Three school runs and so so fed up : ((

[Timetogetserious]

I'm so fed up tonight. I have five children. Three are at different schools all over town. I am managing in the morning because one of the schools lets me use the school grounds to park and drop off. It's hard work but it works.

But the evening is a disaster. First I have to drive to the infants. Put baby in sling and walk toddler 5 minutes to the school. Then 5 minutes back to the car. Then all back in and off to second school. Park up, baby back in sling, wake up toddler who has now fallen asleep and has a tantrum. Walk to second school for second child. Back to the car with screaming toddler and often crying baby by now. All back in car. Drive 5 minutes home and drop off eldest because she can't fit in the car. Back in and drive 10 minutes to pick up eldest at third school. By this time youngest children are usually grumpy. The reason I am so fed up is that the school have been lovely to let me park in the grounds in the morning. It helps enormously as I don't have to get the little ones out of the car. But tonight with the two youngest fast asleep I buzzed and asked if I could do the same as in the morning. They said only today but I will have to always park 5 minutes away in future. They said lots of parents have children at different schools. I do understand that but three schools with five children including a baby and toddler. And having to park up twice and wake them up? If I could park up in the school in the afternoon they could carry on sleeping.

I have only just put my daughter in the third school this week after a school appeal failed. But I just don't think I can do this every day. My kids are crying too much and I am frazzled. Am I being unreasonable to think they might allow me to park in the grounds. All my children are sitting at home as I write crying from it all. I think I am going to take her out tomorrow.

[simpson]

Are your kids on waiting lists to all be together?

Agree with getting another parent to pick your child up and bring them to the car so you can keep the little ones in the car.

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

Can't you get a buggy with a buggy board?

Clip baby in carseat onto wheels, toddler goes on buggy board so he is awake but doesn't have to walk while ultra grumpy.

[MaryWestmacott]

I assume you've got all 3 on the wait lists for the other 2 siblings schools (hopefully one of the three would get a place for one of your other dcs taking it down to 2 school runs. There's usually movement over the summer as people move house before the next school year starts. With a sibling in the school already, your other dcs should be top of the wait lists for places

Agree if you can clip the baby car seat into a buggy frame with a buggy board on it, that would help.

[BridgeOfWhys]

Albaba. That was exactly what I was going to write. Or even a cheap double pushchair for car seat and toddler. Infact, that would solve the tired legs and little baby problem completely.

[Timetogetserious]

It's ok. Decision made. I'm taking her out. I'm not taking her in tomorrow. Feeling calmer. I can't do it. Tried four days and I've drowned already. I'll teach her at home and try and make her happy. Thanks for all the posts though. Appreciated.

[liger]

Can you get a mothers help? It's exam season so there are bound to be students around who are revising but are fairly flexible with their time? You could either ask them to go and pick up the eldest one or stay at home with the youngest - or a combination that works best?

[BridgeOfWhys]

But you will still be trapsing around schools with toddlers and baby?

[Rosa]

Can you pay somebody to stay with the 2 small ones whilst you go and collect the elder ones?....just an idea ..and re appeal Good luck sounds very hard

[Timetogetserious]

I posted before I saw all the extra helpful, lovely posts. Feeling ungrateful now. Sorry. Just tired. The pram idea could work. Possibly. I'll sleep on it. Can't ask another parent as the school is empty by the time I get there (20 mins late). That's why I feel slightly peeved that I have to park in an empty street, wake up the children and walk into an empty car park which they allow for exceptional circumstances anyway. Perhaps I'm just feeling cross because I haven't got my own way : )). But it really is hard. Takes me 1 and a half hours and the schools are each only 5 mins drive away from the house. Just in different directions. And I have I keep parking up and walking with the little ones.

[gilliangoof]

What putting the sleepy 3 yr old in a buggy or even the pair of them in a double buggy. It wouldn't solve everything but would stop the tantruming and allow you to walk quickly. The whole situation sounds terrible though. Have you your name down on the waiting lists of all the schools in case a place becomes available?

[frillysockmum]

I would look at car seat with buggy frame for 4 week old and buggy board defo. However I really think advertising for a baby sitter 8.30-9.30 am and 3-4 pm is worth serious consideration. Hopefully if at least 2 can be in the same school at some point that would be easier. Don't forget that lots of CM with school age kids also do the school run, with extra kids. At least them you could drop earlier or pick up later? One of if the mums in my dd class is a CM and walks several of them to school.

[MaryWestmacott]

Well, is there a mum who might want a little extra cash and would walk your DC back to their house, then you swing by after picking up the others, be able to park outside their house and them bring the DC they have to your car? That's not making them wait, you'd just drive to their house rather than to the school.

Is there any finances for a mothers help to pick up one of the DC and bring to your house? Or to look after the younger ones while you dash about collecting all the older ones?

Is it likely that the school the 4 year old is in would get places for either of the older DCs? If you can get 2 in the same school that should ease things a little, unless you really want to home school, I wouldn't give up the place. Are you sure you will be able to home school with two younger DCs at home wanting/needing your attention?

[SquidgyMummy]

I think you should speak to the school again about parking in the empty car park. They are BU and it is only going to be for a term

[imip]

Ah, I hear you... Mine's not that bad, but I have 4 dcs 7 and under. They are all at different schools/nurserys at different drop-off/pickup times, as dc3 is at a private nursery, I just deliver her late. Nothing I can do about it, but it still leaves me feeling bad for her and that I am letting her down.

I also have a daily mid-day run. It's overwhelmingly difficult doing it all, and you must really be struggling with a newborn. I'd second a suggestion upthread about trying a bike trailer. I don't have one, but it would make my life easier if I did. My 2 yo kicks off when she is tired and needs a nap.

Can you consider breakfast club for one of the dcs as a short-term stop gap? Or an after school club. At least a couple of days a week. Can you rope dh into a drop off or two?

It takes a while for a new routine to settle. I have no doubt that it is a very shit school run, but made harder by just starting it, having a new born and I really get how hard it is as yours are all the same ages as mine. (I'd love a newborn by the way, but sadly we are finished )

hopefully some suggestions here will help...and congratulations!

[AlpacaLypse]

MaryWestmacott has expressed the idea that I'd thought of.

I appreciate you've not had a chance to build up any relationships with other parents at these schools yet and finding the right other parent will be hard.

The other possibility is after school clubs for at least one of them.

Sounds like a horrible situation and I'm not surprised you're hitting the end of your tether.

[Meglet]

I'm the biggest bitch going when it comes to parents parking asclosetotheschoolgateaspossible, I @yplac them on twitter all the time. But in your case I think you should be parking on site to take the pressure off. Although it would lead to loads of narky ones kicking off.

[hotcrosshunny]

I would get a decent double like a Phil and Teds. Baby in sling, next two youngest go in the double while you get the others.

[Sigyn]

Is there a school that would take all three of yours, but further away? So you had one single drive?

I also agree with talking to the LEA and seeing what they can come up with. Not sure what years your kids are in but juniors and above there is more wiggle room.

[AmberTheCat]

That sounds horrendous, OP! I feel stressed just reading your posts.

I think you need someone else to help - whether that's sharing with other parents (though appreciate it could be difficult to reciprocate if you can't fit more kids in the car), using after school clubs if they exist, or finding a childminder or someone else you can pay to pick up one or more of them (I'm assuming you don't have a partner who can help, as you haven't mentioned that). Even if the school did let you park on site, it would still be a pretty terrible school run, and I'm not sure it's sustainable foe one person to do it.

[EugenesAxe]

It might be worth asking around local mums to see if they know CMs that would take a nominal fee to manage two of the pickups for you.

How do you homeschool with a baby and toddler? That must be tough and I'm impressed you've managed it already. I really hope you can get them in one school soon.

[EugenesAxe]

Sorry there were many minutes between me starting and ending my post.

[DeWee]

I have 3 dc, all at different schools (infant, 10 minutes walk away; juniors 40-50 minute walk away; senior 10-15 minute drive away in the opposite direction).
You manage it by favour swapping. You take my dd1, I fetch your dc home. You take dd2, I'll take your dc to and from the activity they do together (she walks back on her own), you fetch ds home, I take your dc...

The school isn't being unreasonable. I know the infants gave one parent permission to park in the grounds when her dd had a broken leg. By the time the week was up they had between 8 and a dozen every morning and evening parking and saying "but she's doing it" when asked to move.

[QuiteQuietly]

Have you tried walking it? If it's a 5 minute drive, it may be quicker to walk than load and unload small people.

School transport? If you don't qualify for free, some councils let you buy a space on a bus/taxi already travelling.

[Blueblackdye]

OP, I know what you mean, I experience this every day and I have only 2 children but there is a very steep hill to go up and down with pushchair and sometimes uncooperative 5 yo. DC2 naps from 12.30 to 2.30 on a good day, if not it is 3.30pm. Of course, when it happens I would be late to pick up DC1 as school finishes at 3.15 and it takes me 30min to get there with a pushchair.
I am thinking mother's help or babysitter. I have a Mum who picks up DC1 atm when I am stuck but I can't reprocicate and feel very very very bad.