How important to you is the school run?

[LetsPlayBamboozled]

DD is 21 months. We don't have family nearby so she has barely been left with grandparents for a couple of hours. I find it hard to imagine her going to nursery. But we are surviving in London on one salary whilst I am a SAHP so soon I will need to work. I feel like doing the school run will be important to me. However, having not left DD with anyone I think this could be clouding my judgement (can't imagine a childminder/nanny etc doing it)

I need to think about what kind of job to get. I am looking at supermarkets hoping I can be flexible for school hours. But maybe the school run is essentially a nightmare of chasing to be somewhere on time and actually it's silly to base a career decision around it?? I just wondered how other SAHP's feel about it? Hope that makes sense!

I do 2 days drop off/pick up, DH dors one and wraparound care for 2 days.

I like my 2 days but its enough!

I suppose because my job is stressful and I don't always enjoy it, it's nice to talk about name always and homework for a change! Plus when they are older and more independent, they won't really want to hang out and chat with their mums!

'name always'? Bake sales! I swear my predictive text is getting dinner by the day.

I quite liked the school run when DD1 was 4/5 in Reception and Y1, we'd chat in the playground and on the way home.

When she went to Y2 parents were no longer allowed in the playground and just dropped at the gate and in they went.

I wouldn't base my career around a five min chat in the car just to wave them off at the gate, have that chat in the morning on the way to the childminder and catch up on how their day was during dinner, bath etc.

When DD first went to Nursery and Reception I did the school run and enjoyed being able to get to know the other children and taking part in the Stay and Play and story cafe sessions. I worked 10-2 in an admin roll in a near by Sixth Form.

I changed employer this year and work 8:30-4 so my parents do the school run and pick ups are done by a miture of my parents, her dad and an after school club. It's nice in someways, you don't get pulled in the playground politics etc but there are practical elements which have been quite an adjustment like the teacher didn't hand out DDs birthday invites which I could have done if I'd been there, passing on messages, homework or lunch menus not being handed in despite being in her bag etc. However, I'm far less rushed in the morning and DD enjoys seeing her grandparents. Next year I will probably use a breakfast club some mornings so I can do the drop off and not have to rely on email quite so much.

People enjoy the school run? It's my idea of hell.
I purposefully avoid it.

I hate the school run! But like doing it once or twice a week to keep in touch with what's going on and to make connections to the other parents. i wouldn't make work decisions based purely on doing it

I am missing the school run and meeting other parents, having a chat in playground and sometimes coffee mornings.
I think sahp tend to enjoy it more as they have more time than working parents who need to dash off or at pick up are last minute.
I based not working on this decision as wanted to be with them before and after school.

Just an update as I have been offered a job! Weekend hours and one weekday evening. We are a while off from dd starting school but perhaps if more hours available once she's older I will consider doing some of the school run but not all? Or maybe stick with more evenings and be ships in the night with dp like some of you. Thank you all for your replies, it's been massively interesting to hear all your opinions.