Arrrghh - school pick up is so stressful - anyone else?

[Dancergirl]

Lately I've found school pick up to be so stressful by the time we come home I'm in a foul mood.

Dd3 (3.5) is usually tired by this time after nursery and often plays up/has a tantrum so that's the first thing. Dd2 (7.5) often comes out of school grumpy/in a bad mood. Thank goodness for dd1!

It doesn't help that at the moment they are doing building work at the school so instead of the 2 usual exits, everyone has to use the same narrow path to get out. No-one's fault, it's just how it is at the moment but it doesn't help. Dds 1 and 2 obviously both want my attention and to talk to me, I can barely hear them with the din of other children/mums talking/shouting etc. In the meantime I'm trying to control dd3.

Had a particularly bad day today with it all and by the time we came home, I was v shouty and the children were walking on eggshells around ME!

Is this just me?

No, not just you. I have very rarely found it anything other than stressful - grumpy children, tantrums when they were younger, endless request for friends to come round, noise, chaos. It was particularly bad when DS2 was a toddler - he would be at his most tantrummy at pick-up time.

I think part of the problem is that you are looking forward to seeing your DCs and the reality is a bit of a disappointment.

Biscuits help - they are often v hungry after school. And deep breaths

I find that turning up very slightly late helps

Take a little snack box for each child, with a small treat in it. Give it to them as soon as practically possible.

When you get in the door, put some soothing music on. It does work!

here it makes no difference turning up slightly late. ds is like a wild aninmal as he shoots out of the classroom, dumps stuff and disappears onto field. He is cross and grumpy and has screamed at me two evenings in a row. I have ear ache and head ache. I cant wait til bedtime.

It's definetly not just you.

I could have written this last year!
I found a snack for all children helped.
Is ds old enough to meet dd and then meet you at the school gate,?
We arranged this and now dd2 who is nine meets me at the car which I park at a friends very close to school.
Dd1 is now at high school.

I always take a snack, helps a lot. Keeps their mouths busy so they can't shout at each other.

YAVBU, but what you've described sounds like an easy pick up to me.

Not having the pushchair in the car, and two sleeping toddlers in the car, and no parking within 1/4 mile of the school...only to have your eldest child "retained" by the school to make sure you go in and discuss the fact that he has not "behavied apropriately" is what I call stressfull.

The only thing I find stressful are the numpties who think it is any way acceptable to park not only on yellow lines but also blocking half the pavement near the school.

I find it stressful when the kids run off in two different directions
that's why my four yr old is usually still in her pushchair