Anyone else hate the school run?

Cherry_Bomb

Or is it just me?

Normally I don't have to do it as DS goes to before and after school club but today I had the afternoon off so thought I'd do the good mum thing and pick him up myself. Lucky DS!

It's obviously been a while since I last did it because I got there too early. Rookie mistake

During this time queen bee of the mums crew came up and asked me if I was new.
She knows full well I'm not new because she's previously invited me to a coffee meet some of the other mums do every week in town. I politely declined telling her I was working but in reality I couldn't think of anything worse than having coffee surrounded by women who do nothing but talk about kids (maybe that's not really what goes on at these types events but it's what I imagine goes on!!)


Anyway I laughed and said no I'm not new to which she also laughed (along with her croonies) saying ''it must be because we haven't seen you here in a while''

Jog on love........

Anyone else here not get involved with other parents at the school gates either?

Gillyx

I'd have said "I work every day so can't be here to collect my child unfortunately" Smug face

balletshoes

I do pick up my DD but don't take her to school anymore (she's 10) - I drop her off on the school road on my way to work.

Even when I did drop off and pick up, because my work hours are fitted in around her school times, I was only at school for 5 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes at hometime. So if there were any "queen bee" mums I never had, and still don't have, any idea who they were .

I do have school mum acquaintances - my DD's friends mums and guardians. But thats as far as it goes.

merlot123

I never stood at the school gates, always stood away.

The school run is the biggest thing I have disliked about having children, temper tantrums, stroppy teenagers I can cope with, school gate mums I cannot. (How on earth do they find time to shove all the slap on and hair done just for the school run).

meer53

Cherry_Bomb wrote: »

Or is it just me?

Normally I don't have to do it as DS goes to before and after school club but today I had the afternoon off so thought I'd do the good mum thing and pick him up myself. Lucky DS!

It's obviously been a while since I last did it because I got there too early. Rookie mistake

During this time queen bee of the mums crew came up and asked me if I was new.
She knows full well I'm not new because she's previously invited me to a coffee meet some of the other mums do every week in town. I politely declined telling her I was working but in reality I couldn't think of anything worse than having coffee surrounded by women who do nothing but talk about kids (maybe that's not really what goes on at these types events but it's what I imagine goes on!!)


Anyway I laughed and said no I'm not new to which she also laughed (along with her croonies) saying ''it must be because we haven't seen you here in a while''

Jog on love........

Anyone else here not get involved with other parents at the school gates?

My daughter is now 11 so i use the school pick up time as 20 minutes to relax and read a magazine or catch up on some phone calls (not work!) I drop her at the gates in the morning, she walks down the drive herself.
It was such a relief when she left first school when she was 9, to go to middle school and i didn't have to make inane small talk with the other mums ! They weren't all like that but i have to agree it does get very cliquey there ! Some of them looked like they'd been in the salon all day just to appear at the school gates at 3.30 ! Then they all swanned off in their 4 x 4's or Bentley's (yes, there were 2 :eek: why would you use a Bentley for the school run unless it was to show off ?) It was even more cliquey as the school was in a small village, with only 120 pupils in the whole school. I did make a few friends (obviously from the lower classes !) and have kept in touch with them.
It was a brilliant school but i would have been happy to chuck her out of the car by the gate and drive off, waving and blowing kisses !! She'd be mortified now if i turned up actually at the gate to pick her up !

Person_one

merlot123 wrote: »

I never stood at the school gates, always stood away.

The school run is the biggest thing I have disliked about having children, temper tantrums, stroppy teenagers I can cope with, school gate mums I cannot. (How on earth do they find time to shove all the slap on and hair done just for the school run).

Is this a recent thing or a class thing?

When I was at primary school the mums all showed up in whatever they'd been wearing all day, from bleach stained jogging bottoms to work uniforms to smart suits.

They always brought the dogs and the pre-school age kids too and I remember it being a lovely welcoming committee, not a desperate housewives style b1tch-fest! :eek:

This was only 20 odd years ago...

dizziblonde

School I used to work in they started to show up at 2pm (school kicked out at 3.10) in order to stake prime place by the gates!

Plans_all_plans

Maybe the 'queen bee' types haven't shown themselves at my daughter's school yet (she's in reception). I quite like getting there to have a chat with the other parents before the kids come out. I don't think it hurts to get to know people and can be quite handy as if you're ever running late or whatever then they can pick up the kids for you and vice versa. Also, about the make up/hair: I don't go anywhere without make up on and that includes the school!

meer53

Person_one wrote: »

Is this a recent thing or a class thing?

When I was at primary school the mums all showed up in whatever they'd been wearing all day, from bleach stained jogging bottoms to work uniforms to smart suits.

They always brought the dogs and the pre-school age kids too and I remember it being a lovely welcoming committee, not a desperate housewives style b1tch-fest! :eek:

This was only 20 odd years ago...

Times have changed !

Nicki

Plans_all_plans wrote: »

Maybe the 'queen bee' types haven't shown themselves at my daughter's school yet (she's in reception). I quite like getting there to have a chat with the other parents before the kids come out. I don't think it hurts to get to know people and can be quite handy as if you're ever running late or whatever then they can pick up the kids for you and vice versa. Also, about the make up/hair: I don't go anywhere without make up on and that includes the school!

I'm glad you said that. My DS left primary school in July last year, and I always enjoyed school drop offs and pick ups. It was a time to catch up with my mates for 10 minutes. I didn't dress up for the event though, and I hope we were friendly to all the mums there. Maybe I was one of the cliquey mums though without knowing it!

I did use to drive up in my 4x4 though. It is the only car we have! Should I have bought a new one just for the school run?

If you are friendly and open on the school run from the outset why would the other mums not like you, or want to exclude you or look down on you? I just don't understand why that would be the case. Perhaps some schools are just not as nice as the one my son went to though. Having said that my daughter goes to a different school, and though I only very occasionally pick her up (she gets school transport) the other mums at that school are lovely too.

rachbc

Person-one that describes the school my dd goes to too.

There are a mix of SAHM, grand parents, mums straight from work, mums who come some days and work others. Some come in work clothes, some in running gear, some in jeans, some in full make up. I don't presume that those in make up are any better or worse than me and neither it seems do they as there is always a bit of chat. Though obviously if you turned down the invitation to have coffee with them you won't ever know if there is more to them than your judgement will you?

I have no idea what car any of them drive as most walk. Though I have to say my SIL drives a Bentley to get her daughter as thats the car she has - perhaps rather than being accused to showing off she should get a second car to do the school run in-though that would be very MSE would it!!