Negotiating the politics of school-gate diplomacy

The social dynamics at pick-up time can be fraught. You are waiting for your child, often under time pressure, surrounded by parents who may or may not want to chat with you. Experts say it helps if you manage your expectations 

Pic: iStock

AUTHOR Emma Murray works from home, so — with two daughters now aged 12 and 14 — the school gate was a daily reality for seven years.

“It was one of my least preferred aspects about primary school. I’m not great in a group situation, I hate small talk and I don’t like forced conversations. It didn’t tick any boxes,” says Murray, a Malahide native who lives in London.