argh! Eating breakfast in the school drop off line!

[hentob]

Just wanted to add...what is up with so many people dropping off their kids, anyways?

It never used to be such a popular thing as it is now. My kids ride the bus 90% of the time. I can understand if you didn't have bus service it would obviously be necessary, but I am not sure why so many people drop off, otherwise?

Our school district spans for miles and miles. Some "country kids" have to get the bus @ 6:20 am in order to be at school for 7:30am. The bus drives all over creation. If a parent drives them, they can leave at about 7:05am and be on time.

I don't know if this is the case for the OP But where I live, it is very common for a parent to drive.

 

[poohandwendy]

LOL, I guess I should have just asked, "Wht is up with so many people in MY district driving their kids to school?", because we do not have the issues you guys mention.

We live in a small district, very safe, everyone is eligble to use the busses, taking the bus is just as quick (and if someone is eating breakfast in line, even more quick, LOL)

It just doesn't make much sense here, unless you miss the bus or have a project to take in.

And to be honest, all of the people dropping off...sort of makes me wonder if it is a safety hazard. All of the cars and kids...just seems like an accident waiting to happen.

 

[Marseeya]

I've seen an enormous increase in parents driving kids to school over the past several years. I've been driving my kids off and on since my oldest was in kindergarten. His bus was overcrowded and they had 3 to a seat. My last straw was one day he had to ride on the floor. I had a major fit about that one, so they did finally add another bus to that route. It's still a crowded bus.

But in my town, I just don't know why so many parents are driving now as opposed to when I first started doing it.

 

[YourMajesty]

But, it doesn't sound like they were leisurely setting up camp and having a full breakfast. That would be weird. It doesn't take very long to eat Poptarts. How do we know they are eating breakfast in the car everyday? And I don't see the health risk involved in eating breakfast in a car? Not that Poptarts are healthy eating (for any meal), but if someone ate a peice of fruit and some wheat toast, every day in the car...I would consider that a pretty decent start for the day.

It was just my "thoughts" that eating breakfast in your car everyday didn't seem like it would be very healthy; however, you make a good point...maybe it's wheat toast and fruit. Usually when we eat in the car it's junk(no eggs and toast in the car for us)... but we've all had a day where we had to eat and run. We do have someone that eats breakfast in the car almost everyday (at least they do not block the line). My kids always tell me it's donuts...maybe they are just jealous.

 

[disykat]

Geez - some people can turn anything into a debate. Yes, I get irritated when people stop for more than a minute in the drop off line. This was a vent - plain and simple - and something that has been vented about many times here before. I mentioned it, because as far as rude reasons for holding up the drop off line go - I think sitting to eat your breakfast is pretty far up there.

I only mentioned what they were eating when it became clear people were picturing a table, cloth napkins, a camp stove, etc. Come on - they were holding up the line! I don't know what is hard to understand about that.

I drop my child because a 40 minute bus ride is not worth getting up in the morning for when we live less than 5 minutes from the school. The bus stop is on a 50 mph road, two blocks from our house. My kids would be in trouble if they walked - walkers are not allowed at our school because of the 50mph road. There are 3 houses that are allowed to walk - period.

 

[MzDiz]

We're only a few blocks from the school, but I'm not comfortable sending my seven year old on that walk alone. We also have a bus that stops right across the street from us, but it's not uncommon to see teenagers (and the occasional stupid adult) jump that curb because of the way the road is set up and because they can't be bothered to go 25 mph. So, I drive her a whole two and a half blocks.

We have LOTS of people in that drop off circle that think they're the only people on the planet. Just this morning, there was a back up because someone parked and got out of her car to run in the building. There was a parking space not fifteen feet away! Our school even has a person standing out there in an orange jacket (though at this point, I'm not entirely sure what she does).

 

[jodifla]

If you don't live within certain limits you are a "walker"...but no way would I let my 4 year old walk to kindergarten on her own and even not on her own it would be far for her to walk carrying a backpack that is 35 percent of her body weight. Even the 5th graders don't walk to school-they get dropped off, its safer. We used to ride our bikes to school but now if you show up on a bike they send you home. I personally do not like school buses and don't think they are safe-we do qualify for one and she uses it coming home from school but going she usually gets dropped off...school doesn't start until 920 and the bus comes at 845...she can use that extra half hour to sleep or get ready or finish up her homework from the night before.

My DS has been riding the bus since he was 3, and loves it! Not sure why you don't think it's safe.....

 

[VSL]

If you don't live within certain limits you are a "walker"...but no way would I let my 4 year old walk to kindergarten on her own and even not on her own it would be far for her to walk carrying a backpack that is 35 percent of her body weight.

Relative to adults, children are much stronger when it comes to percentages of their body weight.

 

[hentob]

My DS has been riding the bus since he was 3, and loves it! Not sure why you don't think it's safe.....

Our busses don't have seatbelts My kids will ride once in awhile, but I feel like such a hypocrite. I have taught them about car seats/seatbelts their entire lives, now I throw them on the bus with neither.

 

[kejoda]

wwe used to have a Mom that would start honking as soon as she got in the drop of line. It wasn't jsut once it was constant. The Prinicipal finally told her she couldn't honk anymore and she took the kids out of school. Strange lady, the kids were nice but strange lady.

 

[jfulcer]

At DD's old school they had a police officer that visited the school once a week during drop off time. If you parked your car in the drop off lane on a day the officer was there, you'd come back out to a ticket because it was a 'school drop off zone' and caused traffic problems on the street. Most parents got the idea to use the parking lot after 1 or 2 tickets - it was actually closer in some cases.

 

[aprilgail2]

My DS has been riding the bus since he was 3, and loves it! Not sure why you don't think it's safe.....

You watch the news around here and all you hear about are accidents involving school buses....one in my daughter school was involved in one just last month.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I agree- I don't understand the gripe. At least they are eating something. Many kids are sent to school with empty bellies. The day after his birthday my son had birthday cake for breakfast.

My kids have always had birthday cake for breakfast the next day...It is tradition!

As far as line moving we have people hawking the drop off line to tell you "you're doing it wrong".

 

[MrsPete]

Just wanted to add...what is up with so many people dropping off their kids, anyways?

It never used to be such a popular thing as it is now. My kids ride the bus 90% of the time. I can understand if you didn't have bus service it would obviously be necessary, but I am not sure why so many people drop off, otherwise?

My kids are dropped off because my husband and I both go to work before the bus comes through our neighborhood. If we didn't drop them off, they'd have to lock up the house themselves, then walk two houses down (bus doesn't stop at every house, just on the corner and all the kids go to that stop) and wait without an adult until the bus comes. It's not problematic for us to drop them off in the mornings, and we know that they made it into the building safely.

On the other hand, if I were a stay-at-home mom or if I didn't go to work until later in the day (so that I could accompany them to the bus stop, or at least stand in my driveway and see that they got on the bus safely), they would ride the bus.

I'm home before they are in the afternoons, so they do ride the bus home. I have no issues with the bus whatsoever -- it's just that I don't want my two daughters standing alone on a street corner every morning.

 

[MrsPete]

I agree- I don't understand the gripe. At least they are eating something. Many kids are sent to school with empty bellies. The day after his birthday my son had birthday cake for breakfast.

Well, eating breakfast serves two purposes:

1. It keeps the kids from being hungry.
2. It provides fuel to grow a healthy body.

Most people seem to care only about purpose #1 these days. I don't think an occasional poptart is a problem, but having them (or sugar cereal, or granola bars, or other sugary, prepared breakfasts) on a regular basis will take a toll on the child's eventual health.

As for the lady feeding her kids breakfast in the drop-off line . . . if she arrived before the kids were finished, why didn't she just park and let them eat in the car? She wouldn't have been holding up traffic, and everyone would've been happy.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

As for the lady feeding her kids breakfast in the drop-off line . . . if she arrived before the kids were finished, why didn't she just park and let them eat in the car? She wouldn't have been holding up traffic, and everyone would've been happy.

Because that would have involved common sense and common courtesy.