I need some calm.
The hustle and bustle of back-to-school has not brought the quiet and opportunity to recharge batteries which I had expected. It is just constant. It’s been hard enough by car but on reflection I can not comprehend how Bob managed this for the entire school year by bike or Shanks’ pony. As it stands, the slightly off-kilter timings between the school and nursery mean that a substantial amount of time is wasted because it just doesn’t make sense to head home between pick-ups or drop-offs. As a result, around two hours a day is spent in the car. If we didn’t have a car, our school run would take up three and a half hours every single day.
This, of course, does not include the extra curricular activities that each of the children does. Swimming, running, rugby, piano lessons, triathlon club and Rainbows. It also does not include having one child home for most of last week with tonsillitis.
Thing is, I know what I signed up for when I had my four babies. I knew that things would be difficult on occasion, I really did but right now I am exhausted by this running about which has been magnified by Greer’s nursery being a mile and a quarter away from the school which is a mile and a half away from the house.
I completely appreciate that there are parents out there spending hours doing the school run every day. How do you manage?!
Posted under parenting, with the kids
This post was written by Vonnie on August 28, 2012
I have just the same problemd. Add into the mix a boy with Aspergers and a boy with ADHD, who are both terrible at waiting.
I had to cut back on after-school activites for a while as it was dreadful waiting around with one or two while another was doing an activity. I have reintroduced judo and swimming but they all do it. So not as bad.
When the kids or ill, or when I am ill, it is a matter of juggling. I have no family support here and only a few neighbours/parents I can call on. I would never ask anyone to have all three children though, I sometimes ask for help with the school run. It is incredibly hard work and has meant that looking for work for me has been impossible.
There was one point where O was a baby, M was at primary school and R was going to a morning nursery. The nursery started 45 minutes after school. It was autumn term, it was wet. We gave up after about three weeks. We couldn’t handle the waiting in a waiting area. I have learned what they and I can tolerate and do try and take short cuts if I can.
It is difficult. I have found things have improved now that I can let my oldest go to and fro from school and he has his own key, he is 11 this week. It means he is not inflicting his Aspieness on the other two too when I am trying to get them somewhere.
Always juggling.
I don’t. It’s all a pretense for others that I do manage.
It’s madness, school, nursery, work, nursery, childminder, homework, cook, eat, bedtime, collapse. And I only have 2. I’ve said no to extra curricular stuff until I have this school/nursery/work malarky figured out. Which may be another while.
Sounds totally exhausting. Altho’ homeschooling has its considerable downsides I am SO glad I don’t have to do a school run!!
Trust me ladies one day your work will be done and they will all be grown up. I too had four number one son left home about 5 years ago now, number two has just passed out in the RAF and is soon to take up his first posting in Scotland and my daughter is about to go to University that will just leave me my little ASD man. But to tell you the truth even though it was exhausting at the time when it all stops and you’re no longer needed you’re left a little empty nested so as my mother once told me ‘enjoy them for now for they will soon be gone’.
I work part-time and the 2 days I have off, I just felt were consumed with drop offs and pick ups. Last term, and this year, I am making use of the school afterschool club for one of the children. Its only for an hour on Thurs and Fri but he loves it and it means I can pick him up the same time as the older ones. It has made a huge difference to me and is totally worth the expense. Thankfully my husband is involved in the football coaching so he does that run and the swimming. Its all so constant though.
I’m finding it the same! With one at school and one at nursery,I am constantly putting the baby in and out of the car to drop off and collect.And now we have football, boxing, choir, drama, gymnastics… Aggghh!!