I REALLY hate the school run

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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 wonder why some schools have a more hectic setup than others

I like the school run. It took the covid lockdowns to make me realise I'll miss it when it's all over. I have been doing it for 7 years, not every day as I work P/T, and OH does two afternoons a week.
I see fewer and fewer of the parents on the school run as our children are getting older. But it was always a nice 5-10 min catch up in the afternoon. And a bit like collegues, you get to know people by seeing them consistently. Have made some great friends and lots of nice acquaintances.

Mumsnet is a window into another world - it really is!

I’m the same. I work in a job where can’t do pick ups or drop offs often. When I can I find it a privilege. I often think how lucky those parents are that do it every day!

I feel the same - I'm not sure if some schools are doing it in a very different way because the way it works at DS's school it's such a non-event. It is pretty much the same whether it's breakfast club, afterschool club or the standard drop off/pick up time and it's no different to nursery drop off/pick up, which I don't see moaned about in the same way. I go, I might have to wait for a few minutes, if I see someone I recognize I smile.

I’ve done three lots of this as have 8 year age gaps between 3 children. The first was fine as my sister had a child in the same year, the second was also fine because I landed myself in a good group of friends but with the third I found everyone a bit cliquey and I just didn’t fit. My son is very popular in school yet never asked to go round anyone’s house to play because they stuck with their litter group that I wasn’t in. He is now year 7 and never seemed to notice as was invited to parties but has gone to a different school to any of his primary friends.

I hated,hated the school run.
In the morning was fine,it's just my kids came out at 3 different times
So I had to pick them up 3 times
I used to bribe my 2 oldest to collect one of them.
As soon as they where old enough,they walked home themselves.

Tiny and dance monster, I don't know who needs to drive and who doesn't but around where I live, there are lots of people with young kids in cars, driving walkable/cyclable distances. Why do i care about this? Because i prefer less traffic, safer streets and cleaner air, its a big deal for lots of people

I'm an introvert but I loved the school run. It was one of my only chances to see people and chat. We'd often be last on the playground before being kicked out at 4pm.

I enjoy it but then I enjoy the walk chatting to the kids and I like chatting to other parents

@1AngelicFruitCake to an extent it is a privelege. But doing it twice a day five days a week the novelty starts to wear off TBH. By year 5/6 they are no longer happy to see you. Plus the school day is so short by the time you have gotten into whatever you are doing for the day (be it work or whatever) you have to leave again for pickup.

Also many people are introverts and struggle with the social side of parents on the school run. Sadly at our school most of the mums look the other way when you start to make a conversation so I decided to avoid conversation despite trying many times - much easier that way. Dealing with that day in day out in and of itself is stressful for introverts. Not to mention the stressful side of it - bustling kids and parents, noise from kids shouting, nearly being knocked over by a 5 y/o on a scooter every 2 mins.

We all do. But there is a big difference between believing that we should collectively organise our society to make this an easy and preferable option (my view) and believing that individuals are using cars for journeys that they could and should be walking or using bikes, when you have absolutely no idea what their circumstances and have just decided to judge. For all that you’re saying it’s a pleasure to do the school run, it sounds like you’re spending a good part of it judging what other people are doing rather than assuming they are doing their best with the resources they have, which sounds a bit exhausting.

Plus the school day is so short by the time you have gotten into whatever you are doing for the day (be it work or whatever) you have to leave again for pickup

I always think this is the ultimate sign of someone who has got used to having time to themselves! I took a day off work last month when DS1 was in school and DS2 was in nursery and that six hours to myself felt like a pretty luxurious stretch to me... On a Friday it's just me and DS2 at home and it feels like we get plenty of time between the school runs, I don't relate to this 'oh you just drop them off then it's pick-up time' anymore than I understand how the school run can be a major stress in someone's life. Maybe I live in a parallel universe!

I don't mind it, we only live around the corner from the school so I just leave the house at 2.58pm and get there usually as they are coming out of the door! I'll smile and say hello to people but have no interest in stopping to chat or gossip.

The school run is hard. This is how I manage it
Set an alarm for 7am where children have to be awake (don't mind if they come into my bedroom and watch tv)
As parents we decided breakfast in bed on school days because they really struggle otherwise. They're quite good though, no mess even with a bowl of cereal sitting on the edge of the bed. If they wake up later it's just toast or brioche for breakfast as they're quicker to eat.
They get dressed, teeth, hair all done by 8.10.
Then they have 10-20 mins to read or play before we have to leave.
I set another alarm for the time we have to leave.
This works so well for us as a family. They know when that alarm goes off they have to put their toys/ book down, put shoes on if they haven't and get their bag and leave for school
It helps that we live 10min walk to the school though

As Charles Dickens once wrote:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.

I'm relieved that I'm at the other end of it now because, looking back, the school run was an emotional rollercoaster, much more so than I ever expected it to be.

@Hardbackwriter I work, from home. I am also a single parent so have to squeeze cleaning, and all the daily life chores into the day around my working hours and the school run (then I also pick up work again after school along with all the school clubs etc.

I feel you're being a bit judgemental here - I don't get home until 09.30am then at 2.40pm I have to leave again to do it all plus fit in my work, and everything else into that time (I also spend almost 2hrs a day doing the walking to and fro from school). It's hardly a long stretch and goes very quickly in a flash - maybe you weren't busy enough on your day off to notice it go quickly!

Tiny, having opinions about people making unnecesary car journeys is not 'spending a good part' of my journey thinking about it, but if someone elses actions affect my life in a negative way, then yes, I will have an opinion, much like dog shit on the pavement

It's dull and the morning rush is really wearing.

I think you are being over anxious about the afternoons though. Just wait in your car till it's time and mosey on up.

You don't need to chat to other parents if you don't want to. I don't want to - not because I am generally unfriendly but I have enough going on with FT work, I can barely see the friends I have. I just smile and say Hi and the odd one liner. I think there are plenty like me.

Don’t be silly, it’s not like dog shit on the pavement, that is not a good analogy.

We’ve moved to the US and it is a lot easier here with the busses. That said, when I do collect my kids because we have to go somewhere right away (like swimming lessons) then the pick up is done in cars which is really weird and isolating.

We all get into a queue in our cars and arrange ourselves in a big loop. A man walks round asking our kids names (most have signs for their cars with names on) and then our kids get sent out in a line in order of the cars and they hop in the back and off you go.

As a newcomer it would be nice to have a chance to meet people! But you do have to admire the efficiency. It’s not walkable here (all houses are in two acre lots by local law). Some people do collect on foot if they happen to be very close or if they are walking to something nearby like the library or small shopping centre.

Tiny brother, fair enough, you think pollution for kids and dangerous streets are silly - we have very different priorities

Honestly can’t imagine why anyone would enjoy it. I’ve always turned up just on time, dropped them at the door and left as quickly as I could. Never struck up a friendship with fellow parents, cba with the cliques and boring small talk. I get in and get out as quickly as I can.

I've got some really nice mates from the school run

Breakfast club at school.