school runs

[Blackhorse]

Hi

I was wondering how your school runs are affecting the little ones in your care if at all?
if you have pre-schoolers all day you obviously have to take them on school runs possible twice a day.
drop of in morning and then pick up
do they seem to mind? do they like it to get out? are they bored in the car?
can it happen that it disturbs they normal sleeping routine? say they would normally nap for 2 hours in the afternoon but right in the middle you have to do a school run? :confused:

I guess I am just looking for your experiences...thinks to watch out for..that kind of thing

thanks

[Twinkles]

I hate,loathe and detest school runs. I have a routine in place that ensures the lo's have lunch by 12 and have the opportunity for at least two hours sleep before the school run. Ie 12 - lunch 12.30 - nappy change and bed - 2.30ish wake up for drink ( lo's not me :laughing: ) and get ready for school run.

When I don't have to do a school run my life is so much more relaxed and we can all take our time in doing things and are not so tied to a routine.

[Zoomie]

I hate,loathe and detest school runs. I have a routine in place that ensures the lo's have lunch by 12 and have the opportunity for at least two hours sleep before the school run. Ie 12 - lunch 12.30 - nappy change and bed - 2.30ish wake up for drink ( lo's not me :laughing: ) and get ready for school run.

When I don't have to do a school run my life is so much more relaxed and we can all take our time in doing things and are not so tied to a routine.

Snap ... My routine with my DD is exactly the same.

However, I have a double school run in the afternoon. We are home for about 15 mins and then need to go out again and meet up with DS1 who has walked from his school, but who is still not allowed to cross the last most danagerous road on his own.

[Daftbat]

I have three school runs a day and sometimes with a double nursery trip at lunchtime (this is due to end soon - thank goodness!

School runs are a pain - its a fact of life but you soon get in to a routine which hopefully suits everyone. My little ones don't seem to mind them, the regular school is in walking distance so its a chance for some fresh air anyway. I walk two miles a day though doing it!

[singlewiththree]

Add into that nursery runs in the middle of the day :) In Sept I'm going to be doing

School
then 15mins walk to nursery
12pm lunch
1pm nursery pick up - hoping little ones sleep in buggy
3.15 school
hang around for 45 mins! (school said I can use their library in wet weather)
4pm pick up from after school activities
5.30pm they go home!

I walk so just make sure we talk about things, point things out and have toys for the little ones in the buggy. My problem is I have one child who ALWAYS falls asleep in the buggy even if not due for a nap so I always have to wake him up when we get anywhere. Its just too far to walk home from school as we would have to turn round and walk back again for the clubs so we are going to feed the ducks on the canal, walk to the shops, rubbings of trees, anything really until 4pm, school said its ok to stay on the grounds, use the toilets/library and trim trail.

[Mollymop]

I spend 2.5 hours of my day on school runs. I walk you see, and have to drop at 2 schools that are only across the road from each other (an infants school and a junior school). My mindees don't mind. One is happy in the buggy and the other is happy to walk along and gets excited to see all the children come out of school. She also likes to play in the playground and see people she knows.

I did have one mindee who didn't like to walk the 20 mins to school and wait for the kids to come out. He has left now, he was nearly 4 but his mum used to put him in the buggy everywhere, so he wasn't too fond of walking with me.

I like the school runs as long as it is not raining, it keeps us busy, we stop off at the park on the way home, we collect sticks and look at flowers. It makes the day go quicker.

[huggableshelly]

I have a new one starting today, mum wants her to sleep 11:00 till 1:00 so planning on putting her in the buggy so she can sleep as I waslk to nursery for 11:30 pickup which ends in july but may start again in sept if i take on another one.

I've not had a sleeper for along time so this will be a complete change in my routine lol, maybe it will help shift the weight but on wet days i'm using the car so her sleep unfortunatly maybe disturbed.

Morning school runs my preschooler goes to nursery too so not a problem there, new one doesnt come to me till after school run.

Pm school run preschooler loves it he really enjoys helping me to pick up the older children, he tells me what order to pick them up too (its the same order all the time lol), he asks them all *what did you do today?* as though its his job to see if they have a good day .... puts me out of a job lol.

[Mrs M]

I've been minding for a year and in December I took my first after schoolie. He was only with me for two days per week but I really hated doing the school run as it affected the younger ones so much. They tend to go for a sleep at 2pm for up to two hours (however, 2 1/2 year old has just got up (4pm) after going at 1pm!). Having to wake them in the middle of a lovely sleep was horrible. It affected their moods. I started to put little ones in car at 1.30pm so they could nod off and then I'd sit around in car until 3pm so they could have a good sleep. I was getting so fed up with it and then after schoolie's parents gave notice as he wanted to go to after school club. Praise the Lord! Never again. Not whilst I'm looking after pre-school children. I often wonder how childminders do all these pick ups and drop offs every day as I'm tired enough just looking after three little ones!

[Mrs.L.C]

I dont mind my school runs. mornings can be abit rushed as the 3 I look after get dropped off at 8 and only 1 of them is to be taken to school with my daughter (who is now old enough to walk her self) but I dont intend on taking more on. Afternoons are rushed as its lunch then naps for the 2 younger children. some days I have to wake them and move them to the buggy but I make sure I take drinks and they are kept warm when I do this and they dont mind.

If its dry we stay and play in the play ground until 4ish then its home, quick snack, play, then home time

I find the school runs break my day up and ensures we get outside rain or shine. Even though we go to tots groups etc, play outside usually only happens if its dry so its nice for the under 5s to get out for a walk and they seem to love it. It has also helped with the younger children to learn road safety etc

[louised]

I also hate and detest school runs but as a childminder there is no way of getting out of them unless you were to say to parents 'when your child starts school you'll have to make alternative arrangements'. Even if we did not take any schoolies on the pre schoolers are going to start school eventually, if parents thought they were going to have to find other childcare when their child started school no childminder would ever get any work! Just have to grin and bear it unfortunately.

[singlera]

This is probably going to sound really strange, but for years I have wanted to do the school runs!!! Having been a shift worker for ten years and now embarking on childcare, the school runs and being around for my children as well as the other three after school kids i will be having is just great.Didn't now what i was missing!:laughing:

[FizzysFriends]

I don't like school runs, I don't not like them either, they are just part of the day. I have to collect DD anyway so might aswell collect other children whilst im there.

[manjay]

I suppose I can't imagine not doing school runs. My eldest are 16 and 9 so I have been doing them for years, my youngest is 2 and he will be starting in Sept and so they will carry on. I like them apart from the very worst weather (which it looks like now out of the window). It is a bit of a mad panic at times as I have ds to pick up at 11:45, we have to get home have lunch and be back to drop mindee off at nursery at 12:45 but I just use the car on those days.

[katickles]

I hate,loathe and detest school runs. I have a routine in place that ensures the lo's have lunch by 12 and have the opportunity for at least two hours sleep before the school run. Ie 12 - lunch 12.30 - nappy change and bed - 2.30ish wake up for drink ( lo's not me :laughing: ) and get ready for school run.

When I don't have to do a school run my life is so much more relaxed and we can all take our time in doing things and are not so tied to a routine.

Same routine as here. I also LOVE it when for some reason I get a call to say that I won't be needing to collect today:o

http://newtickers.bump-and-beyond.com/29/2903/290365.png (http://www.bump-and-beyond.com/)

[PixiePetal]

I am the same as Twinkles when I have a school run. Taken a break now my 2 are at senior school and it is so liberating!!

I have a mindee starting school in September and he will be finishing with me for summer hols. To break my day for a few ££ after school is just not worth the hassle. I don't drive and the local schools/nurseries are split all over town so it would be impossible to do them all anyway.

There is an after school club and I would consider collecting again if work was slow and I was picking up more than 1 to make it worth my while. As it is, I am busy right now and enjoying the freedom :jump for joy: :jump for joy: :jump for joy:

[Alibali]

I do a school run now at the school my ds's go to, however when they stop primary school I will be stopping school runs!! Can't wait, only another 4 1/2 years:)