Pick-up Etiquette for Dummies. Version 1.0

Beanie is open enrolled in one of the now 5 soon to be 6 elementary schools in town.  There were several reasons for this.  Between K and 1st grade the district changed our school boundaries.  We were moved from one of the "under performing" schools to the other "under performing" schools with the opening of a new elementary school and our thought was "better the devil you know".  No, we wouldn't get to go the new school.  We're one of those older "established" subdivisions that has the name "estates" in our title which means we fit a certain demographic for under performing schools.  And that's ok because I didn't want her to be at the new school as it would involve a fairly long bus ride.  I was also very happy with the teachers and principal of the "under performing" school.  So, since we had two children in elementary school at the time and the district has planned another elementary school, the closest to our house, to be opening in 2009 (which was put off til 2011) and I didn't want my middle daughter having to change elementary schools 3 times in 5 years, we decided to open enroll them both in the school they were at (and the school their brother and older sister thrived in).

But, being open enrolled means, above all else, I HAVE to get dressed in the morning as I have to drop them (now just her) off at school and pick her up from school, vs staying in my jammies, box of bon-bons under my arm, a schedule for all the day's soaps at hand and seeing them climb onto their big yellow bus from the comfort of my front door /end sarcasm.  Luckily, our friends have also open enrolled their girls and we have been able to share our carpooling duties.  That means, I do get my jammie mornings, occasionally.  BUT, I think I would rather forgo the jammie morning every morning if it meant I didn't have to pick up after school.  EVER.

I have been doing this pick up every afternoon for the past 3, going on 4 years and I swear, some of these people who are picking up their kids are either the stupidest, or the most inconsiderate people, OR BOTH I have EVER come across.  Pick up would go so smoothly if people would move along in the line, pulling forward as cars moved out of the circle.  BUT NOOOOOO...they just sit there.  While there is a long line of cars waiting to get in to pick up kids and wait.  Most of these cars are in line on a 4 lane road waiting to pull into the pick up circle because someone can't have their little precious child walk an extra 10 feet if they were to pull forward. And the front half of the circle is devoid of cars.

Originally I figured, I'd just arrive late and swoop in, grab my child and be gone.  But no.  Apparently it really doesn't matter what time you come to pick up your child, SOMEONE will be blocking the circle.

Then late last week there was a police car there.  Blocking the inside lane (which, I readily admit, I use in an attempt to bypass the mess on the road).  So, I stayed right...only until I was able to go around the police car.  Heh, heh, heh...  Beanie said he was giving some direction as apparently I am not the only person to have seen this whole pick up scenario as an accident waiting to happen.  Then again, earlier this week there was another police car, in the inner lane again but pulled further up.  OY!  As if to make my life more difficult. (YES..it IS all about ME ME ME)  I was literally blocked in by the car in front of me, as the driver had gotten out of her vehicle and was being instructed (or so I assumed) as to how to do the pick-up after school by the police officer. So, I figured EVERYONE was going to get instructions on how to pick up.  I dunno.  As I got close, though I got waved through.   Maybe they thought, "Hey, SHE looks pretty intelligent and can figure this crap out".  Or maybe they thought, "DAMN...I'M not going to be the one to tell that Amazon how this works, she might hurt me".  Either way, I got waved through  to pick up Beanie.  Not sure if I actually stopped...she may have had a running start. The car door may have been open.   I may have left tire marks.  I don't remember.

That brings us to yesterday.  I go...LATE...to pick up Beanie (you understand now why I drink right?) and once again, I am in a line of IDIOTS.  But this time there is no  police car.  However, the principal (who I happen to adore) is out there and he is motioning me to...wait for it...PULL FORWARD.  To do what I know to do.  I grab and go...and maybe leave tire marks again.  In the snow.  It's all a little fuzzy.

I know this shouldn't be a "big deal".  In the grand scheme of things it's not.  I guess I just can't wrap my brain around the WHY some parents can't seem to figure this out.  It's not rocket science.


I guess that's why they have "dummy" books.