First child at school, wow

[dinoice]

So, we are now on day six, and I have to confess I am exhausted, never mind my child.

I am in absolute awe of how anyone manages this, plus works full time and manages to look like anything other than a person who has been dragged backwards through a hedge.

I try and be organised, I am organised, but wow.

I need to get four of them up, dressed and fed and out by 8am. Pre school we left at 830 anyway, but under no pressure to do so.

Now, absolutely certain someone will poo at 7.59.

Twenty minute drive, eldest taken in, she's managing well. Either leave other three in car or wrestle them all out and down and back.

Off to do chores, or work three mornings, with those three, play based job.

Back home, lunch, naps. That's now chaos, move nap half an hour earlier, absolutely bloody horrific. Chaos.

Leave 2.30 with three screaming children to collect for 3 (see morning point about being late).

Home 330ish, start on tea, empty bag, paperwork to fill in, snacks to sort for everyone tomorrow, water bottles, new clothes, gym kits whatever.

Tea, bath, homework. This is causing issues, everyone wants to do homework, so I have a two year old, three year old, four year old and the actual child at school doing the same homework.

Fall into bed and start again, plus the numerous wake ups, dogs to walk, everything else I've forgotten. Oh yes, I work admin in the evenings three nights.

Scared to look at the PTA stuff, house is a tip, why did I get white polo shirts.

Is it nearly the holidays!!!

But then you might meet @SmellyNelliey with her four young children and two dogs on one of those roads with no pavements so no bloomin way am I going to be going at 50 or 60mph on rural roads during the school community time

Commute

each to their own though. If it was 60mph limit you wouldn’t be breaking the law. Just not something I’d ever do on rural roads especially those times of day

I totally used to take my daughter to school with the younger two in pjs! It’s easier in the cold or wet weather as you can stick a puddle suit on them and nobody knows. I only had three at the time though (4 now, but bigger age gap with the 4th).

Oh yes, let’s move to suburbia so we don’t have to walk 🙄

6 miles is hard OP but we’ve done that and combined with dogs too but hats off to you. Your children will have a love of the outdoors and appreciate the seasons. Better than sitting in front of the TV

Oh come on. dont be daft!

Enormously hard and I have less and we both work full time.

You do get into a swing with it. Ignore the millions of WhatsApp messages - parents will loose enthusiasm over the next few months.

Never. Ever. Allow packed lunches, they are the devils work. Make sure laundry done, get the younger ones in PJs in the car etc etc.

Sometimes I wake up at 5 to have half an hour on my own to set breakfast. I’m also annoying about making sure costs/bags/shoes are all lined up by the door.

We live rurally, our children walk all the time. They have all been to forest school nurseries and have more wet weather gear than Blacks. Like us I’m sure the OP is geared up for it (I’m fortunate enough to drive) and the children will know no different.

Im sure the OP knows how to walk with their children safely and I’m sure their quality of life will not suffer from being made to walk.

I can’t believe the journeys some of you are doing.

I don’t know how you are going to sustain that for a whole year op with four little ones. Can’t say if it will get easier or harder tbh.

I was so lucky that I literally lived across the road from dc’s primary school. No walk or long commute or car park wars.

Funnily enough I lived directly opposite my primary school (different one) as a child too!

I was talking to the poster who has 4 young children and 2 dogs and walks 3 miles to school on rural roads and fields to drop them and 3 miles after school.

these children are young. And to do 3 miles on an icy feb morning when your are 6, and then 3 miles after a long day at school in pissing rain…. Day in and day out during winter.

and that compares to your situation?

and you compare @SmellyNelliey situation to “forest school” 😂

You didn’t even bother to read the Op. she lives 10 miles away from the school. Doesn’t walk

i suppose your children that went to forest school would happily walk 10 miles to school and 10 miles back 😂

Speaking of school transport, OP, due to your distance from the school, you could also apply for that if it's your closest school. I understand you may not want to, but it might make your life easier, especially with naps?

When I was a SAHM with eldest at school and littlies to take as well, I bought soft tracksuits for the kids and me instead of PJs- we would sleep in them, do the school run and then get ready for the day after the school run. No one ever knew and reduced the stress immeasurably!

I’m with you OP. I only have three DC and they are more spaced out but it’s meant that for years I did the school run with a baby with me, then some more years with a toddler, then did two school runs to different schools because for a long time I’ve had one at primary one at secondary and one at home. And more than one school means double the emails and open evenings and all the rest, and the faffing around is endless.

Ive figured out I’ve now been doing the school run for 14 years and Im not done yet. You get less for murder. It is literally this that put me off having more DC, that and the twenty minute routine the primary imposes on the parents to do at the start of each day in the infants. And the rule that you can’t leave any DC outside the infant classrooms, but bringing them in is also frowned upon and totally chaotic.

The sheer amount of parental input required at primary is astonishing. Having a child at primary school takes about 2 hours out of my day every school day if it’s averaged out. It is not your fault you feel this way, it is crackers. Secondary is better here but not always by a lot and it’s ridiculous in exam season/when they get detentions or clubs after school.

Know that you aren’t alone with this!

Woah just trying to catch up but @SmellyNelliey we need to try and help. Not compare. That’s way harder. And out of catchment transport Scotland can be a nightmare.

I will get onto looking at that.

I really just wanted to vent about the situation and the sheer amount of involvement I am needed for.

not meant to be a grumpy thread. I now have four new apps. And multiple emails I need to check. And one child has a fever. Super.

You do realise a lot of rural roads are National speed limit?

Sorry OP I was just explaining I understand how hard you've gotten it then was jumped on so felt like i had to explain, I'm sorry

Not sure what you were expecting with four children under/up to primary age?!

I guess you'll get used to it.

This all is a surprise to you?

IKR?

National speed limit means a suitable speed for the area/conditions. Not that you can do 60 mph whenever you feel like it.

I'm feeling so smug sitting here with my last child out of primary and onto high school in September...

OP it gets easier, you will get the hang of it. Hang in there!

@Qbishy from a purely technical perspective, you're wrong. On a single carriageway national speed limit road you absolutely can drive at 60mph whenever you feel like it and be perfectly within the law.

No. Only if the driving conditions are suitable. It's in the actual Highway Code!

@SmellyNelliey don't apologise to me, I'm sorry you got jumped on.

I will look at disability transport for you.

Yes, this is a surprise to me! The sheer amount of stuff I now have to do.