Got Quads?

The drop-off/pick-up procedure at my daughters’ preschool stresses me out. It’s really simple, but there are always those parents who think their time is more valuable than others. There are two lanes in front of the school. One is for driving, one is for dropping off. When school started this year I had to be there 20 minutes early and camp out in front of the building if I had any hopes of getting my daughters to school on time. Parents would simply park their cars in the drop off lane and walk their kids in to class, chat with the teachers, chat with parents. I had to “claim” a spot so I wasn’t faced with the prospect of trying to lead four toddlers through a busy parking lot. Then the administration started cracking down on the “lane violators” and basically said if you’re in the drop-off lane you can’t get out of your car. Essentially the school now has “valet service” with the teachers and aides coming to your car to take your kids. (I still have to get out because it’s faster for me to get my daughters out of the car than it is to let the aides do it). Then everyone started arriving really early and parking in the drop-off lane to wait for the teachers. Parents would even park in the driving lane and block those of us in who were ready to leave. So then the teachers had to start directing traffic. I wait patiently at the end of the line until I’m all the way at the front. Then I can unload my girls without holding up other parents. Still, there’s always a parent who thinks he or she should go in the driving lane around all of us waiting to be closer to the front of the line and zip in front of us, rather than waiting turns. This morning I watched the principal put orange cones in the driving lane and shut it down. I must say, drop-off was smooth and fast.

I understand everyone has some place to be in the morning. Whether it’s work or an appointment or whatever. But we all have some place to be. I just wish everyone would exercise some patience in their daily life and realize things would go a lot smoother if we treat one another with respect.

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