Dropping/Picking My Kids Up At School Takes Almost as Long as Homeschooling

[umsami]

I just realized that today.

 

I wait, on average, 40 minutes in line to drop them off….and almost an hour to pick them up.  It's insane.  Last year, one hour and 40 minutes of solid work almost covered our day.

 

 

This is ridiculous.

 

 

I realize it's the first week of school and things should get better, but according to veteran Moms at this school, it won't improve by much.

 

Hoping that this is just one year of our lives.

[TammyS]

Why on earth does it take so long?  That makes no sense.  Can you park around the corner and just have the kids meet you?

[Library Momma]

Can they take a bus?  I'm confused why you wait on a line for drop off.

[umsami]

Apparently parents will get in trouble if they do that.  I think it might be faster to park in our old neighborhood and walk the mile to school.  

 

Whoever planned this, did not do a good job.  It is at least a 1/4 mile line to drop off…you weave in and out of the parking lot….go behind the building….and then they let 8 cars at  a time drop off kids.  I think there are 1,000 kids at the school.  Some take the bus, but not enough.

 

 

Hopefully, once we move again, the kids can take the bus.  We are on the waiting list for the bus.

[displace]

:(. Pretty horrible. We walk a half mile and it takes 10-15 min one way. Maybe consider biking or a leisurely walk? I wouldn't waste so much time driving if I were you. Better to spend the time exercising than sitting in a car. (though I don't know your situation so I'm not sure if that's an option for you.)

[TammyS]

Apparently parents will get in trouble if they do that. .

 

Trouble how?  They gonna spank you or something? 

 

I would just do it.  They don't get to decide how you pick up or drop off your kids. 

[Library Momma]

Oh you wait in your car at drop off for that long! That's nuts.I don't understand the list for the bus either.  Doesn't every student enrolled in the school get to ride the bus?

[Luckymama]

When my kids were in private school (thus no busing), I got really good at timing the drop off/pick up system. We'd either arrive shortly after the line started moving (kinda early imo) or five minutes before the first bell. For pick up I'd scoot into the parking lot right when the bell rang---different system for pick up in that we'd have to park in a lower lot, walk up the hill to physically retrieve our kids, and then drive out of the lot once everyone was gathered. I would park at the end of the row that always left first :D

[Farrar]

Trouble how?  They gonna spank you or something? 

 

I would just do it.  They don't get to decide how you pick up or drop off your kids. 

 

I agree.  Don't just abide by the stupid rules, try to change them.

[LLMom]

That does seem insane.  How do those  parents who work outside of the home do it?  Are you close enough to walk them to school?  Or like someone above said, drop them off on a street close and let them walk the rest of the way?   

[magnificent_baby]

This is a normal wait time for our school too and why I only pick up or drop off on rare occasions (same school size as you). It's faster for me to park in the lot and walk in, is this possible for you? I've heard it's faster to wait to until later to leave your house versus getting there early to sit and wait. The primary reason it takes so long at our school is because it is 100% bus or everyday pick up, no houses close enough to walk.

[Laura Corin]

Good grief.  Why does it take so long?  I drive up, park (further away if necessary) and the boys walk in.  When Hobbes was smaller, I walked him in...

 

Can you park around the corner and walk in?

 

L

[Moxie]

Can you carpool with other moms?

[regentrude]

That is completely ridiculous. If you are not allowed to drop the kids off by themselves a quarter mile form school, park the car and walk together with them. It would not occur to me to sit 40 minutes waiting for dropoff or pickup.

Same for pickup - declare them "walkers", pick them up on foot, and walk to the car if it is not feasible to walk the entire way.

[Chris in VA]

I know what you mean! My wait isn't as long, but there are a few reasons it can take a while. One is that the pick up line only moves if the kid is ready to come out--and some kids chat and take their time after school. One dawdler can stop the line for 10 minutes.Mine takes the bus home unless she has a club meeting.

 

We seem to have observed when the best time to drop off is--a few minutes later, and there's a huge line. So dd chooses to go a bit early; of course, she can't go too early or the school won't be open. Starting at 7:20 is pretty early as it is, so we also don't want her going much before  We find a 6:55 drop off is pretty reasonable. It gives her time to drop off her instrument, go to her locker, chat a bit, and then get to class.

 

Maybe a few tries at different times would help you see the patterns in drop off and pick up.

 

ETA--Oh, sorry--just realized you have elementary kiddos. Duh on me.

 

Since everyone is let out at the same time, and everyone is also let in at the same time (well, no super-early drop off), it is much more difficult. Perhaps you could suggest two drop off points. There's no place to park at our elementary school, either--Ft. Belvoir is across the street, and there are no residential streets nearby to park on, so I do understand. I was thinking of our Secondary school, sorry.

[mamaraby]

Is there a side entrance to the school? When ds was in the local ps, I was forever grateful to the woman who pulled us aside on the first day and told us about the side entrance/pick up arrangements she used. It was much easier than the official front line (nightmare!) and we weren't the only ones picking up/dropping off there.

[Pawz4me]

Yes.  When my kids went back to school I really didn't gain much time.  When DS was going it was long wait times to drop off/pick up.  Then he started driving himself but I had to take youngest (different high school).  Drop off/pick up there is quick and simple, but it's a 15-mile drive each way on back roads.  By the time we deal with the other school traffic (we pass either directly or very near three schools on our way) and get stuck behind a few tractors or other farm machinery . .. it's a big time suck.

[texasmama]

Including driving kids to three different schools (one across town), I calculated that I spent about three hours driving at one point.  I had an infant at the time, and I hated that she spent so much time in the carseat!  I like it better now.  :)

[Rebel Yell]

Wait, kids are not allowed to walk to school?  I don't understand that.  Are there no sidewalks or something?

 

There are no sidewalks in my neighborhood- we have white lines painted on the side of the road for kids to walk to school or bus stops.

[unsinkable]

Can you listen to books on tape (oops, CD or MP3) to help pass the time if there is no other alternative to the wait?

[wapiti]

The first week is always a mess.

 

In the morning, I arrive a few minutes early, before the kids are allowed in.  It goes very quickly.  In the afternoon, I arrive at the very end of carline - that means my kids wait a while, but they'd be waiting a bit either way, or else I'd have to get there very early.  Once the school year gets going and parents figure out what they are supposed to be doing (how hard can it be, people??! I find myself asking), I can usually be in and out of the lot in five minutes.  It helps that the school is less than five minutes away and our grocery is across the street if I want to zip in there rather than waiting in carline.  This school has around 400 students, but no buses (charter).  I drop off and pick up five kids and they are accustomed to getting in and out of the car quickly.

[BigMamaBird]

Wow.  That is insanity!  I hope it smooths out in the next few weeks.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Oh, the lines!!! Yes! One of the most frustrating things about pick up and drop off at school.  I only had to do it for a brief time with my own kids, but I've picked up my niece from her school several times and the process is excruciating.

[Jann in TX]

Our district is like this too.

 

My strategy (my youngest attends the local PS):

 

1. Be one of the FIRST to drop off.  Our drop off time begins at 7:30-- school begins at 8.  I have dd there no later than 7:35 or the line is L.O.N.G

DD loves the extra time to socialize.

 

2. Be one of the LAST to pick up.  Pick up begins at 3:25-- I show up at 3:40-- so I'm at the end of the line and my wait time is minimal!

DD again LOVES the extra time.

 

The above was on the advice of dd's 1st grade teacher... it was a pain at first (especially the getting there early part) but now it is 'natural'.

 

Last year dd started taking the bus home-- saves me about 40 minutes and she gets home only 15 minutes later than if I picked her up myself!

Thursday we learn how early the bus runs in our neighborhood -- she is considering taking it to school most days if it does not come too early (in the past we have always been the FIRST pick up and last drop off-- contrary to district policy!   Since I drive a big Suburban (aka 'The Hay Mobile') the bus saves me $$$ in gas too.

 

[KungFuPanda]

If you park 1/4 mile away and hike in, you'll only lose 20 minutes to this process and you'll again a one-mile walk in your day.

[lovinmyboys]

When my son was in school I dropped him off like 3 minutes before school started. We never had to wait in a line that way. But I agree, I could definitely get all the schooling done in the time transpiration/getting everyone in the car took.

[catz]

I would be less than thrilled with that.  When my son went to school, there was a horrible line up but it wasn't that bad. 

[Word Nerd]

That's crazy! Even during the busiest times before and after school, it only takes 5 minutes to drop off or pick up DD...unless parents act like complete idiots. Some parents apparently think they are above following the designated drop-off/pick-up procedure and drop their kids off on the opposite side of the road instead of in the zone in front of the school. With more kids getting out on the street side (instead of getting out directly onto the school grounds from the passenger side) and crossing the road at various places along the street—not even in the crosswalks!—it slows traffic and makes things more dangerous for everyone. Every year the principal has to send home letters reminding parents to go with the flow of traffic, not against it, and every year there are parents who think they're too good to wait in line like everyone else.

[mommymilkies]

Wait, kids are not allowed to walk to school?  I don't understand that.  Are there no sidewalks or something?

That's not too uncommon in schools nowadays-I know several who have that rule.  "Safety" reasons. 

 

OP, it's crazy.  When my oldest was in school it was much the same for us.  An hour on the bus to get to school 5 miles away (one vehicle household and dh had to be at work), and 1.5 hours back.  That's more time than we spent on work for her grade. 

[Laura Corin]

That's not too uncommon in schools nowadays-I know several who have that rule.  "Safety" reasons. 

 

 

So, if you live next door, you can't walk into school?  I can't imagine that flying here.  Schools are always trying to persuade people to walk their children to school, to reduce air pollution and increase exercise.  Pavements (sidewalks) are almost always set up around schools, even in rural areas.

 

ETA: buses and bus passes are usually only provided for children who live more than two miles from school.

 

L

[mommymilkies]

So, if you live next door, you can't walk into school?  I can't imagine that flying here.  Schools are always trying to persuade people to walk their children to school, to reduce air pollution and increase exercise.  Pavements (sidewalks) are almost always set up around schools, even in rural areas.

 

L

A lot of the new school buildings going up here are on the edge of town or right outside of town, so that might be part of it.  But in another town where my SIL is an aide, that's their rule, too.  You would have to use the bus if you can't drive. 

[TranquilMind]

Trouble how?  They gonna spank you or something? 

 

I would just do it.  They don't get to decide how you pick up or drop off your kids. 

They DO make rules about this and you had better follow them or else they penalize your child, or remove your child.  At least that was my experience.  I waited at least half an hour every time.  I finally parked down the road and mine just walked a block (this was high school though). 

 

[TranquilMind]

Remove your child?  I find that hard to believe.  Aside from your kid murdering someone at school, I didn't think it was legal to remove them (without a good reason).

 

I do get that sometimes it's just not safe. 

Well, not if it is public, I suppose.  But there sure were a lot of implied threats. 

[Wheres Toto]

Our district is like this too.

 

My strategy (my youngest attends the local PS):

 

1. Be one of the FIRST to drop off.  Our drop off time begins at 7:30-- school begins at 8.  I have dd there no later than 7:35 or the line is L.O.N.G

DD loves the extra time to socialize.

 

2. Be one of the LAST to pick up.  Pick up begins at 3:25-- I show up at 3:40-- so I'm at the end of the line and my wait time is minimal!

DD again LOVES the extra time.

 

The above was on the advice of dd's 1st grade teacher... it was a pain at first (especially the getting there early part) but now it is 'natural'.

 

Last year dd started taking the bus home-- saves me about 40 minutes and she gets home only 15 minutes later than if I picked her up myself!

Thursday we learn how early the bus runs in our neighborhood -- she is considering taking it to school most days if it does not come too early (in the past we have always been the FIRST pick up and last drop off-- contrary to district policy!   Since I drive a big Suburban (aka 'The Hay Mobile') the bus saves me $$$ in gas too.

 

This is what I would suggest.  When oldest dd was in school I had to drop her off every day she was at my house because she went to school in her dad's town.  I would check the website and find out the earliest kids were allowed in the building and drop her off around that time.  The lines usually were at their worst 10-15 minutes before class starts and usually they allow them in around 30 minutes ahead.

 

End of day, I would either get there first and sit at the front of the line, or 15-20 minutes after school let out when the line was almost gone.

 

I had at least one infant with me most of the time I was doing this drop-off and pick-up, and I definitely wasn't going to spend a bunch of time hanging around waiting.

[hjffkj]

At one school here they charge parents a fee for being late to pick there kids up. The crazy thing is they mark you late if you pull up in the pick up line after a certain time. It doesn't matter that you're actually incapable of getting on them in the car for another 5 minutes because you have to wait in the line

[gaillardia]

At least it might give your dc time to do their homework before they get to school, that way it is fresh in their minds. :lol:

I had to do the waiting game when little guy was in kindergarten. Drudgery.

[Momling]

That's nuts! My 10 yr old rides her bike (about 2 miles) and does great. My 12 yr old gets a ride when she goes in and I just pull over and drop her off within a quarter mile or so if there's any traffic.

[Anne in CA]

My experience with ps in the past has been that it is wildly inefficient. I have picked up friend's kids and been horrified at the wait myself. IME, home schooling is not more work than ps, if you are taking ps seriously and doing everything you can for your kids. My dd is about to start ps high school tomorrow, and I know it will be painful for me to deal with the things that are inefficient, already I drove forty miles to the school, paid an employee to cover for me, and the person I was supposed to meet at the school wasn't there. ARRRRGGG. It cost me more than sixty dollars for a meeting that didn't happen, and they could have cared less. But that is the price I am going to pay for the next four years, and I'm going to learn to be a good sport about it.

[DawnM]

Here there is ONE line and that is the only one you can use.

 

 

Is there a side entrance to the school? When ds was in the local ps, I was forever grateful to the woman who pulled us aside on the first day and told us about the side entrance/pick up arrangements she used. It was much easier than the official front line (nightmare!) and we weren't the only ones picking up/dropping off there.

 

[mommymilkies]

Here there is ONE line and that is the only one you can use.

Same here.  And you aren't allowed in the school without signing in and getting a visitor badge.  You may only pick up from the main door. 

[Word Nerd]

Is there a side entrance to the school? When ds was in the local ps, I was forever grateful to the woman who pulled us aside on the first day and told us about the side entrance/pick up arrangements she used. It was much easier than the official front line (nightmare!) and we weren't the only ones picking up/dropping off there.

 

Our MS/HS school has more than one entrance that students can use, but the elementary school only has one. Kids can walk or bike to school here.

[Reefgazer]

That's what we did.  Or we just walked, when I had time to kill.

 

Would it be possible to drop them off up the street and have them walk one street?  Maybe that would take less time and aggravation for you?

 

That does seem crazy.

 

[Reefgazer]

I don't really see what they could do to you if you did that.  Just tell them you walked to school on that particular day.

Apparently parents will get in trouble if they do that.  I think it might be faster to park in our old neighborhood and walk the mile to school.  

 

Whoever planned this, did not do a good job.  It is at least a 1/4 mile line to drop off…you weave in and out of the parking lot….go behind the building….and then they let 8 cars at  a time drop off kids.  I think there are 1,000 kids at the school.  Some take the bus, but not enough.

 

 

Hopefully, once we move again, the kids can take the bus.  We are on the waiting list for the bus.

 

[stripe]

So, if you live next door, you can't walk into school? I can't imagine that flying here. Schools are always trying to persuade people to walk their children to school, to reduce air pollution and increase exercise.

L

There was a school near me that started encouraging walking and it seems to have been a big positive all the way around.

 

But you know, driving is the American way. Walking is for people in poor countries. ;)

[Reefgazer]

Until walking along the road with your child is illegal, a good pushback from the parent would end that.  Public schools threaten all the time, but they are mostly all bark and no bite.

They DO make rules about this and you had better follow them or else they penalize your child, or remove your child.  At least that was my experience.  I waited at least half an hour every time.  I finally parked down the road and mine just walked a block (this was high school though). 

 

[TammyS]

That's very bizarre.

 

I do notice a lot of parents around here walk their kids to school, but as far as I know there is no rule against walking.  What if a person does not have a car?  Or can't drive?  Seems like an odd policy.

 

More importantly, what if a person just says "bite me, my kids are walking"?

 

There would be a lot less rule making if people weren't so willing to follow.

[TammyS]

They DO make rules about this and you had better follow them or else they penalize your child, or remove your child.  At least that was my experience.  I waited at least half an hour every time.  I finally parked down the road and mine just walked a block (this was high school though). 

 

Penalize them HOW?  Remove them from WHAT?  The school?  I'm pretty sure that's illegal.  I'd love to sue them over it.

[TammyS]

At one school here they charge parents a fee for being late to pick there kids up. The crazy thing is they mark you late if you pull up in the pick up line after a certain time. It doesn't matter that you're actually incapable of getting on them in the car for another 5 minutes because you have to wait in the line

 

And into the circular file those bills would go.  Woosh!

[AimeeM]

Well, as the kids get older, homeschooling takes much longer than 1 hour, 40 minutes, lol.

We homeschool for at least 2 (if not 3) hours with my 5 year old, and 5 hours or so with my 7th grader.

 

With that said, I will say that having a kiddo in brick and mortar school takes a lot more time than most think. Last year, between the drive there to drop off, random P/T conferences, other things for the school, pick up time, etc... it seemed difficult to fit in homeschooling the middle kiddo, appointments, etc.

[AimeeM]

There was a school near me that started encouraging walking and it seems to have been a big positive all the way around.

 

But you know, driving is the American way. Walking is for people in poor countries. ;)

 

I think it depends on what kind of area the school is located in.

 

When DD attended the private school last year, there was a public elementary school located right next door. Regular traffic was INSANE, just because of the normal road traffic (busy, busy, road with medical offices, grocery outlets, residential, several schools, etc. There were subdivisions right across from the elementary school, and a TON of walkers... and I almost wishes they didn't allow walkers. It was dangerous. The stop-go of the traffic (which was always bumper to bumper, regardless of school traffic) and banking on the cars to see the tiny crosswalk patrol, seemed very risky.