Anonymous
Post 01/24/2026 18:43     Subject: Elementary drop off and working parents
I'm lucky to work a flex schedule but I notice a lot of martial arts buses going through the line at drop off. So that's another option.

I've been on the waitlist for in school before care (which is great) for years.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2026 18:26     Subject: Elementary drop off and working parents
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think late mornings are less disruptive than a 2:10/2:40 end time to schools. No one in a regular job can end work at 2:30 to get their kids. You'd have to work shift work or part time to make that schedule.

I think we could make schools better if they ran 8 hours a day. Kids scores aren't exactly great these days, so maybe everyone could use an extra hour of tutoring


And even more recess.

The problem, if you've ever worked a public facing job, is if you are open to the public 8 hours, a single staff shift is going to be over 8 plus "lunch break." That's why a lot of places are only open 7 hours - time for setup, opening, and closing within one shift. Places with longer hours tend to have extra staff and everybody's part time but overlapping.

I know teacher lunch is inconsistent and I believe they're FLSA exempt by default, but I think the length of their day is a serious consideration here.


Do teachers get free lunches? I’m in a similar role where I’m hourly and we have to work 8.5 hours.

I don’t want teachers to be the ones working longer hours. Extra recess would likely fix a lot of disciplinary problems and longer lunches. Also more specials classes. My kids don’t get language or an instrument, both of which I had in elementary school.


At my kids' school it's the teachers who supervise lunch and recess. Do you have designated staff for that? Who wants to work for 1-2 hours in the middle of the day? Also, specials teachers are teachers, and even if having more specials gives the classroom teachers more planning periods, they can't leave until the end of the work day, which is after the children go home.



When do the teachers take their lunch break? Who covers for them?
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2026 18:14     Subject: Elementary drop off and working parents
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think late mornings are less disruptive than a 2:10/2:40 end time to schools. No one in a regular job can end work at 2:30 to get their kids. You'd have to work shift work or part time to make that schedule.

I think we could make schools better if they ran 8 hours a day. Kids scores aren't exactly great these days, so maybe everyone could use an extra hour of tutoring


And even more recess.

The problem, if you've ever worked a public facing job, is if you are open to the public 8 hours, a single staff shift is going to be over 8 plus "lunch break." That's why a lot of places are only open 7 hours - time for setup, opening, and closing within one shift. Places with longer hours tend to have extra staff and everybody's part time but overlapping.

I know teacher lunch is inconsistent and I believe they're FLSA exempt by default, but I think the length of their day is a serious consideration here.


Do teachers get free lunches? I’m in a similar role where I’m hourly and we have to work 8.5 hours.

I don’t want teachers to be the ones working longer hours. Extra recess would likely fix a lot of disciplinary problems and longer lunches. Also more specials classes. My kids don’t get language or an instrument, both of which I had in elementary school.


At my kids' school it's the teachers who supervise lunch and recess. Do you have designated staff for that? Who wants to work for 1-2 hours in the middle of the day? Also, specials teachers are teachers, and even if having more specials gives the classroom teachers more planning periods, they can't leave until the end of the work day, which is after the children go home.


Np sounds like a great job for bus drivers. My friend is a bus driver and only gets to work 6 hours a day. She wants full time but they only have 6 hours to offer her with the entire middle of the day free.

At our school the aides watch lunch.


Oh bus drivers is a great idea. Our school doesn't bus so I honestly always forget about them. 😆
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2026 18:08     Subject: Elementary drop off and working parents
Anonymous wrote:We use beforecare and if our kid finds it boring she deals with that.


^this! That is how our family worked. I can’t imagine giving up my career over before care being boring and depressing.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2026 16:15     Subject: Elementary drop off and working parents
Until 5th grade husband and I traded off who was home in the morning. It meant one of us got to work later. We made it work.

This year my 5th grader can get himself out the door. We are all awake and one parent makes sure bags are packed, things are ready, but both parents can leave before the child. Or more often we walk out together at 840 am. He walks to school and I drive to the office.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2026 13:14     Subject: Elementary drop off and working parents
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think late mornings are less disruptive than a 2:10/2:40 end time to schools. No one in a regular job can end work at 2:30 to get their kids. You'd have to work shift work or part time to make that schedule.

I think we could make schools better if they ran 8 hours a day. Kids scores aren't exactly great these days, so maybe everyone could use an extra hour of tutoring


And even more recess.

The problem, if you've ever worked a public facing job, is if you are open to the public 8 hours, a single staff shift is going to be over 8 plus "lunch break." That's why a lot of places are only open 7 hours - time for setup, opening, and closing within one shift. Places with longer hours tend to have extra staff and everybody's part time but overlapping.

I know teacher lunch is inconsistent and I believe they're FLSA exempt by default, but I think the length of their day is a serious consideration here.


Do teachers get free lunches? I’m in a similar role where I’m hourly and we have to work 8.5 hours.

I don’t want teachers to be the ones working longer hours. Extra recess would likely fix a lot of disciplinary problems and longer lunches. Also more specials classes. My kids don’t get language or an instrument, both of which I had in elementary school.


At my kids' school it's the teachers who supervise lunch and recess. Do you have designated staff for that? Who wants to work for 1-2 hours in the middle of the day? Also, specials teachers are teachers, and even if having more specials gives the classroom teachers more planning periods, they can't leave until the end of the work day, which is after the children go home.


Np sounds like a great job for bus drivers. My friend is a bus driver and only gets to work 6 hours a day. She wants full time but they only have 6 hours to offer her with the entire middle of the day free.

At our school the aides watch lunch.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2026 09:20     Subject: Re:Elementary drop off and working parents
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We are a small single lane neighborhood of 45 homes in MoCo. One neighbor who lives steps away from the bus-stop at the entrance of the street, provides before-care from 6:30 am till bus comes.

She has three kids. Before care consists of - sitting in her family room watching TV until the bus comes. Oh, she is an immigrant. Does not charge anything. She has the phone number of the school, bus depot and the driver.

She will ask the kids if they have had breakfast, tells them to finish their homework if they have work left, and she will ask them to check if they have their lunchbox. She will lend rain ponchos, coats, hats, umbrellas - to the kids. She has a covered porch and she also keeps water bottles in a cooler and snacks for the delivery people during summer.

She is a gem.


Wow she does sound like a gem. What a sweet woman to help keep kids safe and well cared for in the before-school hrs.


Yes. She and I are friends (she is from my country of origin) and our kids are friends. When I was struggling with before care, she offered her help. When I offered her payment, she refused. When other parents in the neighborhood approached her and she just extended this offer to everyone who needed it.

By the way, in our country of origin, neighbors would offer this sort of childcare (before school, after school) routinely, and no one would dream of taking payment for it.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2026 08:31     Subject: Elementary drop off and working parents
Anonymous wrote:I figured out this stuff when I was in my 20s and saw my friends suffering.

So I waited until I was in my 40s to have kids . I was the boss by then and could set my hours.

It is amazing to me how people don't think ahead.


Everyone can be confident that their career trajectory will result in setting their own hours in their 40s and that they will easily still be able to have kids at that age?

It's amazing to me how some people completely lack empathy or imagination.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2026 18:45     Subject: Elementary drop off and working parents
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think late mornings are less disruptive than a 2:10/2:40 end time to schools. No one in a regular job can end work at 2:30 to get their kids. You'd have to work shift work or part time to make that schedule.

I think we could make schools better if they ran 8 hours a day. Kids scores aren't exactly great these days, so maybe everyone could use an extra hour of tutoring


And even more recess.

The problem, if you've ever worked a public facing job, is if you are open to the public 8 hours, a single staff shift is going to be over 8 plus "lunch break." That's why a lot of places are only open 7 hours - time for setup, opening, and closing within one shift. Places with longer hours tend to have extra staff and everybody's part time but overlapping.

I know teacher lunch is inconsistent and I believe they're FLSA exempt by default, but I think the length of their day is a serious consideration here.


Do teachers get free lunches? I’m in a similar role where I’m hourly and we have to work 8.5 hours.

I don’t want teachers to be the ones working longer hours. Extra recess would likely fix a lot of disciplinary problems and longer lunches. Also more specials classes. My kids don’t get language or an instrument, both of which I had in elementary school.


At my kids' school it's the teachers who supervise lunch and recess. Do you have designated staff for that? Who wants to work for 1-2 hours in the middle of the day? Also, specials teachers are teachers, and even if having more specials gives the classroom teachers more planning periods, they can't leave until the end of the work day, which is after the children go home.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 22:17     Subject: Elementary drop off and working parents

1) I have a 100% remote job

Also..

2) live within walking distance to elementary and middle schools so kids once a decent age can walk to/from school on own. Helps if you have a number lock that allows them to get into the house with a code. Also helps if kid has a smart watch.


Anonymous wrote:Our local elementary schools start at 9am.

We tried before care, but it was almost empty and kid found it depressing. Too young and too far to walk to school on own (no bus).

How are working parents handling this? Do they get to work around 930/945? Have a crazy short commute so 845 drop off and get to work by 9? Hiring nannies or local grandparents for mornings?

My career has definitely suffered by being the morning drop off; somedays I dont get until 10 which hurts.