A Reasonable Request?

[Ice Queen Elsa]

I'm hoping for some advice about the school run. I know this can be a volatile subject for some and I admit I've preached in the past about "walking to school" however life often throws in a few curve balls and they're not always easy to dodge.

Basically we periodically have to collect our grandchildren from school. It's few and far between as my husband is quite ill. He's awaiting plasmapheresis at the moment (if anyone has had this I'd be interested to hear from you) and if the plasmapheresis doesn't work the only alternative is a stem cell transplant.

I no longer drive, I have cataracts, glaucoma and double vision and problems with walking.

My husband's problems are much worse. He can drive but he cannot walk any distance.

It's only when it's absolutely necessary that we collect the grandchildren from school. As in our daughter is either at the hospital or an in patient in hospital. She always attempts to get appointments within the school day but sometimes when you've to travel to hospitals out of the local area, it can be a little awkward ensuring you're home in time from the appointment to collect the children from school.

Our grandchildren are now at different schools. One is fortunate that they can walk up to the car and get in the car without our help. We park a few streets away from the school so as to avoid the congestion.

Our second grandchild however is only just 5 years old so this is not so simple.

In the past we have driven to the school and parked in the Disabled Bay (when you can actually get in the Disabled bay as this has often been used by non Disabled teaching staff or relatives of school staff) however, school staff are not happy with us using the Disabled parking bay to collect our grandchild as they say children often walk through the car park. There is a pavement for the children to walk on but some of the parents walk on the road. Therefore school do not want us using the car park, at the beginning or the end of the day which makes it virtually impossible for either dropping our grandchild at school or collecting them, in view of their age.

The distance to walk should we park away from the school is virtually impossible and would be hazardous due to the risk of falls.

Would you consider it a reasonable request to ask if we can collect our grandchild 10 minutes early at the end of the day (should we have to collect her from school?). Could we ask to access the car park prior to children walking through it? It's not a regular occurrence so wouldn't mean her missing much school. I know it may be a slight inconvenience at the end of the day but would you consider this the safest and most convenient option?

School have not been very supportive in the past. I'd even go as far as to say, they have, at times, been obstructive. If they do not want us to use the car park, would it be a reasonable request to ask that she comes out of school a few minutes early to enable her safe collection and be of no risk to other children if we are using the car park prior to home time?

Any thoughts or suggestions of a suitable compromise would be welcome.

Thank you