Tips for Using the Drop Off Lane at School

I posted this two years ago, but since school has started for some of us, and will be starting soon for the rest of you I thought it was necessary to re post this. Already I have dealt with all of this again this year.

1. Do not pull into the lane, get out and leave your vehicle unattended while you escort your child into the building. This is not dropping off, this is taking your child into the school. Park in a designated parking space if you want to take your child into the building.
2. Pull forward as far as you can into the lane when you come to pick up your child. The people stuck waiting in their cars out in the street can see that if you'd just pull up we could fit 3 more cars in the lane.
3. Pick up time is not the time for a parent-teacher conference.
4. Don't get huffy at me because I'm waiting for my children to buckle up before I pull away from the curb. It is the law. And I happen to love my children enough to keep them safe.
5. Smile and acknowledge your child or children when dropping off and picking up. Your phone call can wait a few minutes.
6. The bus lane is NOT a drop-off or pick-up lane. The rest of us are waiting in line like we're supposed to. Despite what you think you are not special...even if you think your yellow car qualifies as a bus.

Summer Swan Song

Summer, for us, is singing it's swan song. My Bigs start school on Wednesday. I've been absent online, much more absent than I've been in a long time. I marked all read in my reader. More than once. It's not you, it's me. I've been enjoying my family. I packed as much fun into six weeks as I could. We went to new places, revisited old places, hung out at home (rarely).

The kids have been bickering almost constantly for the last 2 weeks. Even Ms. D has joined in the fun. I've said it before and I'll probably repeat myself 436 more times, these kids know one another so well they know just what buttons to push to irritate one another. Probably not a big deal to them in reality. It's annoying to the parent who has to listen to the whining. Such is parenting.

We've hit the Spam museum, visited a nearby Amish community, toured a cave, visited the MN zoo twice (or is it three times?). We've gone swimming several times. We've played at many parks. We went on vacation with our extended family and had yet another fantastic week "up north." There was more. My mind is terrible at remembering so that is why I take photos to remind me of where I've been.

We have had a fantastic summer. I've learned more about my kids. We've had great talks. We've admitted our love and our failings. I've been told I'm the best and the meanest mom on the planet. I know they lean toward the best. I know it. I even tell them that I do things because I am mean and they laugh!

I had some goals for myself that I didn't meet. But my most important goal was to give my kids a fun summer and I think I accomplished that...even with the bickering.

First Day

M was rather nervous about her first day of school yesterday, which is sort of unusual for her. She asked me to go in with her which actually afforded me an opportunity to take her picture standing next to her new locker.

When asked how the first day as a first-grader went she replied with a rather impatient air. "It was fine mom." Sheesh. I should know better than to ask.

K, D and I went to lunch in a rather unusual place. Hop over to Midwest Parents to read about it.

Tips for using the drop-off lane at your child’s school

1. Do not pull into the lane, get out and leave your vehicle unattended while you escort your child into the building. This is not dropping off, this is taking your child into the school. Park in a designated parking space if you want to take your child into the building.
2. Pull forward as far as you can into the lane when you come to pick up your child. The people whose cars are sitting in the street can see that if you’d just pull up we could fit 3 more cars in the lane.
3. Pick up time is not the time for a parent-teacher conference.
4. Don’t get huffy at me because I’m waiting for my child to buckle up before I pull away from the curb. It is the law. And I happen to love my child enough to keep her safe.
5. Smile and acknowledge your child’s existence when dropping her off and picking her up. Your phone call can wait a few minutes.
6. The bus lane is NOT a drop-off or pick-up lane. The rest of us are waiting in line like we're supposed to. You are not special...even if your car is yellow.

Welcome home

K and I sat in the pick up line at M's school waiting for her and watching and listening to the small snowflakes bounce off the car with tiny pings. I noticed that I could see just one end of M's classroom through the window just in time to see her walk by. She was all business, putting some object away at the end of the day. Then she disappeared to the other end of the room, out of my sight.

I immediately began planning how I'd arrive at school just at the right time again on dark days while the snow is threatening but allowing me a voyeuristic look at my child in kindergarten. I'd been given a taste and I wanted more. I wished for a video camera so I could see what she's really like when her overbearing mother isn't messing things up for her.

The school bell rang, jolting me out of my devious daydream. It barely registered that some of the kids were emerging from the building holding American flags until Miss M appeared, waving her flag exuberantly.

"Hi Mom!" she greeted as she climbed into her booster seat. "We welcomed the soldiers home!"

Her school, you see, is next to the Armory. In my mind, I immediately pictured the street lined with children waving flags.

"I bet they really liked that," I told M as my eyes filled with tears.

"Yeah" she said confidently "people even honked and waved at us."

All I could think, behind my tears, was "how cool is that?"

Another day, another milestone

This morning I was awakened by my alarm clock for the first time in a very long time. I rolled out of bed and headed to the bathroom to take a shower. Miss M was already up, sitting in the living room playing GeoTrax and watching cartoons. When we spotted one another we blew kisses.

She decided to join me in the shower so we got all clean and then got dressed. K was still sleeping so we left him be. I nuked some mini pancakes and sausage for M's breakfast.

We took some pictures.
I roused K, helped him go potty, got him dressed and gave him his requested 'nola bar for breakfast. M got her new shoes on and we took a few more pictures.
Then we all loaded into the car and I drove to a building that I have been in only 4 times. I pulled into the "drop off" lane and waited our turn. Then, I helped M out of the car, gave her a hug and a kiss and sent her off to be cared for by strangers.

My baby girl is at Kindergarten...and it kind of sucks. I miss her already.

K has asked about 4 times when M is coming back.

M, on the other hand, is thrilled. When I helped her out of the car she gave an exasperated sigh and said "I can do it Mom!"

Yes, Baby Doll, you can. It's your Mom that has the problem!

Is it time to bring her home yet?

My big girl

What happened to the infant who screamed and screamed until her Daddy came home and put her on the removable changing table that came with our pack-n-play? Her Daddy carried her around the house on that changing pad and she would gurgle and coo as though she hadn't just spent the last hour giving her Mommy a headache.

Where is the baby who suckered her Amma into letting her hold pinkies to walk all over the yard until she felt confident enough to take steps on her own?
How is it that I no longer have a one-year-old mountain climber?

Where is that not-quite-two-year-old who fought naps so strongly that she would tear apart her room and fall asleep only after working herself into exhaustion (and in the most interesting places)?
Today, she's a preschool graduate, and ready to move on to even bigger things. . . like Kindergarten.

Kindergarten worries

So this is the week that I'm supposed to hear if my daughter got into the "choice" school of my choice. Some of the moms in her preschool said they heard today that they got into their choice school today. It was a different school, but I'm already all stressed that I didn't get a call today.

And then I think, there's no reason to actually send her to kindergarten. It's not required. Couldn't I teach her what she needs to know? Truthfully, probably not. She craves the interaction with others. Mom is boring. Really, I don't know what I would be teaching her anyway, I'd be too distracted with her younger brother.

I really think this school I've "applied for" is the best for Miss M. I'm not sure what to do if she didn't get in. My husband says "[small town] public school it is!" I'm uncertain how I feel about that. Small town schools have their good points and negative points, as do larger city schools.

Why does this seem like such a huge decision?

I know in a year or two I'll look back and think "what were you all worried about?"

We all just want what is best for our kids, right?