Preschool Drop Off Quasi Confession--I miss the gold old days

wheelenl

You know the gold old days. When you could just leave your infant in the car and take your kid into preschool. Really, honestly, the ONLY reason I bring him is because I'm afraid someone will call the cops on me.

It's only five minutes. LO is warmer in the car. It takes twice as long to bring him. 

In our city, we have had two very high-profile cases of working moms accidentally leaving their LOs in a hot car and the LO died.

I have never forgotten either LO in the car, but sometimes I think about leaving them if it's just for two-five minutes. I don't do it, but I want to.

Anyone else? Preschool can't do carpool lane because of "security issues."

ETA: This is a very safe area, they just don't want the liability of accidentally putting a child in a car with a dad who's not supposed to see the kid, etc., etc. 

roshybride

I would never do it either, but yeah I am tempted to do something like that sometimes. It is just so hard with two little ones sometimes.

yellowcar

I hear you.  Our preschool is on the second floor of a renovated warehouse with parking on the other side of the complex.  When I was on maternity leave with DS and just dropping off DD, I HATED it--it took me forever, I had to lug DS in his infant seat, etc. etc.  It totally sucked when I would go to her room to pick her up, only to find out that the whole room was outside on the playground (back down the hall, down the elevator, around to the opposite side of the building, then across the parking lot to my car)

But I totally get why it is unsafe, and I am happy to do it.  But man, I wish it were easier.

madhatter2003

I know what you mean. Especially when I'm picking them up after daycare and the door is 2 feet from my car. I'm so worried DD will dart into the parking lot that I'd LOVE to leave her inside, put DS in the car, then go back for her....but I"m sure I'd get in 'trouble' for leaving him in the car.

luvmagoldn

Both preschools I am considering require you to walk the kids in each morning, which I agree with whole heartedly.  However, one has a pick up car line after school and the other does not.  I am really hoping for the one that has the car line!

I hope to be able to drop the boys off in the morning while the baby stays with the nanny.  She will then pick them up after school and it would be nice if she could keep the baby in the car with her instead of having to unload the baby and wrangle three kids back to the car.

I've got my fingers crossed!

Roco&Leche

At my nephew's school they actually have a few guards that are by the cars to help with this exact situation, to watch that kids are "safe" in the car as the mom runs in for the other one.  The moms are never gone for more than a few mins.   

It is in another country (Mexico) so I am sure the culture just allows for it.  Also, the pre-school is in a gated community so you dont have people just walking around the vehicles that could take the kids or something crazy like that.  

I am sure there are also some rules and regulations (like not leaving the keys in the car, but leaving a window open, etc) but it did make things so easy for my cousin (the mom) when she had the little one sleeping, etc. 

wheelenl

Roco&Leche:

At my nephew's school they actually have a few guards that are by the cars to help with this exact situation, to watch that kids are "safe" in the car as the mom runs in for the other one.  The moms are never gone for more than a few mins.   

It is in another country (Mexico) so I am sure the culture just allows for it.  Also, the pre-school is in a gated community so you dont have people just walking around the vehicles that could take the kids or something crazy like that.  

I am sure there are also some rules and regulations (like not leaving the keys in the car, but leaving a window open, etc) but it did make things so easy for my cousin (the mom) when she had the little one sleeping, etc. 

I would not be surprised at all that Mexico would have a much more reasonable way to do this. Sure there are some drawbacks but I think we could all take a lesson from the way kids are raised in places like Latin America. The main lesson being, just chill.

The_Jen626

Oh that makes sense!  What a pain to have to bring the baby inside for 2 minutes.  Especially once you start using a convertible seat! 

My Stepdad remembers (probably in the 1950's?) sitting in his Dad's car for hours by himself when he was a kid, and his Dad would park in the bar parking lot, and go inside and drink for hours, and then drive young stepdad home.  Isn't that awful??

My DH remembers (late 1980's) his Dad driving down the street with a beer can and/or smoking a joint and/or a bottle of Jack Daniels on his lap.  No wonder MIL divorced him, eh?

jlw2505

It never really bothered me to take my younger DD in while I was on ML and had to drop off or pick up my older DD.  The staff at my center has always been great about offering to help and on a lot of days, someone walked out with me or people always hold the door and stuff like that.  We have had a few instances at my center where a car was stolen from the lot (parent had left the keys in the car - duh) or where a bag has been left in the car in plain site and someone broke a window to get it.  I would never leave anything in my car and of course, would never leave the keys in it and running - I see parents do this all the time and it always amazes me.  There are twins in my older DD's class and when the kids were little, she would often take one in and then go back for the other - and when I say in, not just into the lobby by the door, but all the way to the infant room where she could not see the car and do the vice versa on the way out.  The director talked to her a million times and told her to just call the center when she got there and a staff member would come help her but she never did this.  If I was there at the same time, I would always stay in the parking lot and watch her car with the kid in it just to make sure nothing happened.

luvmagoldn

jlw2505:

There are twins in my older DD's class and when the kids were little, she would often take one in and then go back for the other - and when I say in, not just into the lobby by the door, but all the way to the infant room where she could not see the car and do the vice versa on the way out. 

What???  That woman really should let people help her.  When you have multiples you have to in order to keep everyone safe!  I'm with you, I would have stayed in the parking lot too.