Thursday, March 7, 2013

An Open Letter To Daycare Parents At Dropoff and Pickup

I know. Daycare dropoffs and pickups kind of suck. They're noisy, crowded, rushed, and always seem to take eleventy times as long as they ought to.

But pulease...they would go so much more smoothly if we could all just agree to the following rules:

  1. Park your vehicle somewhat better than if it was being parked by a drunken, blind monkey. Only one spot, and actually in it.
  2. While close parking is in short supply, try not to double park, box others in, or simply create a spot in some random place in the lot. Just circle the lot or park further away that day. It's not really the end of the world.
  3. Don't toss your sloppy shoes or boots on top of someone else's. Or inside them.
  4. While we're on that topic, how's about you actually read the signs posted everywhere about removing dirty shoes and remove yours?
  5. If another parent is talking to the teacher, or an admin, model good, patient behaviour for your child and please wait your turn.
  6. Do your best to herd your turtles, or cheetahs, or drunken, blind monkeys carefully. Especially around the poor parents struggling with bucket car seats, 400 backpacks, blankets, and puffy snowsuited short people. They can't always see your kids from under the mountain they are carrying.
  7. In the parking lot, hold their hands. Do not assume we can all see your kids. We're all a little self absorbed, late, and probably trying to tune out crying or tantruming for a granola bar.
  8. If you have only one child, or older children, consider that perhaps someone else might appreciate rock star parking a little bit more. Let the parents of infants, multiples, etc. take the closer spots since it likely will be way easier for you to walk for two extra minutes.
  9. Holding doors for the other moms and dads is a very nice thing to do in general. But please don't hold open the doors for kids unless you can see their family is all coming. Some of us are unable to grasp the concept of staying with a group and insist on forging ahead.
  10. If someone chooses to use the elevator instead of the stairs, please spare them your judgement. Possibly they have an invisible injury, they have already been up and down several times, or they promised an elevator ride as a bribe to someone. Whatever their reason, it isn't your business. There is an elevator, it's there to be used.


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