Is it unreasonable to let my five-year-old walk in school alone?

[DinoNuggetsRUs]

Just wanting some opinions as I got a really dirty look this morning and one of my 5 year olds school friends parents was clearly whispering to another parent about what I’d done.
So I park pretty much right outside the school gates, and my 5 year olds classroom is in view of the gates. The door is around 7foot away from them.
I have a very spicy almost 2 year old who screams and fights bloody murder when I carry him to drop 5 year old at his classroom door. Kicking and screaming. So I have to get the pram out of the car, put him in it to restrain him, walk 12 foot to his classroom, then back to the car with a screaming toddler. So the past two days, I’ve been getting out of the car, leaving 1 year old in the car, standing next to it and watching my 5 year walk to his classroom door. He walks about 5 foot from my car to the gate, which has fences blocking it from the road and then around 7 foot to his classroom door and I can see him the whole way through the railings. Honestly is this neglectful? He’s completely happy doing it but now I’m second guessing whether he’s too young?

I see your difficulty. My children's school was nearer. Made life easy. Hope you work it out.

Totally fine

Trust your own judgement on what’s right for your kids, not the judgy mums

That was my first thought.

So there is a parking space (which is always available on a busy school run), a pavement, a highly secured gate, another pavement/playground and a school within a space that’s shorter in length than my sofa?

yeah, sure.

At my son’s school you have to walk them in/stay with them until they go in to their classroom. Only year 6 are allowed to be “dropped and left”
Is that the unsaid rule that maybe the other parents think you’re breaking?

I think I’d leave the toddler in the car if it’s genuinely only a few feet away (though I find that very hard to believe). Is your child ok with being the only one whose mummy doesn’t take them to the classroom door?

There’s generally the yellow zig zags right in front of the school gates. Usually accompanied by a prominent sign saying ‘no stopping/parking’. If I was stood there and saw you ignoring the no parking sign, then I would be glaring at you. The parking restrictions are there for the safety of the children.

@DinoNuggetsRUs The UK has adopted this really weird American-style attitude towards parenting in which parents think they need to be constantly watching and constantly with their child at all times, or else they are a very bad and neglectful parent.

It is so weird and I can't make sense of it, and the really strange thing is that everyone remembers being a child and everyone remembers routinely wandering away from our parents.

Yes, you're supposed to keep that area clear so all children can be seen - this is why everyone should be made to take the theory test! Find somewhere else to park.

You can tell what time everyone starts on the wine cause the replies get meaner and no one reads the thread. 🤣
Anyway, stepping away now, as I think I have my answer, and I’m off to bed before said villain one year old wakes me up multiple times in the next 10 hours.
Thankyou all for the reassurance, I’m glad I’m just a bad driver rather than a bad mother!

If your happy your child is happy and school accept it. It's no ones buisness

Don't worry about them! Keep doing what works for you and your sanity!

Just curious how are you parking right outside the school gates/railings?
Surely this is all zig zag double yellow lines ?

Not me, but DDs friend is always dropped off outside of the school gates, they're in juniors now. DDs friend always tags in with us or another parent so at least she's going in with an adult. Do you know any of the parents? I think it's essentially fine what you're doing though, if you can see him the entire time.

Personally I think you are being unreasonable.

He is 5, he should eb supervised.

Parent your toddler and Discipline the shitty behaviour.

At my kids school we call this a drop and run. Everyone does it, no matter the year. We stop by the gate, kid jumps out, walks through the gate and into the second gate where there are teachers waiting. They take the kids to the class parents drive off, next car stops etc etc.
totally normal. No reason you have to walk child to the classroom door, especially with a 2 year old.

Don't be ridiculous, she's only there for a minute or so.

If youre leaving your engine running it could be that? Not saying you are, just a possibility! Its my pet hate, especially around schools.

You deserve a medal!

There is nothing in the OP about why the toddler can't walk that distance (although she has now clarified in another post). She only talks about how the toddler behaves while being carried. I'm not sure why you are finding that so hard to grasp.

Totally fine.

In Canada parents or caregivers wait at the bus stop with the kids. 5-year-olds get on the school bus, and then get dropped outside the door of the school and walk in with all the other kids from the bus. Even on their first day of school.

I think it's just England. I'm in Scotland and no one would bat an eye at a five year old walking into school by themself. At my kids' school the youngest kids start 15 minutes later than the older ones. Those with older siblings usually get dropped off early and just play in the playground until they get let into their classroom. They certainly don't need to be handed to a teacher at the classroom door.

I don’t understand why you have an almost 2 year old who is screaming so much? Over what?

Have you ever met a toddler? 😂

I feel like there is probably a reason those parking spaces are usually free even when you’re cutting it fine, near us all the closest spaces to the school get full first? You’re probably not allowed to park there. No issues in principle but I guess the teacher doesn’t know you’ve watched them walk in, they just see a 5yo walk in unaccompanied and may think they’ve walked to school themselves which may be against school rules,