School Run Suggestions?!

[FraggleRock77]

DS 4 and new unexpected DS 10 weeks! I undertook the school run today for the first time, which took me 2 1/2 hours in total across the two runs and our baby spent this time in the car. It takes this long due to traffic and it's 25 mins away from our home. We love the school and for many reasons don't want to move and don't want to buy closer as the local areas aren't great. Just not sure i can commit our baby to this for four years. My husband and i split some days and my mum helps but a lot of the runs will solely fall to me. Stick with it? Any suggestions? Advertise for a helper? Did it work for anyone else?x

Would it be quicker to walk?

Not sure if you're joking?! It's 7 miles away x

Closer school?

Sorry 12 miles x

Leave earlier?

I don't understand. It's 25 mins but took you 2 1/2 hours? Do you spend ages in the playground? Seems a lot of extra time to me.

Just use the time for baby to nap, sing songs, watch the world go by. I really don't think it's a problem as long as he has plenty of movement in between. It's only really an hour morning and afternoon, don't beat yourself up about that at all.

If you don’t want to move schools or house don’t really see what you can do. You chose a school that far away so you ll have to stick with it.

She means 25 minutes, plus 10minutes dropping off, then 25 minutes back home. And same again in the afternoon

As you don’t want to move house or School I am not sure what type of suggestions you want?

I'd you don't want to change schools or move I can't see a solution.

So it's about 35 minutes each way? (2.5 hours for 2 runs there and back)? Would it make sense even a couple of days a week to find something to do near the school - grocery shopping, activities with baby when they are a little older, that sort of thing. So that you are only going out and coming back once a day?

Is there someone else who lives near you that you could lift share with at least for a while - they do the morning, you do the afternoon?

I'm sure you possibly could look into a babysitter to cover the afternoon run so that baby doesn't come with you. Or is there a childminder in your area who would be able to add your older child to their school run, even just one way?

Does the school run a bus service? TBH it doesn't really seem that long to me but you could hire a driver. My husband had one for a while as a child and it was fine. I'm not sure I could do it though, putting my children i a car with a stranger is just too scary for me.

Could pick a school closer but wouldn't be right for DS. Trying to do the best thing for him. Does anyone else do this sort of run? Once new baby is 4 and at the same school I'm guessing i won't worry so much.x

Are there any alternative routes you could try? Would parking a bit further away and then walking/scooting actually be quicker than sitting in traffic? If you leave earlier is the traffic better or worse - I find there's a particular time in the morning where if I leave before it then the traffic isn't as heavy yet.

Is there a breakfast club or after school u could use? As dropping off/picking up outside peek times is often quicker.

We walk and it takes me around an hour there and back with waiting time in between for them to go in.

Not sure there is much you can do if yoi won't move or move him schools.

Either you hire a babysitter to stay with DC2 whilst you ferry DC1.

Or you hire an after-school nanny to ferry DC1.

And keep looking for a house that is nearer. It can't all be dire.

Thank you for the helpful suggestions. I'm fully aware that we have dug our own hole and we're looking up from the bottom! I've thought about driver, bb sitter etc but i want to be the one dropping off and collecting our DS. I don't think there's an easy solution other than get on with it. Just wanted to hear that someone else does/did the same and it worked out x

Even when baby starts 2 hours in the car every day is an awful lot of time. 40 hours a montht in the car 🤔

Yes school buses start from age 8, so not that long!!!

It's not all dire. I'm lucky to have a choice.x

I did 24 miles each way, twice a day school run from foundation to year 6. Not going to lie I was pleased when it was over, it also cost £50 a week in fuel but we got used to it and ended up enjoying it as it was our time to chat about the day.

Use the time to learn! Audio books or a new language or discovering music that you don't know?

Will your DS1 go to a senior school in the same direction? Because if not you need to think about logistics of DC2 being at that school for only a couple of years at the same time as DC1, and 2 school runs.