How do those of you with multiple children tackle the school run?

[Lefmry]

I’ve just had our third 5 weeks a go and my partner has been doing the school runs as I’ve honestly felt a little anxious over it. I did also have a c section so was waiting until feeling healed enough which probably has been about the last 1-2 weeks but the anxiety over it obviously is still there. My partners work are being a little funny now with him for missing 45 minutes of work in the middle of the day (30 minutes of it however is his lunch) and I know it would be easiest for me to start doing it but I don’t know why I’m so anxious over it.

I have a 20 month old and 5 year old. The 5 year old is the one being dropped off and picked up every day so I need to take the other 2 with me. We live a 10-15 minute drive away from the school so have to go in the car. I am just anxious how to navigate getting everybody out the car, dropping 5 year old off etc. feels pointless taking a pram for the two littlest ones as drop off takes literally 1 minute most mornings as we have an arrangement with the school to drop my son off at the reception area as he has ASD. But I’m also aware I can’t exactly leave a 5 week old unattended in the car, I know it’s only 1-2 minutes but I don’t want to risk it.

So my question to parents with multiple children of a similar age, how do you go about the school runs?

I had twins and an older one as a single parent, it can be done but you need to be organised. Have everything packed the night before, No one downstairs unless dressed, uniform layed out the night before, set breakfast (no descion making/changing mind), set times for getting up, breakfast, dressed, brush teeth etc. Feed newborn just before leaving. Basically a very strick routine and expectations.
When you get to school either reins for toddler and sling for baby or pushchair. I used to pop a sling on before leaving house, pop dt1 in when we got to school, dt2 under one arm, which then leaves a free arm for holding older dc, locking car etc. When dt were sitting unaided I found a side sling for one helpful and not as bad on my back.
I did tend to find it just as easy to walk (25 minutes each way).

You need to take a pushchair and train the toddler to walk holding the pushchair. The 5 yo can walk ahead if sensible, if not he can hold the pushchair on the other side.

its a faff using a pushchair for such a short trip but you need to be able to grab the toddler so essential imo? I used to have a hand strap on my pushchair and my son liked to walk holding that.

We are only a 5 min walk away so I just walk my youngest in the buggy. We used to live further away and I would take the tube and she would be in a sling. I think you definitely need to take the youngest dcs with you - a sling would be easier than a pram for the baby, and the 20m old can walk.

As for getting everyone out, i would get pushchair out and set up first. If you are parked on a road, have 5yo on road side and get him next. Then baby out and strapped in. Toddler last as they are most likely to run off!

You need to use the pushchair and build in a few minutes for the faff.

How's your 20 month old at walking? I'd probably put your new baby in a sling/baby carrier strapped to you....and walk in holding the other kids hands.

I always parked at least five minutes walk away when I was at a school where we had to drive as it takes the pressure off.

Leave your house earlier than you think you need to. The school run isn't fun, especially when you can't walk but it just has to be done.

I think this is what I’d do. Park around the corner, plan to arrive 5-10 mins earlier than you need to.

if car seat clips to chassis of pram, use that so no faffing. Have a buggy board or seat for toddler.

or pre-tie sling and home and then throw baby in and have other two hold your hands.

If you’re 10 mins early, I’d either leave in car seats for a min and put some kind of “special car disco” songs on, or get everyone out and walk around with some snacks for eldest two. whichever works best. My 5 year old would love a special car disco before school & a banana before she goes in. Yours might not buy into it n would prefer to run. Likewise, our school is opposite a park the eldest two could run around for 5 minutes. Yours might not be.

Baby in sling and toddler walks. Or leave newborn with Dad as still sleeping a lot at this stage so he can still work.

You definitely can’t leave any of them in the car. Parents at my school have been told off for it. I would have a pushchair for the 20 month old and have the newborn in a sling. 5 year old walks next to pushchair

How far are you actually walking from the car to school? If it’s not much then I would just put a sling on and put the baby in the sling. And I would walk with the 20 month old holding your hand the five-year-old can hold your other hand. That’s if it’s not a long distance and you know the 20 month old will cope. Otherwise, I think a buggy with a buggy board.

Thanks everyone!! I think as the newborns car seat clips to pram I may just take the pram with me for her, toddler is relatively good at holding my hand or staying near by and the walk in to the reception area is very short as we have permission to use staff carpark. My anxiety has been so bad with this baby for some reason, I wish I wasn’t like it but I guess it’s going to take some time! 🥴

I think we still have the sling from when my second was a baby so I may trial this too, soon as I’ve remmeber how to work it again! 😅

@Lefmry there is absolutely nothing to worry about. It’s just getting used to your new normal. You’ll find a set up that works for you and that’s that and then you won’t even remember what you were anxious about.

Sling for baby and toddler and 5 year old on each hand . Or pushchair and both other kids hold onto the buggy handle . It’s all about organisation and making sure they understand what you expect from them .

Three of four days in you'll wonder what you were worried about! It's easy, I promise. It just looks a lot of juggling until you actually do it.

I had to walk. I went for ring sling for baby and pushchair for the toddler as the walk to school in the morning was too time pressured for him to manage with his usual digressions at a snail's pace, and by the time of afternoon pick up he was too tired to reliably walk there and back when we got the eldest without bursting into tears.

Also the pushchair was handy for the lunchbox and book bag and jacket and whatever other detritus the eldest would shed within seconds of coming out of school.

On the occasions we did have a car available, again baby in a sling and then hand-hold with the toddler. I put the baby in the sling BEFORE letting the toddler out of his car seat to reduce bolting for freedom opportunities. It's honestly very easy once you've practiced a few times.

I got snacks and drinks ready before we left to pick eldest up as both children were inevitably at the tired and ratty stage, so that helped stave off several potential upsets.

Congratulations on your new baby!

I know the anxiety feeling too well.

just remember you don’t have to get the “formula” perfect first time. Tell yourself you’re “just trying it out” for a week. You might cock it up a few times to begin with (toddler runs off one day, baby cries from hunger the next, 5 year old late one day etc) but after a week you’ll have totally nailed it and it’ll become automatic.

just accept you won’t nail it that first day, and see how you go. You got this!