Pick-ups from after school clubs for one child, when the other needs to be picked up at normal school home time!

[onthepier]

I'm just curious as to what other mums do in this situation.

Basically, I have a 10 year old who does 2 or 3 after school activities a week, needing to be picked up from school around 4.15/4.30 pm, however her younger brother aged 5 needs picking up at 3.15 from school.

I do find that once I'm home with him, (takes around 15 mins. from school to home), there's barely 20 mins. before I have to turn around +_come back again! There is a park very near the school which is fine to hang around in in the summer, but not this weather!

There is a friend I take turns with for one of the groups, dropping off each other's children which works well, but it's a pain on the other days! There's hardly time to go home in between, but if we wait up at the school in reception that's almost an hour, + even if I take toys + a snack for my son he's so restless at that time of day!

The school is out-of-town, so it's not near a coffee shop or anything like that, I'm just interested in what others do.

it's tricky

playdates for the younger work well, so you do one pick-up trip for both DCs

can you take younger one anywhere else? I found a drop-in trampolining session at the local leisure centre which DS could go to while DD was in her club.

or could your DS go to after-school club, if there is one?

WE have a similar problem twice a week.
Sometimes we go to the pet shop to pass the half hour.
Or a friend picks up dd2 and I pick up dd1 and friend's daughter,

I have this situation every day of the week. 3 dc's and between them there's an after school club each day, but on no day do all three go - aghh. The trick is to do a swap with another Mum if there's nowhere nearby to go.

Thanks, I've booked my ds into two after school clubs + should get start dates through next week, (one of which I hope will coincide with dd's clubs)!

I will try to organise another swap, + at least when the spring comes we can easily pass the half hour at the park!

it is awful, i have memories of dragging protesting younger dc's away from scooby doo!

i then started to walk home thereby leaving even less time at home, and no time for tv

or keep a closer eye on the after school clubs, and at this time of year, put your foot down and limit them.
it is beyond a joke.

When they were younger we would share lifts with mates, so you didn't have to do the pick-ups every day, but share them out.

When they were older they could walk home on their own

I go home, hang about for 20 minutes or so and then go back.