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 had just convinced myself that I was being paranoid and the cliquey school mums weren't gossiping about me...and then yesterday the wind carried just the right way that I could actually hear them talking about me.
So yeah, not my favourite.

It is other parents I can't stand. Trying to brag about their kids and find out what book your kid is reading to make sure little Tristrin isn't falling behind his peers. So boring.

YANBU i am so looking forward to not having my day dominated by these timings!!

Tbf i have never, ever had this. Not even close. Some strange schools out there!

People who are saying they do the school run (and I'm talking about drop off and pick up, which OP explicitly referred to) and also work full-time - how, unless you're in two places at once?

I don't understand OP. She describes social anxiety basically, but then says she's fine in other social situations with the other school parents like at children's parties. Why not just stick your nose in phone & ignore the others also impatiently standing around? Nobody likes the morning rush and monotony or tedium of it or waiting around, but it's just one of those chores you have to do.

Everyone hates teacher coming over to talk to you, it's usually bad news (!) We had a lot of trouble with one DC, teacher spoke to us almost daily for years about his behaviour. He got socially shunned for it, and so did my other children. I think I came to enjoy the people watching, tbh.

I WFH and start at 9 so just enough time to tear-arse home for meetings. Luckily my employer doesnt care about me leaving for afternoon pickup so long as i hit targets. If theres after school stuff on i will take meetings from car on phone or take laptop with me to continue while i watch. I'll work evenings/weekends if i have to catch up. If i had an office based 9 to 5 i dont know how tf i'd do it!

I’ve got 3 children and I’ve never come across this either. I chat to loads of other parents at the school gate but have never discussed things like reading levels, and I’ve never heard any other parents do it either.

If you don’t enjoy it, then of course yanbu.

I dropped mine off then rushed to work, did it at the end of the day in reverse. I haven’t rtft so I’ll spare you tons of advice but being organised really helped me and made me feel less rushed and stressed. I used to find the five minutes chit chat before the doors opened helped me transition from work mode to mum again which was helpful and I made friends I still like, I’ve known some of them now 15+ years.

I have 3 kids and did 13 years of primary. As they get older, you can meet them further away and if you live close enough she can walk herself in upper KS2.

Totally get the walk of shame though. Couldn’t pick my third up without a knot in my stomach for about three years. I really needed friends alongside me then.

I really enjoyed/enjoy the school run but the we walk a nice route and I like people

You go on to a place of work. How many of those being taken by car are under a mile away and then the parent goes back home? If they were to walk, I bet it would be a better time for you.

I know, or cycle on to work, turn the school run into a pleasant part of the day

Llijkk - why does it have to be a chore

Same, it’s not like that at my children’s school. I only do two drop offs and two pick ups a week, so it’s not so relentless. occasional chat, I arrive and leave as/when I please without needing to engineer some reason for a quick getaway because no one is bothered if you do or don’t. Mornings I have to get back for meetings, which is fine. I don’t think other parents are bothered about what I personally do and we are generally friendly towards each other. No fuss at all.

I suffer with anxiety so used to absolutely dread the afternoon pick up. It really ruined the rest of the day leading up to it. Very glad not to have to do it anymore.

I like it the days I am just taking one DC to school, but the days where I have to drop DC1 at school at 8.40 walk up a hill to drop DC2 at nursery at 8.50 and get back home to log in to work at 9am I find mega stressful!

I never minded the school runs. I think I'll miss it when DS leaves primary this July. We have an older DD who is 16, so etween the w of them, I've been doing the school run for over a decade now.

Made some friends along the way and have been on nights out with school mums too.

I always chatted to everyone from the off, on both drop off and pick up. I think it helps with your children's friendships to some extent too.

Between the 2 of them, that should say.

I once complained to my dad about food shopping (pre online delivery). I said I hated the faff of figuring out what we needed, finding a parking spot, wasting an hour trying to navigate whole families shopping together, dragging it all home and the worst bit, putting it all away (and discovering I forgot something vital).
He firmly put me in my place by saying : 'if that's all you have to complain about your life is pretty good'.
I never enjoyed the school run, but it was a necessary part of the day. Just get on with it.

Girasoli, a bike would help

I'll confess something. I'm the PTA Chair and know lots of parents. I still hate pick up. It's busy, stressful and full of cliques.

Drop off is not so bad.

I hate it too. Can’t do it due to my autism so dh had to take over 2 years ago

We HE our children so have limited experience but it is amazing how may HE parents say it the biggest advantage of HE - you never have to do a school run again.

I love the school run but I’m one of those incredibly annoying chat to everyone types and I love it if the teacher wants to have a chat about one of the DC

It sounds like the teacher talking to you is giving you part of the anxiety. Is there anything you can do to lower the number of interactions or is it unavoidable? Ie if it’s about forgetting a permission slip or something then there might be something one of us can recommend to help you remember. Or if it’s about behaviour and it’s happening all the time then does it need to be an ad hoc chat or could it be a behaviour chart/book that goes between home and school.