given new, later, start time, can I drop my 4th grader at the (closed) door at 8:30?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the same kid sprained their ankle walking to school jumping off the bench at a park would it be a crisis..no.

No but if it happens on school property, it's a different story. If everyone did what the OP wants to do, it would be chaotic. Most rules exist for a reason.

And people drop their children off early for a reason, too.

So don't have kids if you can't afford them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The key being, "when school is not in session." School is in session for kids whose parents pay for before and after care, but not for everyone. I don't know about your school, but at our school, the aftercare kids play on the playground during aftercare in nice weather (I can't speak to before care, I've never been at the school at that time). The regulation is in part to protect the children enrolled in aftercare, to make sure that they are the only kids playing at the playground, and that other children can't come around to make trouble, and neighborhood weirdos can't start creeping on them.

Why would the aftercare get exclusive use of a school playground after school hours? That is a sincere question. Is that in the aftercare's contract?

Go to Bradley Hills ES to watch this in action. There is the school's playground, then the MoCo Parks playground immediately adjacent. The school playground is granted exclusively to the camp (it's still summer) that's operating there. They dont' seem to mind if I show up with DD to play on it, but I also realize they have a right to ask me to leave. Then the MoCo Parks playground we can use as much as we want during normal MoCo Parks operating hours (daylight hours).

The school is renting their facilities to the camp, just like schools rent out their facilities on evenings/weekends to community and religious groups, and related (I have taken Montgomery College courses at MCPS school buildings).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the same kid sprained their ankle walking to school jumping off the bench at a park would it be a crisis..no.

No but if it happens on school property, it's a different story. If everyone did what the OP wants to do, it would be chaotic. Most rules exist for a reason.

And people drop their children off early for a reason, too.

So don't have kids if you can't afford them.

By her standards she can afford them. She has that right, whether you agree or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, you should probably go to prison for that kind of thinking. Leaving a 10 year old outside, unsupervised???

+1

The coddling helicopters are ridiculous. UGH!!!!

[Anonymous]

Remember the good ole days when kids ages 5-11 actually had a backbone and normal parents raising them. When they walked to school or the bus stop on their own and then freely played on the school grounds and playground until the bell rang and we all ran in refreshed and ready to sit down for the day. If they lived too far away they took a city bus or the subway to school.

What a sad coddling world MCPS and you all are raising your kids. Structured before and after care. Walking or even DRIVING them to the bus stop (it may be too cold for Suzy to walk 100 yards!!) Driving instead of biking or walking and if you decide to walk, you better walk right next to them and warn them of all the dangers of this world. No using playground equipment once arriving at school. Sit in a straight line in the cafeteria for 10-15 minutes BEFORE sitting in school all day.

Just stop and realize. Kids are fat. Kids are anxious. Kids are oblivious. Kids have ADD/ADHD/anxiety and depression issues. Kids are dependent. Kids aren't critical thinking solvers. We are honestly ruining our kids by over-parenting and over structuring.

A 4th grader could easily walk or ride a bike to school, even crossing a road with a (gasp) traffic light!!! If it is too far then take a ride-on bus to school. There is no reason a mom should have to worry about this. And there is no reason a 4th grader needs paid before care for a 15 minute gap. If anything, drop her off a block before school and have her walk the rest of the way to make up the time difference. This is honestly no big deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the same kid sprained their ankle walking to school jumping off the bench at a park would it be a crisis..no.

No but if it happens on school property, it's a different story. If everyone did what the OP wants to do, it would be chaotic. Most rules exist for a reason.

And people drop their children off early for a reason, too.

So don't have kids if you can't afford them.

"You shouldn't have had children" is not a feasible solution to any problem unless you have a time machine.

[Anonymous]

It's simple. If you have no issue with your child being unsupervised for a length of time, drop her somewhere else to wait. Either pick a public place nearby or just a random corner. Dress her appropriately for the weather and give her a watch and tell her at such-and-such time go to school. Presumably you will have instructed her about not talking to strangers, not getting into a strangers car, etc. so her location is irrelevant. (Although in my mind you are hedging your bets that she will actually be "supervised" by others gathering there early as well.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's simple. If you have no issue with your child being unsupervised for a length of time, drop her somewhere else to wait. Either pick a public place nearby or just a random corner. Dress her appropriately for the weather and give her a watch and tell her at such-and-such time go to school. Presumably you will have instructed her about not talking to strangers, not getting into a strangers car, etc. so her location is irrelevant. (Although in my mind you are hedging your bets that she will actually be "supervised" by others gathering there early as well.)

Shorter PP: it's all about potential MCPS liability.

Because if it weren't about MCPS liability, why would it be ok for the child to wait for 15 minutes one foot off school property, but not ok for the child to wait for 15 minutes on school property?

[Anonymous]

Right..family 1 says good by to 4th grader who walks to school alone. She crosses 5 streets and a good number of strangers a long the way. Family 2 drops their fourth grader right at the entrance to the school where she waits with several other kids she knows. Family 1 is a fine family. Family 2 is borderline neglectful and not prioritizing their child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Remember the good ole days when kids ages 5-11 actually had a backbone and normal parents raising them. When they walked to school or the bus stop on their own and then freely played on the school grounds and playground until the bell rang and we all ran in refreshed and ready to sit down for the day. If they lived too far away they took a city bus or the subway to school.

What a sad coddling world MCPS and you all are raising your kids. Structured before and after care. Walking or even DRIVING them to the bus stop (it may be too cold for Suzy to walk 100 yards!!) Driving instead of biking or walking and if you decide to walk, you better walk right next to them and warn them of all the dangers of this world. No using playground equipment once arriving at school. Sit in a straight line in the cafeteria for 10-15 minutes BEFORE sitting in school all day.

Just stop and realize. Kids are fat. Kids are anxious. Kids are oblivious. Kids have ADD/ADHD/anxiety and depression issues. Kids are dependent. Kids aren't critical thinking solvers. We are honestly ruining our kids by over-parenting and over structuring.

A 4th grader could easily walk or ride a bike to school, even crossing a road with a (gasp) traffic light!!! If it is too far then take a ride-on bus to school. There is no reason a mom should have to worry about this. And there is no reason a 4th grader needs paid before care for a 15 minute gap. If anything, drop her off a block before school and have her walk the rest of the way to make up the time difference. This is honestly no big deal.

You really do not understand the issues here and you really are over idealizing the past!!
I was a latchkey, I turned out great, but I sure as s*** am not dropping my kid where I am told not to.
Your idealized arm chair philosophy does not trump laws, regulations and other people's property.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Right..family 1 says good by to 4th grader who walks to school alone. She crosses 5 streets and a good number of strangers a long the way. Family 2 drops their fourth grader right at the entrance to the school where she waits with several other kids she knows. Family 1 is a fine family. Family 2 is borderline neglectful and not prioritizing their child.

Family 2 is secretly relying on the fact that there will be adults in and around the school to help their child is needed.

This is my biggest issue with OPs plan. If OP is being honest, one of the reasons she is is ok with dropping her kid off early is that she knows there will be adults around in case of an emergency. So there really is an element of expected supervision.

I mean, obviously if the school secretary looks out the window and sees a kid bleeding she isn't going to just shrug and ignore it because school hours haven't started yet.

[Anonymous]

I am curious and don't intend this to be snarky, to those who think it's ok to disregard the school's rule regarding drop off time:
How do you explain to your kids that its ok (in your mind) to break this rule? How will or do you handle it if a rule pops up that your kid doesnt like, and following your example, chooses not to follow?
I am genuinely asking,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Right..family 1 says good by to 4th grader who walks to school alone. She crosses 5 streets and a good number of strangers a long the way. Family 2 drops their fourth grader right at the entrance to the school where she waits with several other kids she knows. Family 1 is a fine family. Family 2 is borderline neglectful and not prioritizing their child.

Family 2 is secretly relying on the fact that there will be adults in and around the school to help their child is needed.

This is my biggest issue with OPs plan. If OP is being honest, one of the reasons she is is ok with dropping her kid off early is that she knows there will be adults around in case of an emergency. So there really is an element of expected supervision.

I mean, obviously if the school secretary looks out the window and sees a kid bleeding she isn't going to just shrug and ignore it because school hours haven't started yet.

Family #1 is also relying on adults being around to help their child as needed. If you saw a child who was on their way to school and was in trouble, would you just shrug and ignore it because it's not your job to help?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am curious and don't intend this to be snarky, to those who think it's ok to disregard the school's rule regarding drop off time:
How do you explain to your kids that its ok (in your mind) to break this rule? How will or do you handle it if a rule pops up that your kid doesnt like, and following your example, chooses not to follow?
I am genuinely asking,

Like this: Some rules are there for a good reason. Some rules are there for a dumb reason. Some rules are there for a malign reason. If you break a rule, you run the risk of suffering the consequences of breaking that rule. You need to decide whether the rule-breaking is worth that risk.

Do you tell your children that they must follow all rules, no matter how dumb (let alone malign), because a rule is a rule?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am curious and don't intend this to be snarky, to those who think it's ok to disregard the school's rule regarding drop off time:
How do you explain to your kids that its ok (in your mind) to break this rule? How will or do you handle it if a rule pops up that your kid doesnt like, and following your example, chooses not to follow?
I am genuinely asking,

You mean going 35 in 30 mph zone.

I would say it is a guideline not a rule... Oh wait it is a guideline not a rule. What if a walker gets there faster than they expected.