If you drive your kindergartner to school....question

mgfit1 · December 2011

I have to drive DS to school because we moved out of the school district a month ago and I did not want to change schools until next year. He sits in a booster that has a strap that goes between the legs. It also has arm rests so when I buckle him I need to make sure the strap goes under both armrests and through the strap holder between the legs then pull it all tight. I have the seat on the driver's side behind my seat because it's the only way I can open the car door in our garage and get him in/out without hitting the wall or my DH's car.

I got yelled at last week in the pick up line and was told that I could not get out of the car to buckle my son in his seat. I have him get in the car on the passenger side and then crawl over to his seat and then I have to quickly get out and buckle him. They have yelled at me twice about this. I am really annoyed. How do you get your kid in their seat safely if you pick them up at school? This is rediculous and I am about to tell the moms in the pick up line where to go. I am trying to teach DS how to do the seatbelt properly, but he's only 5 and he gets the strap twisted or over the armrests. I am sure in time he will get it, but I am not driving around with him not buckled properly to satisfy some crazy mom's that work the pick up line. Thoughts? Comments?? Am I nuts???

jettagurl · December 2011

Can you get him inside the car, then pull into a parking spot? Or just pull up further so the car behind you can steer out and around you to get going.

If neither will work, they can just get over it. Considering car seat guidelines, the schools should be accommodating.

mgfit1 · December 2011

The mom's that work the pick up line for the school are giving me crap. One told me "people are passing you in the pick up line...the principal is going to be upset about this." I said "what would you like me to do? HE IS 5!!"

Joenali · December 2011

I'm having a hard time believing that you were yelled at for buckling your kid in their seat. Yes, teach him how to do it. You might have to check it and fix it, but I bet he could do it!

jettagurl · December 2011

Joenali:
I'm having a hard time believing that you were yelled at for buckling your kid in their seat. Yes, teach him how to do it. You might have to check it and fix it, but I bet he could do it!

It's probably that crotch strap that he can't quite coordinate...OP, do you have the Britax Parkway? I believe that is optional, so you could remove it/not use it.

mgfit1 · December 2011

They don't like me getting out of the car to buckle him. How else would they propose I buckle him? I am not an octopus! LOL! It is rediculous to be yelled at for this. I am still working on it with my son but until he does it right, I am getting out and buckling him properly. Do any of you have to buckle your DC?

speckledfrog · December 2011

Joenali:
I'm having a hard time believing that you were yelled at for buckling your kid in their seat. Yes, teach him how to do it. You might have to check it and fix it, but I bet he could do it!

I don't have a hard time believing it.

At my preschool we really prefer for parents to pull forward (still in the driveway, but out of the traffic lane) and then buckle because it helps keep our line from backing out into the street. We don't ever yell at people, because if they want to strap their kid in first we can't very well stop them.

Angela814 · December 2011

DD1 can buckle herself in our minivan, but it takes forever. It would actually be faster for me to get out and do it. (In our SUV, her booster is right next to DD2's convertible seat, and even I have a hard time finding the buckle and getting my hands between the seats to buckle it.)

Can you just park and go inside to pick him up? I only do pick up from our after school care program, so it's completely different. I have to go inside and sign DD1 out each afternoon.

winomom22 · December 2011

DD1 can buckle herself if she doesn't have her coat on, but I still always check to make sure it is fastened correctly. We have a drop off/pick up lane. They don't want to you leave your vehicle, but it's ok to get out and help your kid get buckled.

mgfit1 · December 2011

Thanks for the responses. It is a Britax...don't remember which model but I will check into the between the leg part and see if it is optional on our model. There isn't really anywhere to pull over on the street....other people park all over the street passed the pick up line...the whole street is full of cars. I am sticking to my guns. The principal can call me if SHE has an issue and those people that work the line are going to have to get over it. Thanks ladies. I was beginning to think I was crazy the way they were acting towards me. I will keep working with DS on this. He's a young Kindergartner...he has a summer birthday. Most of his class just turned 6. Here it seems almost everyone holds their child back but we just moved here from out of state and had no idea that was the norm here. Maybe that is why no one else seems to be having this issue. Who knows....

Littlejen22 · December 2011

cjcouple:
who is yelling at you? other moms or the school? i know some school have a routine where you pick up and pull up and buckle ahead a ways. but if it is another mom. screw it, buckle anyway

My DS is only in preschool but we do the pick up, pull up and buckle but DS can do it himself 99% of the time.

Littlejen22 · December 2011

mgfit1:
Thanks for the responses. It is a Britax...don't remember which model but I will check into the between the leg part and see if it is optional on our model. There isn't really anywhere to pull over on the street....other people park all over the street passed the pick up line...the whole street is full of cars. I am sticking to my guns. The principal can call me if SHE has an issue and those people that work the line are going to have to get over it. Thanks ladies. I was beginning to think I was crazy the way they were acting towards me. I will keep working with DS on this. He's a young Kindergartner...he has a summer birthday. Most of his class just turned 6. Here it seems almost everyone holds their child back but we just moved here from out of state and had no idea that was the norm here. Maybe that is why no one else seems to be having this issue. Who knows....

Yeah, if there is no where to pull forward and do it and your DS cannot do it himself yet I would point out to those Moms and the Principal if needed that it is the law to strap your kid properly into a child restraint and when your 5yo can do it on his own he will but until then they will wait until he is in his seat b/c their line can wait but his safety and the law will not.

Chapter79 · December 2011

My daughter is half driven/half bussed (takes the bus normally, but we drive her if the H is off work). We actually pull into a parking spot. We have a 'drop off line' too, but that's usually reserved for older kids who can just hop out of the car and go in themselves. I actually walk her into the school, so we park. (she's in a carseat still).

DandelionMom · December 2011

People would yell at that in our drop-off loop too -- parents are not supposed to get out of the car and the child must exit quickly on the passenger side. In our school if a family can't follow that procedure they must park and bring the child in. But we have a big parking lot so it isn't hard to do.

Ciarrai · December 2011

Our school also doesn't allow parents to get out and nor can the teachers/staff help buckle the kids while in the carpool line. They will open and close the doors for you (which is good since DD is so tiny she can't manage the heavy doors). For liability reasons, they can't buckle the kids in case they do it wrong. Because of the traffic and whatnot, you are not allowed to get out of your car in the carpool lane. Too many cars and people running around so they will only allow you to walk in designated areas. If you need to help your child buckle, you are supposed to park in the assigned parking lot or down the street and walk up to get your child. DD has gotten good at buckling. I taught her to buckle her 5 point harness as well as now she's in a high-back booster so she's using the seat belt. Sometimes we park across the street on the street and walk up because it's faster. I'll admit that it annoyed me at first that we couldn't get out and help the kids but now I totally understand and appreciate it. Not only would it take forever to get the kids in the car but it's also just not safe with 900 kids trying to get home one way or another to have people everywhere.

JellymanKelly · December 2011

My DS is still in a 5pt harness in the Nautilus, and buckles himself in. We have to pull up to do it, though. They are super serious about car line rules at our school too, and yell at people on the regular. I have no trouble believing that you got yelled at!

Sunflower777 · December 2011

Our school isn't quite so hard-core about holding-up the pick-up lane. My 5.5 y.o. kindergartener cannot buckle himself in on his own. He's working on it, but it's quicker if I get out and help him, so I do. I am mindful of the line, so we hustle, but I think it's ridiculous for people to get their panties in a bunch if the parent gets out to assist.

Holly_1007 · December 2011

I'm not sure what this carseat looks like but perhaps its time to upgrade to a simpler version? high back booster that buckles with the seatbelt? when we switched my SD to this at 5 years old it only took her about a week to learn how to do it. Especially if your child is in and out of your car a few times a day, he should be able to pick it up in a week or two.

its unfortunate that you are being yelled at, but at the same time if every parent got out to buckle their child, think about how long pick up would take!

CleoKitty · December 2011

Ds went to two different schools for kindergarten. Neither school has any sort of pick-up line, all parents were required to park, go inside, and get their child. I prefer it that way- gives you a time to take a younger sibling to the bathroom if needed, lets you run into other parents and chat for a minute, say hello to the teacher, etc.

Zenya · December 2011

I think you should park and walk him in until he can figure out how to do it himself.

I do have that booster and DS can do it no problem. Maybe he just needs more practice?

JOEBunny · December 2011

I park and walk to the school. We only use the carpool line for dropoff. It really slows down the line if the kids who can't buckle are in it and causes traffic issues on the entrance street.

Jodi&Joe · December 2011

You shouldn't be in the pick up line. Park your car and go up to the building and get your kid. Walk back to your car, put the kid in the car, buckle him and go on your way.

Pick up line is a well oiled machine. Kids get in/out and that's it. Move on. It's not safe to have cars moving in/out of that line ahead of other cars. And by you getting out, you are delaying the line which is causing people to move around your car. Not safe.

rebs · December 2011

Jodi&Joe:

You shouldn't be in the pick up line. Park your car and go up to the building and get your kid. Walk back to your car, put the kid in the car, buckle him and go on your way.

Pick up line is a well oiled machine. Kids get in/out and that's it. Move on. It's not safe to have cars moving in/out of that line ahead of other cars. And by you getting out, you are delaying the line which is causing people to move around your car. Not safe.

This. Sorry but you should not be in the pick up line if you need to get out of the car and if your son cannot enter the car on the curb side. It sounds like your pick up line is designed for kids who can hop in the car and go.

Park and walk in to pick him up. If it is busy, get there early for a spot. What you are doing is causing delays, backups and isn't safe for others around you.

penguingrrl · December 2011

Until your son is ready to buckle himself in you need to park and get him. That said, my 4 year old is in a booster (having outgrown her radian for height!) and has absolutely zero problem buckling and unbuckling herself. I always always always check her, but the most I ever have to do is pull it a touch tighter, which I can do without getting out of the drivers seat. And she does it quickly, so if we end up in a school with a pick up line (not something the schools around me had growing up) then it won't be a problem. If she seems to be taking too long I'll park rather than holding up everyone else.

ccm1203 · December 2011

-auntie-:
speckledfrog:

Joenali:
I'm having a hard time believing that you were yelled at for buckling your kid in their seat. Yes, teach him how to do it. You might have to check it and fix it, but I bet he could do it!

I don't have a hard time believing it.

At my preschool we really prefer for parents to pull forward (still in the driveway, but out of the traffic lane) and then buckle because it helps keep our line from backing out into the street. We don't ever yell at people, because if they want to strap their kid in first we can't very well stop them.

This. When I had to carpool DS to school in a booster, I parked and walked to collect him. It's considered rude in some places to back up the lane by buckling, chatting up teachers or getting out of your car. It's silly but it is what it is.

Just a question, are you legally entitled to stay at this school now that you've moved? This isn't allowed in my district and every so often someone gets reported and charged tuition. Often these people are reported by a disgruntled parent or a neighbor.

This is what I was wondering....also find somewhere to pull over. So that you can get out of the way.

lona.hunn@gmail.com · December 2011

As someone who has been picking and dropping off her son to school for 7 yrs now, I can understand why you're getting yelled at..

The only thing I can suggest is to get him a new car seat that he can operate himself or let him climb in and then pull forward somewhere out of the way of others so you can get out and buckle him in.

I know it's frustrating for you, but the schools have to keep that line moving.

edit: What if you put his car seat in the middle? He'd be able to climb in quicker and you could turn a little and use your right arm to help him with the straps w/o having to get out of the car..

AnnapolisLari · December 2011

You would get yelled at here.

Our preschool made me switch his seat to the curb side and he gets in, we pull up and he straps in. He's been able to do his own clips since he was 4.5. I think you need to get with the program or park and go get him.

I would be way annoyed at you, too.

j-w · December 2011

Jodi&Joe:
You shouldn't be in the pick up line. Park your car and go up to the building and get your kid. Walk back to your car, put the kid in the car, buckle him and go on your way.

Pick up line is a well oiled machine. Kids get in/out and that's it. Move on. It's not safe to have cars moving in/out of that line ahead of other cars. And by you getting out, you are delaying the line which is causing people to move around your car. Not safe.

This.

mgfit1 · December 2011

I appreciate the responses. I was asking because this is obviously our first time dealing with the pick up/drop off thing as we only have one child. We can keep our child in the school even though we are out of district. Our school allows it. We have had a rough year and then we moved out of state away from our family/friends in August too. He started a new school for kindergarten here and then we finally bought a house and moved to the neighboring school district in November. We did not feel it was best for him to have any more changes right now with another new school. He has had a lot of changes in the last year as I have been really sick too. He will go to the new school for first grade.

As far as me not getting out to buckle him, I can't. I have had 5 surgeries in the last year for breast cancer. My last surgery was last week. I cannot reach around like that without pulling on incisions. I have to get out and buckle him at this point. I will talk to the teacher and ask what my options are for getting him to school without causing an issue in the drop off lane. I will continue to work with him on the seatbelt. I certainly don't want to cause issues but maybe the school should have provided kindergarten moms with more information about the drop off thing and let me know I could not buckle my own child. When the woman was being nasty with me I wanted to tell her I just had surgery and to buzz off...but I didn't. I know they just want people to be safe, but no one ever told me until they started being nasty in the pick up line.

Zenya · December 2011

Sorry to hear about your health issues and glad to hear you're doing well now.

I wouldn't ask the teacher. I think that's putting them in an awkward position where they will feel obliged to let you use the line b/c they feel bad about your surgeries.

I would just accept that you can't use the line until your son can unbuckle himself. It's just not for people in your position who have to exit the car for WHATEVER reason.

Want a personalized experience?

If you drive your kindergartner to school....question

Re: If you drive your kindergartner to school....question

Choose Another Board

Search Boards