What to do in school pick up line?

[deb]

Could you park a couple of blocks away from the school and pick him up as if he is a walker...then just walk to your car and drive away?

On the occasions I go get my kids now, this is what I do; we park about a block away, or even in front of the school if there's an open space (and often there is!).

[Tweakster]

Yep I'd pretend to be a walker.  No way I'd sit in that insanity. 

[CCCmom27]

Could you park a couple of blocks away from the school and pick him up as if he is a walker...then just walk to your car and drive away?

LOL my mom said the same thing!  I think they'd know by my address that he's not a walker!  The school itself is on a kind of country road without sidewalks (except from the school to the neighborhood) or even a shoulder.  All the kids that walk must live in the neighborhood next door.  When we went for a walk yesterday I did notice the house beside the playground was for sale.  I joked to DH that we could just move there.  He asked if it had a pool    The walk worked out well so as long as no one tells me I can't leave my car we'll just continue to do that.  I'm seriously out of shape so it will be good for me 

[Tweakster]

You can make it interesting for G then too, stuff to collect as you walk or whatever, make it an adventure every day lol

[CCCmom27]

You can make it interesting for G then too, stuff to collect as you walk or whatever, make it an adventure every day lol

Yesterday we saw some huge dead worms on the sidewalk (we've been having A LOT of rain) that he was really interested in so I'm sure he'll look for them again today! 

[Tweakster]

Yes dead worms is an adventure for sure

[Khalam's Mama]

I don't see why you need to pretend to have walked from home if you wanna get your kid on foot surely they don't mind either way?

I was tidying the fuzzy felts today and thought of you as that is easy in the car.

[nona]

CC  - we are in the US.  my school is the same but i live a few blocks away so we are walkers. however, our car line moves very fast and we have the number system, etc. i do have a friend pick up DS from school a few times a week bc my DD is still napping. i do sometimes drop him off it is freezing out or i'm lazy

id ask your DS about being picked up timely or not. he may enjoy hanging with his friends in the car rider line waiting for their ride home. do these parents not have a life? we have 2 lines at our school though. a kinder line on side of school and everyone else on the other side of the school. sounds like they mix all the kids makign it more chaotic.

I don't see why you need to pretend to have walked from home if you wanna get your kid on foot surely they don't mind either way?

i agree. that's a dumb rule. how would they know? would you really get in trouble? why do they care? MANY, MANY parents at my school do this. they park their car and pick up their kid.

[Khalam's Mama]

Surely they just want to get rid of the kids ASAP?

[CCCmom27]

I was tidying the fuzzy felts today and thought of you as that is easy in the car.

OK I've read and reread that several times and have no idea what tidying the fuzzy felts means?!?!?

I did ask C if he wanted me to be there a little later so he could talk to his friends while waiting.  He said they weren't allowed to talk  for him that means he won't talk!  He's a big rule follower at school (so far  )  It almost looks a little more hectic coming later as parents are trying to leave and some still coming to line up.  Parking early and walking seems to be the best bet for us now.  They also have the kids walk up the sidewalk and the ones whose parents are parked there get it.  The kids stand in a grassy area while the kids in cars drive away and all the other parents move up.  Then the kids walk back down the side walk and ones whose parents are there get in.  I have no idea how many times they do that but it seems crazy!  I think they need a better system but I don't have one and don't want to say anything and risk being told I can't leave my car & go for a walk!

Oh and we do have 2 lines.  The kindergarten & 1st grade parents are encouraged to use the one closest to the building but I saw a 5th grade parent behind me today 

[nona]

my DS is the same about rules! good luck! KUP.

[RachelC]

Can you park in the parking lot and walk over to get him?  I did this with DD1, as she couldn't open the van door on her own (or buckle the 5pt harness fast enough).  With DD3 I had to drop her at school (she rode the bus home) and I parked and walked her to the door everyday instead of dropping her in car line - again, she couldn't close the van door.

[CCCmom27]

Can you park in the parking lot and walk over to get him?

I'm pretty sure they wouldn't let me.  I think if 1 person did this then everyone would want to and they'd have another mess!

[Erin M]

They also have the kids walk up the sidewalk and the ones whose parents are parked there get it.  The kids stand in a grassy area while the kids in cars drive away and all the other parents move up.  Then the kids walk back down the side walk and ones whose parents are there get in.  I have no idea how many times they do that but it seems crazy! 

This seems totally nuts to me too!  As a teacher, this would make me crazy!  We did the number system at the last school I worked at and it worked out completely fine -- one teacher would stand out ahead of the line and announce the numbers of the cars driving up over a walkie-talkie, they would announce the numbers in the gym, and the kids whose numbers were called out would get up and go out just as their parents were driving up.  Worked beautifully after we all got used to it.  Of course, we still had some parents show up 45 minutes early and sit there just so they could be "first" but the parents at the end were through 10 minutes after dismissal (and we had a ton of kids). 

Glad you found something that works with going for a walk!