JFF Are You a Slow Dropper-offer or Fast One?

I drive the bus so....Anyhow, I appreciate all of the parents who get in and out of the drop off lines quickly because if I have to wait in the line then I am late to my next run and then I have cranky freezing kids and upset parents who blame me when it's really out of my control.

I don't understand the whole "drop off line" thing. Where I live either you live close enough to walk to school or you are far enough to ride the bus. We are close enough to walk, so my kids walk. (They have since kindergarten, and it is about 30 below zero here today!) If for some reason I had to drive my kids to school and we had such a thing as a "drop off line" I would avoid it altogether by dropping the kids off a block away from the school. When I do drop my kids off places I certainly don't get out and open the doors for them!

I probably would have rammed her ;-) We have a 4 lane drop off in the parking lot and this morning I got stuck behind someone who walked her kid all the way in the front door. I dunno, maybe I'm extra edgy because of having too much on my plate at the moment and had a whining toddler in the back, but I was incredibly annoyed.

My kids jump out of the car like Navy Seals.

**Patty K** Not everyone lives close enough for school bus service. We live in a different school district from the (private) school my kids go to. Even after we move later this month, we still won't be close enough. I'll be driving my kids until they're in high school. Not everyone has the same set up. Even if they did, not everyone wants their kid to be on the bus. Some of the worst bullying occurs there.

This absolutely cracks me up. It's soo true! I'm practically shoving my children out the door...get your things, go go go! There are people behind us!! And then there are parents who get out and open the car door for the little one and walk them up the sidewalk. We have attendants who try to keep things moving, but those parents seem to still do the same thing each time. Thanks for the laugh today!

i'm with you. the time for the leisurely exchange of love and good wishes for the day is at home.
zen goddesses are awesome much of the time.
not here.
:) khairete
S.

Clearly your school needs a drop off line Nazi. And, yes, I would have been ready to strangle miss hold up the line.

Our school has someone outside who
1) keeps parents from getting out of the car. Kids have to hop out by themselves.
and
2) No passing other cars. So you MUST wait for the line of cars to move. If the person in front of you is slow, too bad. You wait.
3) As the whole line of cars pulls away, he makes the next front car pull the whole way up to the end of the drop off curb so that about 5 cars can unload at once.

It goes really smoothly, IMO. Of course, our school has a person to do this because until a year or two ago, we had the exact thing that you describe and it was chaotic - people almost getting hit when the 'in a hurry' drivers pulled around other cars, kids late for school because 'not in a hurry' drivers slowed everything down. It didn't work for anyone.

Me? Unless something unusual is going on, I'm a "you can ride the bus' mom :)

Nope if you are at the curb, the parents are to stay in the car and the students exit the car on their own.

They also have a few administrators out front in the mornings to assist if a child is moving too slow, or if they need to remind a parent to drive around because their child is not ready to get out of the car for some reason.

Sure some parents get mad, so we recommend they volunteer to help a few mornings and then help with suggestions.. Nips it in the bud real quick.

At our elementary school, there are teachers and Safety Patrol (a group of 5th graders) who assist on getting children out of the car and car moving on quickly.

Parents do not get out of the car unless they are parked in the parking lot and walk the children in themselves.

There is no passing.. sometimes a police officer is handy to assist with the ragers who come through.

For myself, when I dropped daughter off, we had already said goodbye have a nice day in the car on the way to school. Her job was to get out as quickly and safely as possible and get into the building.

I'll never understand the slow movers and we do have some here in TX. Those are the ones with the attitude that "It is all about me and my world". Urgh....

We face the slow movers everywhere, grocery lines are awful..... Why can't you get everything in your basket that you need when shopping... but no no no.... let's have people behind you wait while you run get the forgotten item... And usually come back with arms loaded. Selfish much!!!

I guess you can tell that the slow movers get on my nerves.

I'm with you. And I've seen it at the middle school (no kindergartners at all.. everyone should be fully capable of being ready to exit the vehicle and doing so quickly.. they've been sitting in the line for a minimum of 3 minutes already, after all).
Used to drive me up the wall.
Also, these same parents are the ones that will stop DIRECTLY in front of the double doors, rather than pulling up past them (there are 3 more car lengths of covered sidewalk beyond the doors) so that multiple cars/kids can disembark.

And Patty- why so judgmental? If your kid had to board the bus at 6:15 a.m. with a school start time of 8:00 a.m., you might choose to drive your kid, too.

Our elementary school had a drop off lane monitor who ran that thing like a well-oiled machine. Parents were NOT ALLOWED to leave their car. She let in about 8 cars into the circle at a time, ALL cars let out their kids at once, then ALL 8 cars were expected to LEAVE the circle in order. Then repeat with the next 8 cars. Nobody was EVER allowed to actually PARK in the drop off circle. Super efficient, super safe, no dawdling, no passing and it was a pleasure. By the time the kids were in middle school, we, the parents, had been VERY WELL TRAINED in drop off rules and etiquette. Nobody monitors the middle school or high school drop offs, but, MAN, do they run well.

Hubby does drop off. He has kids unbuckle (stay in seats) as soon as they are in line. Then it's out the door they go. Occasionally, I take them and OMG some people are sooooooo slow.

Also, our drop off line has 2 doors. The rule is you pull forward until the line stops. If you are lined up with the sidewalk (about 7-8 cars care lined up at one time), then the kiddos get out and walk to the closest door. Buuuuuuuuuuut, some parents will inch along until their car is right in front of the door their precious child wants to walk through. Other parents will drop precious #1 at the first door and precious #2 at the second door. DRIVES ME NUTS!!!!!

We only live 1.5 miles from school, but part of the road has no sidewalk. The bus picks up at 6:25am (waaaaaaay too early!). My kids get up at 6:40 and leave at 7:15. School starts at 7:40.

I try to be very considerate of those still waiting behind me. I'm not the ONLY O. trying to get somewhere after drop off, after all. That should be obvious. At our school, you're not ALLOWED to get out of the car to help your kid--barring special circumstances. And still, yeah, there are the rude and clueless.

(I confess, a few years back I actually blew my horn when O. clueless mom was getting her 15 minutes of fame! lol Some people can sit in the line for 10 minutes, observer everyone in front of them proceeding on a timely manner, and then seem genuinely perplexed to find themselves "up" for drop off. Beyond rude!)

I walk my son to school. I really don't understand drop-off lines. Are we so afraid that our kids will die walking a block or two to school if we drop them off there?

ETA: I wasn't suggesting walking to school, just suggesting that maybe they could get dropped of 'near' school, or park near and walk. That's all...

Get outta my car!!!
Zoom zoom.

Parents like the one you describe should park in the lot. At my kids school parents were not allowed to get out of the car in the drop off lane. At all. The 8th graders all had to have service hours and one of the ways they got them was working the drop off line. There were 5 8th graders lined up along the sidewalk. Cars would pull forward 5 at a time. Doors opened, kids out doors closed all pulled forward so next 5 could repeat. Principal was outside. If a parent held up the line in the way you described a phone call would happen and parent would be told that kind of drop off was in the lot not the line. It's inconsiderate. And to not do it again.

I always HATED drop off/pick up lines.
It's road rage meets dawdlers and just not worth it.
Park your car, go walk into the building and drop them off/pick them up in person.
Doing this I often got in, out and driving away while people were still parked in the waiting line or wrangling for a spot in the line.

Additional:
I recently started working food service at public school so I've witnessed a few drop off incidents.
At this school the drop off entrance is behind the school and there is a cut off time.
When the clock ticks over the doors are locked and anyone who's late has to go around front, leave their car and sign in their tardy student.
I saw a woman leave her car, scream 'White b*t**' repeatedly and beat on the doors before getting back in her car with her child and going around front.
Some people are under a lot of stress and/or they are perpetually late for everything.
They are not always rational people.

Where we use to live where I grew up, if temps were below a certain level, buses would stop and pick up anyone within the normal walking distance.
Kids would stand on the bus for the short ride.

Ha! Oh this made me laugh... you are right on.

I am a slow, slow, slow dropper-offer. I would not dream of using the drop off line because I KNOW I move slow getting my kids in the door and I just would not want to be that mom... We park in a side lot and I walk them in, because it's an option to do that, which at this age, I just love.

We do live close enough to walk (about a mile) and while I can understand why some people can't see why others don't make their kids walk -- I think people have their own reasons why they do things and am not sure why others can't understand that.

Mine would have to cross several VERY busy roads. That is enough for me to nix that for this age. I'm home and able to walk with them, but I do work from home, and walking would add more time to my morning than I can spare. People have their reasons. :)

We have a teacher who monitors the drop off line to help keep things moving. Whoever is on duty opens the kids' doors so the parents don't have to get out of the car. They make sure people pull forward as soon as they can. It's pretty efficient.

We walk, so we don't ever go through the drop off line, but I see it every morning. Once in awhile, someone is annoying and slows the whole thing down but it's usually pretty good.

Haha, this makes me laugh. I'm #3, but if in my heart I'm a #1, it's just that my kid is sooooooo slow! She takes forever to get out of the car and I'm like, honey you gotta go, people behind us, scurry along, come on… :)

Luckily we have a principal who's pretty on top of it and stands outside at drop off every morning and there's no way she'd let that lady get out of her car in the line OR let her kid out on traffic side!

Why are all these kids being driven to school? I get the I e mile thing but really how many kids is that. The replies shocked me. Put your child in the school bus. That solves all the drop off problems people are talking about.

I cant stand the parents who get out of the car in the drop off line. If your kid has a project or something you need to park and walk them in or park and help them get it out. Arrive early if you need to. Wake up early if you need to. Teach your kids to be responsible. Its your job. I am relaxed about drop off because I have my kids trained well. We have at least 100 feet in the parking lot before the kids can get out so (gasp) I let them unbuckle when we get in the lot. The school has a second lane but it is pretty narrow and then the 2 lanes make a u turn together and there is not much room so I wait for the cars in front of me to move. But no one is waiting on me to finish. And this is at 755 too so its not like we sleep in or anything.

ETA: In our school district - we have kids that are in the "immersion" program for languages...and they are forced to drive their kid(s) to school if they are not in the boundary for bus service.

Our elementary schools have "patrols" that open the car doors and keep the lines moving. The parent that got out of their car and took the back pack at?? was told NOT to get out of their car by a patrol. YAHOO!!!

Since we have snow and ice, our bus stops are NOT cleared and MANY people drive their kids to school.
_____________________

When I drop my kids off at school? They are ready to hop out and get to their classroom.

I CANNOT stand people who put their kids back packs and instruments in the BACK of the car, stop, get out and hold everyone else up because they aren't prepared.

I GET large instruments - bass, cello, etc. - get OUT of the "line" and park...don't hold other people up...

I'm RELAXED at drop off because my kids are prepared. They have their backpacks and whatever else they need. There's no looking, jumping out grabbing from the back, etc.

OMG I am like you. Get the hell out and move on! My kids school is grades 3-5 so everyone is old enough to get out of the car by him or herself. And yet. There are parents who STILL stop, get out, walk around the car, let their kids out, etc. WTH!!! I am usually a seething ball of rage by the time I get out of the line.

Even worse? Our school has a dual front entrance because although it's one building, it used to be considered two schools. So there is a set of doors on the right of the center of the school, and another set of doors on the left, maybe 100 feet away. BOTH sets of doors empty into the same lobby. You can get where you need to go from either set. And yet...some parents will ONLY drop their child in front of the set of doors that their child's classroom is on. This means that if the child is in the right wing, they will stop at those doors even if there is room in front to move up in the line and make more room for other cars! Equally infuriating are the parents who will sit in front of the right doors, then drive up and stop *again* in front of the left doors to get their precious cargo who can't walk 100 extra feet out.

The kicker? All of this foolishness goes on with teachers standing there holding signs that stay "pull forward" or "stop." These ignorant, self-absorbed parents just completely ignore the signs and stop wherever is best for their children and take all the time in the world getting them out of the car.

FWIW this is the only option...the parking lot is too small to park in so you have to use the traffic circle if your kid can't take the bus and it's too cold, icy, rainy, snowy etc,. to walk.

The good old days.

I'm definitely more like you. I would often joke with the kids about tucking and rolling. LOL

Thanks for the great memories flooding back.

It was better for my son when he didn't have to rely on me to get him there. I'm too intense and anal about getting him to school. We would even be early but that didn't seem to stop me from insisting they move quickly and purposefully. LOL

My son's kindergarten had two options. For the all day kids (mine), you could do car line or you could park and walk your child in. The 1/2 day kids could only do car line. And the school teachers opened the door, got the kids out and shooed the parents off. FAST. Because they NEVER would have gotten all the kids in if they had to wait for the zen goddess parents. Currently my son takes the bus. The kids spot the bus coming, run over for a hug and goodbye and are lined up before the bus stops and opens the door. Not one looks back :)

I'm the fast type, but with 4 kids, athletic bags, backpacks, and guitars in one car there's a limit to how fast I can be. All the bags are in the back, no room for them up front. We can't park to unload, school won't allow it due to limited parking. So we pull up and everyone jumps out and runs around to get their stuff as quickly as possible. I figure the extra time to get the stuff out is nullified by the fact that since we carpool there's one less car in the line, lol.
Luckily for me I don't do drop off much, I'm pickup in our carpool. Pickup annoys the tar out of me, the line is huge, there are obviously 100+ cars waiting, little Debbie does not need you to get out of your car to hug her and buckle her seatbelt! This is also not the appropriate time to have a chat with the teacher on duty! Common courtesy is really a lost value.

ETA - and Patty - not everyone has school busses or is close enough to walk. My kids attend a charter school with no busses and they would have to cross a freeway to get there. We drive, so do most of the other 1200 students.

It depends on when we got out the door. Usually fairly relaxed.

Kids who need help getting out of the car at our school generally get help from the staff on hand (one or two there to greet them). Most do not linger long as the staff keep the kids moving.

We walk to the building (either walk from home or I park and walk her from the street). I do this in part not to be stuck in the drop off lane and in part because she's asked me to walk her. She's only 6. In the lobby it's a hug and a love you and off she goes. Then I walk back and am often around the block and heading home before the line is cleared.

ETA: For us, when my stepkids were in middle school, we dropped them off because we had to drive by the school anyway. That was from the drop off circle and they got out quickly, off they went (12 yr olds don't linger with a parent....)

Some of our kids are bused in because we have overcrowding in different areas and they are trying to spread the kids around. They just redid one elementary school and it's enormous...but I bet it fills up quickly.

In good weather, our kids walk/walked, but in cold weather with no bus, I'm driving DD over. I don't want to walk there, and I'm sure she doesn't, either. Many students live near community schools. If they are within 1 mile for elementary, 1.5 for middle or 2 miles for HS, they are not given the option of a bus.

When a parent shows up in the line in the last few minutes before the bell facing delays is a potential a natural consequence. It seems logical to me that if a person was concerned about being held up by slower parents, they would make a point to try to arrive at the school earlier.

The last-minute dash into the school is not a good habit to form, as far as learning life skills go. Kids need to be taught by their parents how to allow appropriate time in case of uncontrollable circumstances. Having to rush in to the school to beat the bell should be seen as a negative experience. Allowing sufficient time also gives kids the opportunity to learn how to wait calmly and with patience.

Honk the horn and start pulling up. She'll get the idea she's blocking both lanes and perhaps let you guys pass. I'd sure ask the principle to be outside to rush the parents on through.

I try to be a fast dropper offer. I used to have my kids get out on the traffic side because the infant seat was on the sidewalk side (so it was easier for me to reach back and give baby binky, toy, etc) and it was too hard for the kids to get around that. But since he's moved to a forward facing, I moved his seat to another spot. So now, when I pull up, I tell them I love them, have a good day, etc. There are LOTS of parents in our district that get out, open the door and give their kids a hug or kiss. I did that for a bit because I thought it was nice and they were on the traffic side of the street. But now, I don't. I feel the same - if you need a few minutes, park, don't use the drive up/drop off lane. I also usually just pull around a person in front of me (if there is room).

I generally give people the benefit of the doubt (maybe he had a rough morning. Maybe she had a rough night. Maybe their family is just having a hard time.)

It keeps me from stewing all day about someone else's (perceived) social transgression. Bigger picture and whatnot.

Our school has a circle drive that they use for dropoff. It is staffed by 2 to 3 teachers & staff members who "assist" parents in being quick and remind both parents and students of the rules when necessary - pull all the way up to the end of the driveway, exit on the school side only, walk on the sidewalk, be quick, etc. It really helps!

I try very hard to be quick, but there are times my boys don't quite cooperate. I give them notice that we are almost there and they can unbuckle. I remind them that it's time to grab their bag, get out of the car, etc. Sometimes they are distracted. Sometimes my oldest wants one last hug/kiss. (I will miss that when he decides he's too old.) But I really do try to get them out of the car as fast as possible.

The example you gave does not sound at all like my situation, so I absolutely understand your frustration. You're doing the best you can, and if feels like others are completely oblivious to your situation. Ug!!!

OMG. I don't work so I'm not in a rush. My son switched mid-year to a charter school after being bullied badly in public school. I don't know what the heck it is at drop off that takes so freaking long but it's ridiculous! I mean, there's the parents that remotely pop open the back hatch/trunk and the kid gets out, gets their backpack out, sometimes the parent gets out to "help" them, then there's the multiple kids where they all get out, take their time getting backpacks, lunches, etc, the parents get out, go around the car to "help" them get out and chat about what...I don't know, but clearly have a conversation. I mean REALLY? How hard is it for the kid to open their door, get out, turn around and grab their stuff and get out. THEN the parent has to SIT there and wait until their kid gets inside while they are watching anxiously. THERE ARE TEACHERS OUT THERE, THEY WON'T GET STOLEN OR RUN OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Eeeeeekkkkk, sore subject with me obviously. And if my kid starts to dwaddle and take his time I'm all, come on come on, there's cars behind us! So I don't get it but it annoys me clearly. lol

The school parking lot is actually closed to traffic both before and after school for a certain amount of time. When I drop off in the morning it's always a *fingers crossed* deal that we'll be able to pull up and drop off. The line is always long and too many people park in the drop-off/pick-up ONLY area alongside the curb which is also a busy street so the flow of traffic gets crazy. I'm one that is quick to pull over but depending on traffic determines how quick you can pull back onto the street and thus out. There are times when I have to drop my kid off a block away because there are that many cars trying to drop off their children as well. We're 1.38 miles away so no bus transportation for us and I will not allow her to walk on her own.

To answer your final question I feel *meh* about the drop off. My daughter is always ready to go. The only people that make me angry beyond those who park in at the curb(drop-off/pick-up area)are the ones that pull toward the school yet still technically in the middle of traffic and let their kids out. These are elementary school children.

Here I was thinking you were asking how fast we can fall asleep. :)

We do not have a drop off line. One of the streets by the school is blocked and only buses can enter. And we don't really have a bus route as only children (or those with disabled parents) with special needs get bussed. One side of the school is on a busy street so that is 2 streets gone, plus the street parallel to the blocked street is almost at the end of the block so that is out. So, that leaves a one way street that is blocked by people driving their kids to school. And if you want to get down that street, hope cars pulled to the left as much as possible. And no huge SUV are blocking because then everyone is blocked. They have asked people not to stop there as it can cause major problems, accidents and someone could get hurt. Some people are smart enough to park a block away and walk the rest of the way to school (and some people cannot walk their child 3 blocks to school when they leave pretty close). Most people that block the street can be pretty considerate and watch for others but there are some real doozies.

This has been one of my pet peeves over the years. I drop off quickly? Why? Because I'm not the only one there! My daughter drives now, so I'm finished dealing with this. But I'll tell you, I've felt like ramming people who take MINUTES to drop off a kid or two. I've seen people stuffing things in backpacks, giving extra kisses, getting out of the car to help the kids out, having a short prayer or something...... Sheesh! You know there are people behind you. Have your kid be ready to jump out of the car when you arrive. It's really not that difficult. If he/she is not going to be ready to get out of the car, don't get in the damn line! Rant over.

Oh and I love all the moms on here who say "let your kids walk, ride the bus, or drop them off a block from school." My kids went to a private school 8 miles away with no bus service. And really no sidewalks in the area, so it wasn't safe to dump them out a block away. If people would just follow the rules of no parking in the drop off/pick up lane, there wouldn't have been problems. The parents who were holding up traffic appeared totally clueless to me.