To not understand this mum

[justalittlelemondrizzle]

I live on the same road as the school ds attends. For the last year I see more and more parents arriving early so they can get a space on the road and then waiting in their cars. There is one lady in particular who arrives at 2pm on the dot every day. The children don't finish till 3.15. She sits in her car all this time with a 2 year old sat in the back. I just think it's a bit odd. Why would you want to sit there for over an hour with a restless toddler instead of parking a bit further away and walking round the corner. Just to add, she doesn't appear to have any problems walking, she's often seen running after the little one when he's finally released from the car.
She also lives about a 10 minute walk away from school.
I just don't get why anyone would want to waste an hour of their day doing this.

Very bizarre, I would also be intrigued/ irritated by this!

That is odd

Very odd indeed, particularly with a toddler! But I have to say I see it here all the time too - I live across the road from a primary school and can't believe how early some people arrive for pick up!

Maybe its the only way the 2 year old naps and the only peace she gets. Maybe she hates being in her house, perhaps escaping from someone there and they are listening to stories/music in the car. Maybe she feels she should be running about doing stuff if she is at home & its the only way she can make herself sit still. Who knows?

Bit weird.

Toddler napping maybe?

Phew I thought I might be flamed for being nosy. But it's hard not to notice her when her favourite spot is outside my house. I feel really sorry for the little one

Is the 2yr old sleeping? I could imagine doing this if my toddler would only go to sleep in the car and then woke up if moved......

The bliss of just sitting. I presume the toddler is asleep to begin with, or sits quietly in their child seat. Meaning the Mum, can read, play on her phone or ping emails off.

It just means she's off duty from having eyes in the back of her head. if said toddler is strapped in, asleep/quiet

I have noticed this at a school I drive past often, people there from 2pm awaiting school out, and not just one or two, I have presumed it was different people most days and they were running early (although I would find something to do). From half past two it is so busy but drive around the corner - a 2-3 minute walk away and there is loads of parking and it's quicker to drive away from there too. Madness.

To get a space by my dcs school you have to be there by half two at the latest, two on a rainy day. People sit in their cars looking at their phones until twenty past three.

If I'm feeling particularly lazy I get a latte and a book and get up there early. Most of the time I'm to busy to have an hour plus to waste just doing the school run.

I sometimes pick my dc up five minutes late on purpose so the ones who have been waiting an hour have gone and I can park even though i only live ten minutes walk away

Of course, the DC she is picking up could have mobility issues, but it's equally possible the DC is one of the speshul ones who Does Not Walk Anywhere at all. A great shame - I still miss the 25min walk home (and CHATTING time) with my DCs when they were at primary.
It's good exercise for child and parent, better for environment, reduces parking issues etc etc. But yes, the DC could melt in a drop of rain, and is probably in a rush to get to his mandarin for beginners / advanced accounting class......

No definately never asleep. They've just got out of the car and he actually looks about 3. He looked smaller in the car somehow haha!

Some mothers who turn up really early to get a spot right oppositie the gate do so because they're very anti-social.

If they can bag a spot close enough, they can see the child coming out of class and it's a quick in and out job, without having to stand and chat with people in the playground.

Not for quite as long, but I see exactly the same thing! I live very close to school and can easily see the playground from my window. Every day between 2.20 and 2.30 a woman arrives to pick up her child. She has a toddler too. The kids finish at 3. So every week this woman spends 2 and a half hours parked in "her" spot at the end of my street. IT'S MADNESS.

Sad for the 3yo to spend so much time just sitting in a car. It's things like this that make people think young dc are better off in nursery!

I have noticed this when picking up my grandchildren, I have been temporarily (I hope) disabled, and cannot walk more than about 30 yards, so although I live quite close to the school, I tried to park when walking was too painful, I gave up when I realised to get a spot nearer than home, I would have to park at 2pm for a 3.30pm finish. I have to hobble with my stick, and hope there is a spot to sit while I wait for the pain to subside before I take them home.

Territorial Parking Phobia - some people seem to feel the need to park in a certain place or the world will cave in!

I see this day in day out on my street (large high school). Parents arrive an hour early to park out side the gates so that their precious enormous teenager little one won't have to walk to the end of the street. Perish the thought that they may have to get the school bus or walk.

Maybe she has picked up the 3 year old from playschool and lives too far away to bother going home.

I expect the little one is just quiet in the car, maybe it does give the kid some quiet time? Maybe it's a loon 24/7 it's a mystery to me why but have children that can be fighting trying to murder each other indoors but will be angels in a car... Soon as there in those seats they are super quiet, they talk lovely to each other, they are different human beings! I am fearful now I have tempted fate.

If this is the only time she gets in a day to just chill out then who can blame her!

I'm an early arriver -hope nobody thinks I'm weird!! I get to school at around 2.30 for 3pm pick up. It's because I come directly from work and don't have time to go home first (would drive past school to do so) so I take a book and just enjoy the VERY rare peace for half an hour. It's lovely.

This sounds like my street! One end is a infant school the other is a junior. Every day from 8am there are lovely (often very overweight) parents/grandparents parked up with kids in the car whom they then release at 5 to 9 and don't even get out to walk them the 15 steps to school. Worst of it is when I'm trying to get off the drive and they've parked halfway across it & I can't get out but oh no they won't move!

I think it's very odd how they don't walk to school.....we live in a village and only village people can go to the schools

No does seem a bit odd - maybe 2pm is nap time and child sleeps better in the car and mum needs some rest.?

Outside our school there are 2 parking bays each with 3 spaces which have a max of 20 minute stay I have used these only on the occasion that I have been early or late - they are virtually pointless in that you would need to get there so early to secure the spot that your 20 minutes would be up before th school finished

I do think you get the other extreme of hardcore walkers - we live a good 15 -20 mins from the school - on a nice day it's a pleasant walk - today it was torrential rain in the morning and lady on my street still insists on walking all of her children to school - despite there being ample on street parking a 5 mins away from school -

Each to their own😀

You could be describing my DM were it not for the age of the child. She has form for this, she has an absolute dread of being late for things/being unable to park and frequently goes to things an hour ahead of time. She used to set out at 1.30 for a 3pm pickup with one child. No other kids in the car though.