Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

How to make the school run easier?

60 replies

Clumsy12345 · 11/09/2024 12:24

Im really struggling with the school run, my daughter left school two years ago but i still have younger ones at the school. It was fine when she was at the school as they allowed us to leave early (she’s autistic and struggles with noise and crowds) but now she’s left we have to collect at the usual time same as everyone else, the issue with this is the school is a bus ride away and the bus is so busy after school like really bad, my daughter hates it and gets upset and stressed with the crowds and how busy and noisy the bus is she often kicks off over it. I dread every day as I hate doing the pick ups, it was fine when she could leave early as the bus wasn’t busy as it was before the school run and all the rush but now it’s so bad you can’t even move and have to stand between the doors in everyone’s way it’s causing her (and me!) so much anxiety, I even walk down several bus stops to avoid the crowds at the bus stop because lots of mums go to the one by the school with their kids just to go one stop so the bus stop is always heaving so we have to walk a couple of bus stops back but the bus itself is still busy as there is another school before ours. she won’t walk home she refuses to its a huge steep hill which is why none of the other parents walk either (I suspect hyper mobility as people have suggested it to me as she struggles to walk far) there is no way she would walk home. does anyone else have any other advice of suggestions to make it easier? as it’s really making me dread every day I dont want to go out 😭 it’s really depressing me and not sure what else to do how I can make it easier? I’ve thought about every alternative really so I’m just seeing if there is something I’ve not thought about though I doubt it. It doesn’t matter if we miss buses it’s still busy due to the amount of people so missing 1/2 makes no difference we missed 2 yesterday and it was just as bad.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Chaiilatte · 11/09/2024 14:33

Clumsy12345 · 11/09/2024 14:20

Thank you, yes she gets hrc dla but lrm, I do personally believe she is entitled to hrm but I know there is only 2 paths for this which are difficult with autism vuw which wouldn’t apply and SMI which I think she falls into but I need to meet every point on the flow chart and as she is home educated I can’t evident every point. I don’t want to mess around with her award as she was only awarded hrc this year after only ever getting mrc since she was 5 so was surprised to be given hrc as I didn’t have any proof of nighttime needs even though she does have them I only sent a copy of her ehcp.

Oh that makes sense. I understand where you are coming from as I am the same not wanting to challenge the LRM even though he meets the criteria for high, as they do tend to scare you saying they will renew the whole claim again and you may end up with a lower care element too. Have you got a carers centre local, where you can be allocated your own advisor and see if they have any advise to offer? They are quite good with informing you with everything you're entitled to.

Clumsy12345 · 11/09/2024 14:37

notanothernamechange24 · 11/09/2024 14:18

How far is the walk? What about getting a second hand mobility scooter for your eldest? Would she be capable of riding on one? That way she doesn't have to walk far but avoids the bus?

That’s such a good idea this is the kind of thing I was thinking about when I asked if anyone has any ideas I hadn’t thought of! Unfortunately she is only 13 but I had no idea you could ride them at 14! Not sure I would trust her because of the hill but that is definitely something I am going to look into for the future outside of the school run thank you as taking her out in general is a nightmare.

OP posts:
Just4thisthreadtoday · 11/09/2024 14:43

Clumsy12345 · 11/09/2024 13:47

Takes around an hour

So, you live on a housing estate & you don't have much cash, there must be some who would be happy to swap sitting with DD each school afternoon or going to fetch your younger two in return for some babysitting/gardening/clearing or whatever you can offer.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Talipesmum · 11/09/2024 14:53

Procrastinates · 11/09/2024 13:48

Why wouldn't a parent collect every day, my mum used to take another child home and drop them off to school most days when I was a kid. If they are going that way anyway it really isn't any extra work for them?

I think you've sadly got it into your head that no idea will work so you're just saying no to everything. Sometimes if you ask for help you'd be surprised at how many people will happily offer.

This isn’t fair - it’s a very hard situation and no, most other school parents would not be ok with committing to shepherd two primary aged children on a nightmare busy bus journey every single day. One off perhaps yes, but not everyone has very close friends that they could ask to do this. Absolutely there would be people thinking she was v cheeky for asking. As a one off or occasional, yes ask, but you can’t just ask people you don’t know well for this sort of favour now.

Clumsy12345 · 11/09/2024 15:48

Talipesmum · 11/09/2024 14:53

This isn’t fair - it’s a very hard situation and no, most other school parents would not be ok with committing to shepherd two primary aged children on a nightmare busy bus journey every single day. One off perhaps yes, but not everyone has very close friends that they could ask to do this. Absolutely there would be people thinking she was v cheeky for asking. As a one off or occasional, yes ask, but you can’t just ask people you don’t know well for this sort of favour now.

Thank you that’s what I mean. It’s massively cheeky as a one off of course not a problem to ask but every day. I cant believe anyone thinks that’s a reasonable ask.

OP posts:
Singleandproud · 11/09/2024 15:51

What has the school family liaison suggested? That is what their job entails, working with families to solve issues like this.

FrostFlowers2025 · 11/09/2024 19:04

Clumsy12345 · 11/09/2024 12:34

Can’t use a scooter as it’s up hill and she won’t ride it up nor a bike no one does because of how steep it is most people I’ve seen come off and wheel the bikes up. She is too big for a trike as she’s a teen I wouldn’t be able to push her up it. Park is not an option as there is only one small one and it’s again packed after school, we tried yesterday hoping it would be empty as it was raining but nope it was packed so she wanted to leave after 5 minutes.

What about an electric bike? She still has to peddle, but it has an electric motor to significantly reduce the resistance. Should make it a lot easier to go up hill. They are not cheap, I am afraid, but if you can safe up for it would be well worth the investment.

notanothernamechange24 · 11/09/2024 21:41

@Clumsy12345 most mobility scooters are limited to 4mph so she won't end up going too fast downhill! You can also change the limiter on it to reduce it further so she should be ok.

I bought one second hand a few years ago when I was ill for about £200.
I'm not aware of there being any age restrictions on them either so she should be ok especially if you're with her.

Avie29 · 11/09/2024 22:04

Hi, if she can get hrm you can actually get a mobility scooter from them, look into school transport, my son 9 goes to a special school in another city (closest special school to us unfortunately) transport pick him up everyday from our house and drop him home, he has been doing this since he was 5 by himself and it takes just over an hour on the bus.
is DD homeschooled due to no schools able to take her in your area? As you could send her to another school and apply for school transport for her? That way you could do the school run and be back home with younger 2 before she gets back on bus. xx

Clumsy12345 · 11/09/2024 22:42

No shes is at home because they said she was fine in mainstream and I wasn’t sending her to a mainstream so I kept her at home that won’t be changing unfortunately as she can’t cope in mainstream. She gets lrm I will look into a mobility scooter thanks to those that suggest it I think that will be the best option

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread