Talk to Allianz about school run stress and you could win a £250 John Lewis voucher NOW CLOSED

[AngelieMumsnet]

The team at Allianz would like to hear about Mumsnetters' experiences with school run stress,

Here's what Allianz have to say: "The school run is an important component of every day family life and we are keen to help families across the UK make the process as enjoyable as possible."

So, which factors cause the highest stress levels on the school run? Maybe it starts with getting everyone out of bed on time? Or perhaps it's getting everyone out of the house on time?
Do you have any tips for making the school run a smoother and less stressful experience? If a stressful school run is unavoidable, how does it affect the rest of your day?

Whatever your experiences of school run stress, Allianz would love to hear about it.

Everyone who posts on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will receive a £250 John Lewis voucher.

Please note your comments may be included on Allianz's social media channels, and possibly elsewhere, so please only post if you're comfortable with this.

Thanks and good luck,
MNHQ

We reduced school run stress by (a) Having everything that it was possible to get ready the night before prepared, (b) Keeping mealtimes and bedtimes at weekends and at half term the same as term time to avoid upsets in getting back into the routine, (3) Trying to ensure there was some "slack time" in the morning to allow for unexpected spills, upsets, etc.

Rule 1 Make sure I have a cup of tea before everyone else gets up-then I can cope with almost anything
Rule 2 no devices on until breakfasted, washed, dressed and ready for school
Rule 3 Schoolbag always packed and ready night before
Rule 4 once child dispatched take dog out for walk... and breathe...and after another cup of tea down to work.

What causes the highest stress level - the "Mummy can I just...." as we are putting coats and shoes on.

I make it run smoothly by doing bags and packed tea the night before, there is a clear timetable of events (rehearsed, as per whichever parenting book I read at the time), and aiming to leave 5-10 minutes earlier than is essential.

When DD was a toddler she had a habit of doing a poo as we stood at the door ready to go out, that stuffed us planning a little. The day she didn't I ended up at the school gates ten minutes early.

If everyone is dressed and ready they can then play/watch television.

I have a twenty minute drive into work afterwards, so unwind with the radio after the rush. Occasionally I give someone a lift - I find it so hard to make conversation for the first few minutes, I really need that quiet time.

Timely thread. The Devil family's school run is a lot more stressful than it need be now that elder DD has started sixth form and there is no room on the bus for her.

It seems that no one has noticed that now that staying on to post 16 education is compulsory, more children will need to travel to school and yet our local council isn't increasing its provision. Anyway long story short; where previously elder DD used to catch the bus to school and younger DD and I used to walk, from Thursday we will all be in the car. An extra vehicle on the road, getting up 30 minutes earlier, and DD2 will no longer be able to walk to school. Grrrr.

Beyond that I'm a do it the night before if at all possible-er. Bags, lunches, coats, printing, money etc. etc. and wine betide anyone - DD2 - when her shoes go missing.

Our house is like a army camp, GO! GO! GO! - Eat! Wash! Brush! Dress! Get Out!!! GO GO GO!!

The most stressful thing is getting ten yards down the road when one of my DC announces "argh, I've forgotten xxxx".... Then you have to decide go back and get it, or press on to get to school on time....

I have to get 4 children of 6 and under out of the door by 8.15. I do all the usual things - uniform ready the night before, breakfast table laid out, homework done before bed etc. the thing that makes the biggest difference? I hate cleaning their teeth as they run around like maniacs so I keep a set if toothbrushes and toothpaste in a pencil case in the car. When they are strapped in (and hence trapped!) the eldest doles out toothbrushes to start cleaning teeth. When we park at school they come our one by one through the driving seat and I finish them off. Job done.

Get everything ready the night before- my children know that if it isn't in their bags the previous evening, it's not going to school with them!

However, the biggest stresses for us about the school run are not internal to our family, rather they are other parents on the school run that selfishly park on pavements, drive on pavements, park on the crossing to let children out
We walk to school each morning (well, DH takes them ) and he has had so many near-misses last year- it's just a matter of time before someone is seriously hurt.
There was also a road rage incident in the school car park... but let's not go there.

We've been used to all getting out of the house for 7.30 on the 3 days my husband and I both work (we do 4 days a week each). We just have a well rehearsed morning routine and both shower in the evening to save time. It's probably going to be slightly more relaxed as the eldest will now go to a childminder on those days and she won't take him til 8am so we're splitting drop-offs and pick-ups alternately.

Finding a place to park.
Hanging around with younger sibling.

If only schools could create pick up and drop off parking rather than battle on streets around neighbourhoods that are totally fed up of the grid lock as school times.

I avoid the stress by leaving for work before the DC do

Seriously though, it runs smoothly here because we are lucky to be within easy walking distance of the primary, and the bus stop for secondary. DH makes lunches, and the DC lay out uniforms and pack bags the night before. The only things to be done in the morning is to eat breakfast, get dressed, brush teeth. The older ones leave the house at 7.20, so it has to be a slick operation.

I've already had a nightmare about ds being late on his first day of school. I'm going to have to be ultra organised to get me, ds and baby dd out of the house on time. The school is a ten minute walk away so I'm going to make sure everything's ready the night before. I'm hoping once we get into a routine it will be ok. Fingers crossed.

My school run is only stressful on the days when I have to drive it.
We are a 15-20 minute walk from DS1's school and DS2's nursery, and they rise hellishly early so it's never an issue getting ready. The journey to school is more awkward by road and parking is terrible, so I only drive if it's pouring or have to drive on somewhere afterwards - doing it on foot (or on scooter wheels) is usually really enjoyable and a little bit of exercise for all of us.

Kids not listening and you end up having to shout instructions at them after having asked 10 times!

Get everything ready the night before and getting up early are the key things for a stress free school run.

We live only a few minutes from the school so we don't have a car journey/traffic to deal with which makes things easier.

We applied for a school outwith our catchment area so we have to drive to school.
Mornings are pretty easy going here, kids usually up by 7 and we need to leave at 8.30. I work from home so I can wander back via the shops with dd.
The most stressful part I find is the last ten minutes - getting shoes on, coats done up, bags and children in the car. I aim to be in the car for 8.30 but inevitably its 8.35...
The night before I check I have packed bags, homework is done, books signed, clothes ironed and after school football kit packed.
Top tip here - school lunches. No messing around making sandwiches!!

if you can leave the house at least 5 mins before you need to - then when someone can't find their shoes, hasn't put them on, lost their bookbag etc... you've still got a bit of time to play with without getting too stressed. This especially valauble if you have toddlers who also insist on walking but not at the pace you'd like to travel at.

Not having enough time here causes the most stress. We have 3 dc's so we need to be super organised to get out on time and remember everything that we are supposed to have!

It is boring but being organised is the only way to do it for me-Clothes ironed and laid out the night before, pack lunches/school dinner tickets and snacks all done and PE kits and book bags ready.

It also helps if I know what I am wearing so I can take minimal time getting myself ready so that I can help everyone else get breakfasted, dressed and ready and out.

It makes my mornings run a lot smoother and also means I leave a reasonably tidy house behind me , however it does mean that I lose a bit of evening time in order to get everything in order for the next day. I love school holidays at it means evenings are free and a bit more relaxed.

I do have a quick chuckle to myself when young single colleagues are late for work -oh the luxury of just having to get out of bed jumping in the shower and feeding and dressing yourself without getting 3 other people ready every morning!

Most of my top tips have been covered here but other issues that we still struggle with:

Weather - trying to find umbrellas, wellies etc... Unexpected rain has caught me out a few times. I now keep enough brollies in a drawer for wet walk to school

Separation - I have 3 dc's and try to make sure they get dressed and ready at different times to avoid the soul-destroying morning bickering

Teeth - dentist advised brushing teeth BEFORE eating, this really helps time wise as we can just eat and go.

List of clubs/sport/music for each child for each day hanging on the wall near coats, all sports kit/music bags hanging on coat peg

Most importantly - finding my own keys, shoes and sunglasses the night before and NOT while children are standing huffing on the doorstep

Oh and my lipstick is kept near my shoes

And I banned ALL screens in the morning before school a couple of years ago, they don't even question it now.

Access to the bathroom is a stressor - considering introducing a timer to prevent our teen locking themselves in (and the rest of us out) for ages. Yes yes to laying out clothes/Kit the night before. We have a complicated four part journey - parking is a bug bear. Deep breaths and strong coffee are essential on arrival at work.

I have amazing shoe losing boys. So quite a few mornings start with WHERE'S YOUR SHOES? They're meant to be in the shoe box, but rarely are.

Getting stuff ready the night before helps - I'm not good at that.

The hardest part is keeping the DC moving. There is, theoretically, plenty of time to get everything done in the morning, even though we need to be out at 7:40, if it wasn't for their tendency to just stop if I turn my back on them. Even though they are now old enough to do everything themselves, I still find that it works a lot better if I can haul myself out of bed early enough to be dressed and ready before they get up, so that I can concentrate on keeping them moving and my coffee (and finding my keys).

Also - 10 minutes disappear between kicking them out of the door and driving out of the drive. I have no idea where it goes, but it does, always.

Tthis monrning's first school run of the year started off delightfully stress-free. Until we were at thd front door, putting shoes on, when we realised that I recycled ds's school shoes by mistake yesterday, instead of his brother's outgrown pair.

Oops.

We have only just entered the realm of school runs as DD1 started reception yesterday. So far it hasn't been a rush at all, thanks for various tips I've picked up from MN. I put DD1s uniform out the night before and she helps - to make sure she agrees with every garment to avoid refusals in the morning! We walk, and start out early to give us plenty of time to get there.