Managing the morning school run in the right way is helping our members to stay sane in their start to the day, while benefiting the environment too.
Each year in the UK, 1 billion school-run car trips are made, 500 million litres of fuel are consumed in private vehicles and 2.1 million tons of carbon dioxide are emitted. And a staggering 570 million hours are spent doing the school run.
‘A few simple measures can offer several ways to make the school run a more pleasant experience for everyone involved,’ says Allison Crisp, one of our family experts.
Preparation
Getting ready the night before by setting out children’s clothes when they’re asleep and packing their school bags ready will save time in the morning, as will putting packed lunches together early and setting the table for breakfast. You could go as far as preparing breakfast the night before to ensure that you get off quickly.
There are other ways to save precious minutes: set the alarm clock an hour early, have a shower before the children and wake them up half an hour early. ‘This will make your kids feel more at leisure in the mornings,’ says Allison, ‘provided they don’t figure out that you’re playing a little bit of a trick on them.’
Always leave for school with plenty of time to spare. Not only will this reduce stress but you are also teaching your children that being on time is a common courtesy.
Transport
‘Planning ahead is vital to how smoothly the school run goes – regardless of whether you choose to walk, drive, or send your kids on the bus,’ says Allison.
For short distances, walking is a better option than driving – it’s healthier and better for the environment. The fresh air and exercise will also help the kids get a good start to the day and shake off the morning crankiness. If you haven’t already, you’ll want to do a couple of dry runs to figure out the best, safest routes – ‘don’t hesitate to chat to other parents at the school gates who’ve been in the neighbourhood longer and who might have some sage advice on the issues,’ says Allison. You could also try cycling or travelling by scooter as some fun alternatives.
But if walking is not an option, sharing car duties with another parent may help to ease the pressure of the school run. Parents for whom driving is essential will find that a car share scheme can make all the difference. For advice on these schemes, read our article on car sharing and get in touch with one of our motoring experts to discuss how to organise a car share that will fit well with your lifestyle.
School buses
‘Another way of managing the school run is to use one of the various cheap and convenient school bus systems that are popping up around the country. In some towns, school bus systems have already eased congestion hugely,’ says Allison.
In 2005, a US-style yellow bus system serving the Magna Carta School in Surrey became one of the first such schemes in the country. Now, 120 pupils pay £1 a day each to ride in the seven yellow buses that serve the Runnymede area. Because 71 per cent of the 1,200 pupils live a kilometre or more from the school, the yellow bus scheme saved 186,000 school-run car journeys last year, easing congestion. Pupils who travel to school by car dropped from 42 per cent to 22 per cent in recent years, while the proportion walking or cycling has risen from 42 to 48 since the scheme started. It’s worth finding out whether there is one running in your local area – get in touch with us and we’ll do the research for you.
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