Mostly I used to walk my children to school, especially when they were little, when we lived v close, but as they got older we moved further away, and there were times, due to the depression, when I felt too tired to do the walk.
The primary school operated a 'No Parents in the Playground' rule in the morning - teachers on the gate and on duty in the playground, so I would drop the children round the corner from school so they only had to walk to the manned crossing and cross into school. Of course this wouldn't work with younger children, but schools could set up a 'Kiss and Drop' zone so that the traffic would keep moving.
In the afternoons, if I wasn't up to walking, I would set off early on purpose, so that I had time to find a proper parking space within walking distance of the school. If necessary I would take a book with me and sit in the car until school time.
I know this all looks so terrible - lazy mum who would rather spend time sitting in the car than walking to school, but to be honest, the way I was feeling, I did what got me through the day - but rest assured, I felt a failure for doing it.
Incidentally, I did once ask a traffic warden what the rules were, and was told that if I was just dropping someone off - ie. pulling up, them leaping out, then driving off - then I could stop on the double yellows to do that. I don't think I took his advice, though - it didn't sound right to me - does anyone know?