No More School Runs {Ordinary Moments}

Nine years ago LP started nursery. She was a few days past her third birthday and it was a huge change for us. Going from days at home, in our PJs, watching cartoons and having a pretty slow pace, to suddenly having somewhere to be first thing in the morning.

But, we settled into the routine, Little Man coming along in the pushchair, LP on a buggy board. And a year later LP started school, and Little Man and I would walk her there before going off on little adventures, just me and him.

Little Man started nursery a year after, and school the year after that. And the following years are a blur, with LP moving from Infants to Juniors and then the pandemic happening, just before Little Man moved up to the Juniors himself.

When Little Man moved up to Year 5, LP started secondary school and it was just me and Little Man on the school run. And for the last two years we have been chatting our way to school and back each day, with LP occasionally picking him up to get him ready for secondary school and walking with her each day.

Nine years ago we had our very first school run. And today we have our last one. The last time I will walk with Little Man, his hand in mine to cross the roads, talking to me about Fortnite as we make our way to school. The last time I’ll pick him up, popping into Co-Op for a treat after school, talking about what we’ll do in the gap between getting home and dinner time. The last school run.

There have been times where the school run has been hard. Mornings full of rain or freezing temperatures. Where we’ve all been tired or had the sniffles of a cold.

There were also two years where the children were at different campuses, where it was just a little too far to walk in the time that we had so we had to go in the car. Fighting for parking spaces, stressed and always in a rush.

But, my overriding memories of the school runs are a few minutes of cherished time with the children. Pushing the pushchair whilst singing the Monster School song. Do you think we’re gonna make it? Come on, let’s shake it, to monster schoo-ooo-ooool.

I’d chat to a tiny LP about her day, laugh at the paint on her clothes and find out about things she’s learnt and friends she’d made.

I’d talk to Little Man about his his lunch, what games he played and his teachers. We’d practice his words when he was having speech therapy and we’d sing songs.

I was lucky enough to give up my day job to be self employed when Little Man was at nursery and that enabled me to do the school runs every day. It’s something I will always be grateful for and something I will always appreciate.

All parents know what a chore the school run is. Every single day, twice a day – and more often when you have children with a lunchtime pickup or clubs and different campuses. It’s a slog, it’s time consuming and there are days when you’d just rather not.

But, like with so many aspects of parenting, it’s something we love as well, and something that is over too soon. Today is the last school run I will do. From September LP and Little Man will be walking to school together and my job will be done.

The days are long but the years are short and I have never felt that as much as I do now. No more school runs with little hands in mine. No more sweets in my pocket as a Friday treat. No more bags, bottles or coats shoved my way as soon as they’ve come out the school gates.

The school runs have given me so many memories, I’m so glad I got that time with the children. But here’s to the next chapter and the next stage of all our lives.