This is pretty straightforward. What time does the school close? If it's 5pm and you show up at 5:30, that is NOT okay. I am also a WOHM so I am sympathetic, but you need to have a child care arrangement that works for you.

Now, if the closing time is 6pm and they are trying to guilt you into picking up early, that's another story.

Which is it?

My son has attended this school for a couple of years. I haven't had problems with the school until this year. I'd like a reality check on something that came up recently.

I was told "no one [meaning teachers] ever wants to stay after 5:00 pm here." I WOH full-time. Last year, I'd say about once every other month, I picked up my child after 5:00 pm. For instance, in December, there was a water main break and major--I mean major--backup, gridlock, stuck-in-traffickness through Georgetown. In early Feb, I had a client meeting, planned to pick up my child at 5:30 PM. I'm a little surprised to hear this "news," alarmed that there was no prior notification of this "policy," and frustrated because although I try extremely hard to pick up my child before 4 or 4:30 the majority of days, as a working mom, it's sometimes truly not possible.

I'd be interested in other reactions so I have a sense of whether I'm overreacting...?