To think it odd if a mother doesn't know what time school finishes?

[SooticaTheWitchesCat]

I was picking up my DD from school yesterday when a mum of one of her classmates asked me what time she was supposed to pick up her daughter as she always got the time wrong.

The children are in Y2 now so have been at school for 2½ years so surely she should know by now what time they finish?

I was just shocked that a mum didn't know what time she was supposed to pick her daughter up!

[shakinstevenslovechild]

Maybe her dd goes to a childminder/after school club and she doesn't pick her up regularly or maybe she usually shows up too early and just wanted to clarify the time before she starts appearing later, or maybe she has children at different schools and gets confused sometimes.

Nothing to be shocked about really.

[LayMeDown]

Or if she works full time and doesn't regularly do the pick ups?

[CinnabarRed]

I don't have a clue what time DS's school finishes because I never do pick ups.

[SaltyandSweet]

Could she have just been trying to make conversation with you?? Sounds like the kind of awkward, nonsensical question that can be blurted out when trying to start a chat with a stranger ...

[CoffeeTea103]

As pp have mentioned there could be various reasons why. So all you should do is tell her the times and move on. No need to be shocked and go on to write a whole post about it.

[LtEveDallas]

My DD is in Yr 4 and I don't know what time she finishes - it's either 1510 or 1515.

I don't do school runs!

[davidbrentslovechild]

I work FT and my childminder collects my DS from school every day. I have probably picked him up twice since he went to Junior school which was two years ago.

The last time I collected him I arrived ten minutes early and ended up having to ask the HT which playground I should wait for him in

It's terrible but I hardly ever drop off or pick up.

[MinnieMooMoo]

At our school they stagger it so for the first three years its completely different.

[tabulahrasa]

I managed to regularly forget...it was like some sort of weird blank spot, I mean I say regularly, every few months or so, I just wouldn't remember if it was 15 past or 20 past.

No idea why really, I think I just did it on autopilot so much that when I actually thought about it I couldn't remember.

[TantrumsAndBalloons]

i went to pick up my ds2 last year and realised i had no idea where his class came out.
I dont do the school run.

[SirChenjin]

2.5 years in - yes, I would think she should know, unless the DC goes to afterschool care and she doesn't normally do the school run.

I would think the same for fathers too

[Lovecat]

Depending on what day it is, DD's day finishes at either 3.20, 4pm, 4.15, 4.30 or 5.30pm. Sometimes I forget what sport/afterschool club is on what day and turn up at the wrong time. It's not a big deal (there is afterschool provision until 6.30 so as long as I'm there before then she's looked after!) and I would have to think about it if someone put me on the spot and asked out of nowhere.

[HobbetInTheHeadlights]

Lot of reasons people mentioned already.

However I was taken by by YR4 mother complaining about being unaware that the school was finishing early that day at end of term - like it does every term and has every year since they started - so 3 times a year.

It was also in the school news letter out at the start of that week and text messages were sent out twice to remind parents it was also on the school website and the DC themselves had been reminded.

Apparently that hadn't been enough to let her know .

[SooticaTheWitchesCat]

I was more surprised because she or one of the child's sisters/cousins I'm not sure which, is always there to collect, so it's not like she works and has a child minder.

Maybe she is just forgetful or maybe she was just making conversation.

If it was someone's dad I wouldn't have been surprised as I have to remind DH every time he does pick up (which is very rarely)

[littleducks]

Dh gets confused. Ds finishes at 3.20, dd at 3.30 except on Friday when ds finishes at 4,30 due to a club. The go to after school club which technically finished at 5.45 but its ok if you get delayed but get back before 6. Last year ds finished at 3.15.

So I can see he might ask or just get there at 3.10 to be sure not to be late!

[redskyatnight]

DH has no idea what time the DC's school finishes and he often does pickups (he has to check with me every time).
If she collects every day, it's a bit odd though!

[DeWe]

I spent the first 2 years of dd1 at school thinking it started at 8:45 and finished at 3:20.
It didn't. It started at 8:50 and finished at 3:25.

Luckily we were always early to school as dd1 liked to play for ages in the playground before.

Dh doesn't have a clue. If I ask him to pick up, he always has to ask, despite it being several times every term and the timing hasn't changed in the 10 years they've been at the primary school.

[JennyOnAPlate]

Dd is in year 1 and finishes sometime between 3.20 and 3.30. I pick up every day and every day they come out at a different time to the day before!

[OldBeanbagz]

Just think what she'll be like when her DD is at senior school and has clubs after school.

DD's pick ups are 4pm, 5.15pm or 5.30pm depending on what day it is/which week we're on. DS (primary) is either 3.30pm or 4.30pm.

I have multiple alarms on my phone just to make sure i'm in the right place at the right time.

[SacharissaCripslock]

My DH does all school runs and sometimes I still have to remind him of the times on a Friday. They get a half day on Fridays and he just can't keep the different times in his head!

Plus nowadays both DC do some after school clubs so get picked up an hour later on those days. It's actually a bit tricky keeping track of all the various times.

[mattsmadmum]

well i have a year 6 and only just noticed school starts at 8.45 am!

[deakymom]

my son used to finish at 3.20 in nursery now he is reception he finishes at 3.00 for some reason i did not know this and for a couple of days was going around 3.10 like i used to then i queried it i was a bit embarrassed to be honest my daughter finishes at 2.50 i still think its 3pm im the sort of parent who has taken their kids in to school on training days and failed to turn up one day thinking its a training day