How do you get little ones to school?

[crazychemist]

If you do both work, how do you do school run?

Was hoping for my DD to start at nursery in September (my lovely mum has looked after her on my working days till now). We've seen several, but the only one that my DH liked (and it is lovely!) doesn't do early mornings.

At first I just thought, ok, it doesn't work. But then I thought that most preschools and schools start at about 9am. How on earth does everyone manage that one?

DH and I are both teachers, so no flexibility on start time.

Breakfast club. Ours starts at 7.40

Childminders or breakfast and after school clubs (wraparound clubs). We've used both. Childminder when in preschool then used wraparound care once both in school.
Mine book out quickly so have to get in early to get places

Breakfast and after school club. 7am start for breakfast club and 6pm for ASC. Not cheap but you're a captive audience. Or a childminder

Childminder for morning drop off and after school club

Could your mum help you with a couple of days after school? Seeing grandparents at pick up/drop off is quite common here. After school club some days? Weekly play date (that you reciprocate) with a good friend or two? Clubs like Brownies and Rainbows and ask other mums for pre-club childcare and you do the later pick up? Any other family or friends that could help? Childminder? Au pair?

I work from home so it's easier for me, I often pick up other children for an hour or two and parents are kind to us in return. I've got newborn twins at the moment and I've been given a lot of respite at weekends by lovely parents taking our dc out with them and giving me more time to rest. I know lots of people aren't so lucky, but it's a thought.

Our school has breakfast club which opens at 7:30, I have also used childminder in past.

I'm lucky to have flexibility about start times now (and work locally), but if I need to be in work early now for one off I have a neighbour I can call on (and I do the same for her if needed)

roasmore that's a very comprehensive list! I might work my way through that.....

I'm trying not to take advantage of my mum, she's been absolutely wonderful, but my dad would like to travel more during term times. She'll still be doing one day a fortnight with my DD and I don't want to ask her to do more right now. No other family nearby. Friends mostly don't have DC yet, or aren't in the area - shame really, a reciprocal arrangement would be perfect, especially as DH and I would love to have other DC with us during school holidays or on our non-working days, but we don't know anyone that needs this.

My neighbor hires students from her local college - pays ten euro an hour, they arrive at 7.30am when the madness is going on and herd / dress / get kids to school. She tries to get nursing students, and it’s worked several years for her....I thought it was wacky when I first heard it, but now i’ve had my own dc, I think i’ll be adopting her approach

Just use a childminder. That's what people around here do.

Breakfast and afterschool club, or a CMer, or a combination of both.
Round here, nearly all the Nurseries do pre- and after school clubs (some only up to 8 yrs, others up to 11) but I think they tend to be the dc who have been at that Nursery before they start.