Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to stop school lifts again after my daughter's friendship fallout?

9 replies

OnTheVeryEDGE · 29/04/2026 20:57

Daughter is in year 8
She was in a three friendship group for a number of years but one of them drifted apart from her last year. Up until that point, us mums had shared lifts to and from school each day. In the final few weeks before the friendship fell apart, it started getting awkward between the girls and the car journeys were full on tension. I told the other two mums that I was going to remove myself from the lift share as it was causing more anxiety before and after school.
Fast forward to now, I’ve been in a good rhythm of getting my ow children to and from school. There’s been a recent change in circumstances between the other two mums who have continued to lift share. It’s meant that I’ve been asked if I can help with the lifts for the girl who has remained friends with my daughter. At the start of this week, I agreed to a couple of pick ups, but it wasn’t feeling like the right thing to do.
My daughter has come out of school today upset as there’s been a fall out today between her friendship group. Seeing her so upset has reminded me why I stopped the lift shares in the first place as she sometimes just needs to leave school at school and get in the car back in her safe place to unwind.
AIBU to go back on the agreement I made earlier this week?

OP posts:
ExcitingRicotta · 29/04/2026 21:00

How long is the lift? I understand where you’re coming from but there will always be ups and downs in friendships, I think I’d focus on being consistent - they don’t need to be best mates to sit in a car together.

Sillysausage76 · 29/04/2026 21:03

Did you agree to do it temporarily or permanently. Either way id let them know as from next week you can pick up anymore

Applecup · 29/04/2026 21:16

If you are happy to do all the lifts for your kids then don’t be pressured into lift sharing again. It was the bane of my life and I was really happy to stop it.

WelshRabBite · 29/04/2026 21:17

Can you suggest helping until May half term, that way it gives them a couple of weeks to sort something else out and only a few more school runs for you.

Ohnoyoudont2 · 29/04/2026 23:33

Prioritise your own children first. Always. Stop the rides right now.

Shinyandnew1 · 30/04/2026 11:16

If you’ve only agreed to do two pick ups, then I’d do those as promised and then stop.

You’ve done them a favour this week, but not promised to do anything longer term.

blackheartsgirl · 30/04/2026 11:28

I’ve been in a similar situation and I put a stop to the lifts as soon as I could.

just say the arrangement no longer works for you, make something up if you have to.

yes friends do fall in and out but it’s not worth the stress and tension for you all. If I fell out with friends as an adult I wouldn’t be lift sharing or offering lifts to them (unless it’s at night or something) so why should we force our kids to

OnTheVeryEDGE · 30/04/2026 14:36

Thanks for all replies.
i followed my gut and cancelled the arrangement with immediate effect. I know the girls will sort it out and will have many more fall outs in the future, but i think its a horrible feeling on the days that don’t work out knowing you’ve then got the journey home together too.

OP posts:
IWaffleAlot · 30/04/2026 17:22

This is exactly why I keep a very strict line over some types of relationships. My ds and his group had the exact same situation.3 of us lived on the same route to school and it was suggested we share. I declined because I knew the one boy gets a bit too much and very irritating at times, and his mother is very much in denial over his behaviour.
My ds begged me so much to be a part of it and I refused. It’s a year on, 2 mums have fell out and the one with the annoying child has become the ultimate CF getting out of her share when her ds is the one who caused so many issues.
Ds told me he’s soo glad we didn’t get involved as he is the neutral friend in the group 😅

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread