Transportation: When you have one/more school age children along with younger ones...

[asheri]

How do you drop off and pick up? I live about 10 mins from the school my son will start going to next September, but am trying to figure out the best way to drop him off and pick him up with three other children.
What do you do? Suggestions?
Thanks in Advance :)

[5 Little Monkeys]

10 minute walk or drive?

Walk...invest in a good stroller or wagon to haul everyone that needs to be. Make sure it will be good in snow, rain, sun etc

Drive...is the bus not an option? Not sure what the cut off is for distance. Buy a van lol? Can your husband do the school runs? Hire a friend? Car pool with another child and pay that mom/dad gas money?

[Tangerine]

I walk to do school drop offs and pickups but am only about 5min from the school. This year I have five little ones to take with me as I drop off my own children. I have a heavy duty wagon that I can add a rain cover to in winter for wind protection. I also just got a heavy duty sled for days when the sidewalks aren't cleared well (live on same street as school) I have a sit 'n stand with rain cover and umbrellas for rainy weather.
I also see providers who drive though and in the summer when I have fewer children I drive them as well. I have a van so space for 3 daycare children. I have parents sign a permission form and I provide carseats. Some parents don't like their children being driven by their provider though.

[Rachael]

How do you drop off and pick up? I live about 10 mins from the school my son will start going to next September, but am trying to figure out the best way to drop him off and pick him up with three other children.
What do you do? Suggestions?
Thanks in Advance :)

I'm fortunate that the buses for all three schools stop outside my house however I believe one of the conditions of bus use now around here is that those Grade 3 or younger must have an adult to meet them/wait with them for collection. So even if mine were small still, I would need to dress the day care kids and have us all at the end of the driveway!


Other providers have a wagon which they put their little ones in to go and meet the older school-age children. I love my wagon and I think for the most part that works well until the cold/wet weather comes. I don't know if it's possible to get covers for them to keep little ones out of the rain, snow, and wind. There are days we only go into the yard because the wagon isn't practical for further afield if there's unplowed snow.

A multi-stroller might suit you with a wind-rain cover. It's the wind that is biting when sitting still as a smaller child in a stroller would be. 10 mins to the school/bus stop, a few mins hanging around waiting for your child and 10 mins back again might be really hard come February.

Another couple of suggestions..could a parent in your community who is meeting their own child also pick-up/drop yours so you can avoid the transportation issue? Is there an older child at the top end of the school who might escort yours to and from for a bit of pocket money? Even if this could be arranged over the Winter months that might make life easier.

[Other Mummy]

I have 2 daughters in JK and SK. School pick up/drop offs were the bane of my existence. We live about 15 min walk away. Pushing 4 or 5 other dck's in a multi stroller, all up hill became a 30min + walk. Never mind when the frigid, brutal winter months kicked in. Last year at this time we hired a driver, a mature woman who does drop offs and pick ups. This year she retired so we hired another mom who drives to school anyway. Life saver for me. And I don't have to wake the kiddos early from nap and rush in the morning and afternoon to get my girls from school.

I'm not sure if your car insurance will cover your daycare children. You might have to get a different or add on insurance if you are transporting daycare children. Anyone know?

[Rachael]

In NS, we have to add to our car insurance if transporting day care kids. It's quite pricey so many of us simply don't put them in our cars.

Think insurance works differently in different provinces though. Was reading on these forums about day care liability insurance being added to home policies but that was stopped her about 5 years ago. We have to carry a separate independent policy for our day homes.