I REALLY hate the school run

[Remembersweetvalleyhighbooks]

For some reason, I looked forward to it Pre Dd and imagined it would be *Fun..wtf 🙈
I hate the rushed, stressy mornings, i’m organised but getting Dd ready can be hard at times. Drop off isn’t *As bad, quick kiss and hug at the outside door bit, it’s the pick up I don’t like. I wait in my car until the last minute when the door opens, then rush up, can’t stand the awkward standing waiting around everyone does. I hate if the teacher comes over to me and wondering what she wants to say to me. I just want to get my child and go home. Sometimes when I think how many years left I have to do this for, day in, day out, I feel panicked
Anyone else, or am I just a proper weirdo?

I hate all the traffic! No one walks to school anymore!

Yikes I do wonder what some schools are like! Our school run is just...not a thing. I can't imagine how it would be stressful. It's a big wide gate, I walk in chatting to my lovely kid, give him a kiss, say "see you tonight!" and walk out again. Might say hi to a parent friend, might not. I live on the same street as the school. Sometimes I carry my mug of tea with me.

@Lolaandbehold OP is clearly an Elizabeth...

I like it. I always have a nice chat with the kids when we're walking in and walking home, I arrive a few minutes before end of school so no real waiting around, but I'll generally chat to someone in that time. I can't really think of anything bad about it.

Gosh it’s hardly a big deal, it’s just part of life with young children isn’t it?
Admittedly I didn’t do it every day as I worked part time so I can see how it gets monotonous. But it all goes so fast and suddenly they are teens!

I work full time too but still take my kids to school.
I also find this threads a bit weird… I don’t know if it’s different at our school but I don’t find taking them to school stressful. We get out of the car, walk to the gates, I give them a kiss and say goodbye then walk back to my car and go to work.

Dropping off at breakfast club is much easier as is collecting from after school club. Can go days without seeing another parent due to different drop off and collecting times and no teachers around.

I’d love to walk but have to go straight on to work afterwards.

I wish I could walk and do it at a leisurely pace, it’s too far and I have to drive straight to work. I don’t know..maybe I’m lazy, I love the relaxed mornings when you don’t have to go

I hate the stressful morning rush to get the kids out the door with everything they need etc. But I enjoy the pick ups - I get to chat to the friends I've made there (also on the PTA), & as I wfh it's a good opportunity to actually talk to some adults & get outside.
Rainy pick ups are crap though.

Bloody hell- I am getting flash backs. Late DH mainly did it until he died. So from year 4 I had no choice. Even in a large city- they had created their own village and the cliques were awful. I was a bloody governor and work full time in a professional role. But I was not part of the club...I remember being on sick leave following DH's death and venturing to the gym. One of them was there (she worked in the kitchens at lunch times, best friend with all the TA's (who all had children in the school) turned up at drop off every day in gym gear ready to for workout, dc always on a regional sports team for something.) etc. etc. and she bloody gave me the thumbs up 'for getting to the gym' - as if she invented it. Thank god it ends with high school.

I hate it too. I’m socially anxious, so small talk is awful. I tend to stand where I know people are less likely to approach me! There are lots of nice parents, I’m just a weirdo. I worry that people think I’m an unfriendly cow. Seeing my dc come out is so lovely though.

I absolutely despise it. We didn't get into the local one so it's a bus ride away which is even worse. At least you only have the one child so will be over soon I have 4 so been doing the school run for what feels like forever 😰 baffles me when mum's says they love it 😬

DH does drop offs and helps get the dc ready in the mornings, so mornings aren't too stressful. Pickups are fine. I have a 1yo who comes along, so I spend most of the waiting time chatting to her, and DD does school enrichment clubs on 3 days so it's a quieter crowd. The other days I'm taking her to other after school activities, so it's a quick pickup and rushing off to those. Actually I love seeing DD's face when she rushes out of class, always smiling and keen to show off something she can do in the playground.

I must admit both me and DH much prefer drop off and pick ups on the days that DD goes to wraparound care. It's so much easier and more chilled out!

Earphones in. Get in and get out. Every single time. DD is about to leave year 6 and I've been doing this since year 2 when I realised what a bunch of bullshit the other parents really are.
I’m not there to make friends or indulge anyone else's twattery. I smile and say hello if necessary, nothing else.

No I have to be in work before they go to school and they start at 8.40 but I have to be in at 8.15 so I pay a childminder in the mornings and evenings

I've never done the school run

Pre covid mine went to breakfast club and after school club and now I wfh they get the bus.

It was and is awful. Secondary school is bliss by comparison.

Goodbye also to class WhatsApp which is always deranged

Some truly miserable people on this thread

I once said to DH I don't think I want children because I cannot contemplate the HELL that is school drop off and pick up. Where we live you have to put up with 1) horrendous traffic and 2) having no option of public transport or walking. All my work colleagues spend 1-1.5 hrs of their day, every day, in the car, in traffic, to and from school (except the bosses who are rich enough to have nannies/helpers). It's fucking brutal.

I always enjoyed it and even looked forward to it. I went part time when my DC were in primary, just so that I could be there every day to pick them up, and chat with friends while we waited.

But, on MN, that makes me a total weirdo.

I did it for thirteen years and hated it. The stress of getting there in time and then waiting on the playground being blanked by other mums and having to listen to them chatting about their class night out which I was never invited to was hellish. So pleased when my youngest started secondary school.

I loathe picking up because there are some mothers I absolutely cannot stand so I have to arrive and position myself strategically far enough away that I don't have to talk to, or even acknowledge, them.

I didn't really like standing around with everyone but it was easier to get to know other parents for parties and playdates etc. I have worked full time since DC2 was in Year 2 so use breakfast and after school club every day. Now I enjoy it when I do get to do it because it's such a rarity. Also means we get to walk rather than dropping in the car on the way to work.

I moved directly opposite the school gate when my two were in mid-primary. The crossing guard literally walked them to and from home