . The kids club pick her up and I then pick her up maybe 10 minutes after school finishes so it's not like she's not missing out on anything. I get unlimited parking spaces to choose from (unlike school) no queueing , no waiting , no excessive noise and my child still greets me happily . It's worth the money just for that!

OP posts:

trevthecat · 12/01/2022 18:46

Mine go to breakfast and after school club also. I had to collect my daughter at normal school end time just before Xmas, I had to ring the school to ask what time and where I went!

De88 · 12/01/2022 18:52

@Veeveeoxox

DD is 8 and in Year 4 for the first time in a long time I am picking her up directly from school. She goes to breakfast club at the local nursery and then after school club they pick her up and drop her off. I love it as there's no waiting for the teacher and no parents there either, my social anxiety loves it. Even if I'm off work I still take her to breakfast club and after-school club I just pick her up earlier. Does anyone else do this just because they loathe the school run ?

I've never done the "normal" school run apart from when I've been on mat leave and part from getting a bit of exercise I never enjoyed it- always worked so breakfast and afterschool clubs. Also our wrap around care is fantastic so our kids love every moment there and have really missed it when they haven't been! Also complain like mad the few occasions they've been picked up early!

Nosetickle · 12/01/2022 18:52

I’m really surprised and sad reading so many posts on this thread. Small talk with other parents is not obligatory. The school run is about taking your child to school and picking them up. It’s about you and your child and nobody else. If this causes anxiety for so many people then there’s something very wrong with the world.

TheWayTheLightFalls · 12/01/2022 18:53

Honestly though NOBODY CARES. Everyone is thinking about what to make for dinner/willing the teacher to hurry up so they can get back home and do some work/rushing to get to a club or after school hobby/remembering they need to call the doctor or book the car in for its MOT.

This. I don’t love it in the rain but otherwise feel very lucky to have the 1.1 time with DD and really try to enjoy it. I chat with anyone up for a chat, include anyone who looks like they want including, and leave the head down to phone brigade to themselves.

YogaRebel · 12/01/2022 18:55

My kids are at secondary school now so school run days are over, Turns out some treasured memories were primary school run at pick up - the grin on their faces as they saw me waiting to collect them. The hurtling across the playground to give me a hug. Holding my hand and skipping home, telling me about their day. I have a job, it wasn't always convenient ... I did make some new parent friends and avoided others. School run wasn't about me though - it was about being there for them. I'm sorry to hear of others battling social anxiety in this context -

OlympicProcrastinator · 12/01/2022 18:57

I’m the same as you OP. I had years of doing the school run with my older 2 but then I had a completely unexpected baby at 40. I had to go straight back to work and then found on the days I could collect her early she’d be upset as the after school club is so relaxing and fun, like one big play date.
I didn’t feel like I wanted to start again making school mum friends at 45 when she started especially with mums 15 years younger. So wrap around care it is. She loves it. I love it. She still gets invited to all the parties so my lack of social interaction doesn’t appear to have affected her. In fact, she’s made extra friends as the kids in wraparound care are not all in her class or year group.

GingerAndTheBiscuits · 12/01/2022 18:57

I don’t think I’ve ever arrived with enough time to make small talk with anyone

OlympicProcrastinator · 12/01/2022 18:59

the grin on their faces as they saw me waiting to collect them. The hurtling across the playground to give me a hug. Holding my hand and skipping home, telling me about their day

Literally all of that happens when collecting from after school club.

RedCandyApple · 12/01/2022 18:59

@GingerAndTheBiscuits

I don’t think I’ve ever arrived with enough time to make small talk with anyone

Depends on the school though doesn’t it, ours leave you hanging around waiting ages they don’t always come out on time

needmoreshinys · 12/01/2022 18:59

I hate doing the pick up, the school pavement is like a bottle neck, really wide and then you get to a set of traffic lights, with people crossing over, trying to cross and then trying to get past and you are stuck there.

Drop off is fine, because parents have 15 minutes to drop off to the start , so people arrive at different times