Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

What gets into parents at school pick up time?

34 replies

sewintoyou · 13/10/2017 16:05

There is a painted line in the playground which we are supposed to stand behind, so the little ones can see their adult and the teacher can see them. The children are lined up indoors and one by one say 'Miss, I see mum/dad/gran/aunty/nanny'.

Every day there is a group of parents right up at the door, completely blocking the teacher and children's view, encouraging their child to skip the line, trying to talk to the teacher when she's got twenty other kids to see safely home and harangue her over what Timmy had for lunch and has she corrected Sally's homework?

WTF is wrong with people?

OP posts:
ijustwannadance · 13/10/2017 16:08

When DD was in reception there was a group of parents with prams and buggies that did the same, blocking the bloody doors despite being asked to stay back.

AppleTrayBake · 13/10/2017 16:13

I think it's a type of performance parenting. They need to be right up there showing everyone how much they love their child and what an excellent parent they are.

You can't put on this 'performance' if you are standing quietly at the back. Think of it as their stage Wink

PurpleMinionMummy · 13/10/2017 16:16

Yanbu. Its so annoying when they plant themselves right in the teachers view.

Original poster
sewintoyou · 13/10/2017 16:18

All the world's a stage, eh?

No consideration for other people at all, it's really appalling.

OP posts:
Flicketyflack · 13/10/2017 16:20

They will be at the front of the nativity in December 😉

JennyOnAPlate · 13/10/2017 16:22

Yes they will be at the front for the nativity, recording the whole thing on their phones before uploading it to social media. I know the type well.

AppleTrayBake · 13/10/2017 16:25

They'll be at the front, holding up an iPad and blocking everyone else's view Grin

Smartiepants79 · 13/10/2017 16:25

School need to be firmer. Get them to move back before releasing the children. Or ignore them and send the children of the 'good' parents out first. Grin
So many people seem to think the rules don't apply to them because they're special.

AdalindSchade · 13/10/2017 16:27

Because some people are selfish dickheads and when they have children their selfish dickhead behaviour extends to their kids!
I bloody hate parents like that. The knob who filmed the Xmas show with an iPad is a prime example.

Original poster
sewintoyou · 13/10/2017 16:30

Grin We're all on tenterhooks waiting for the 'Mary and Joseph' announcement.

The teacher is very young and does try to move them back but the head is definitely better at it. Some days she's not out though. Honestly. It's for the good of the children to stand back. Eejits.

OP posts:
Antoniacaenis · 13/10/2017 16:35

As a teacher I used to hate this, especially when taking out a new class. The parents who used to take their child from the line were a real problem. Leave the classroom with 28 get to the playground line with 25! It took the head shepherding one class across the playground to stop one particularly persistant parent. It can be a real safeguarding issue - the reason for the waiting behind the white line approach in the first place. The people who do this always claim to be in a hurry. - but are just entitled- everyone has better places to be!

UtahGirl12 · 13/10/2017 16:43

I work in a school and have to send the children home daily. It's the most stressful part of the day for me. Why do some parents insist on standing around the corner, on their phones so that they can't see me and I can't see them unless I physically walk outside to check? Also some parents are so rude busy talking to other parents they don't even look at you or acknowledge you have called their child and am sending the child to them. I have to pause sending other children then until I can see the correct child has reached the correct adult. Other parents are so rude they will ignore everybody else waiting and come right up in my face and rudely demand their child by shouting their name, and nothing else. No please, no thank you. Some people get shirty when I don't recognise them; over the course of a day I can send up to 50 children home. Some are picked up by different creches/playgroups etc on different days. others can be picked up by 1 of 4 parents/step parents/partners, to say nothing of at least 4 different grand parents, aunties, uncles, neighbours, friends etc. That's a lot of faces to remember, especially when I may only see them once or twice a term. What makes my day is when I get a smile and a "thank you" or a "have a nice weekend" etc. That doesn't happen often! It's more likely to be a parent expecting me to go and look right now for their child's lost school jumper that has no bloody name tag on it, when I have 20 other children to send! And don't get me started about the excited kids who run out of school shouting "Mummy" to a mum is too busy on her phone to even acknowledge her child and turns and walks away, still on her phone without even checking her child is still behind her!

Phew. Rant over! Blush

orangeowls · 13/10/2017 16:47

I had to do some days in a primary school during my secondary teacher training and I honestly don’t know how those teachers do it. The kids are hard enough at that age, but some parents! OMG!

Anniegetyourgun · 13/10/2017 16:49

It's the same attitude of entitlement that leads some parents to park dangerously outside schools. But you don't understand, they are picking up their children! Unlike the other 200 random people who just happen to be standing outside the school at this time of day for no reason at all Hmm

Original poster
sewintoyou · 13/10/2017 16:53

you don't understand, they are picking up their children! Unlike the other 200 random people who just happen to be standing outside the school at this time of day for no reason at all

Grin

Hats off to the school staff, I agree.

OP posts:
LovelyPrep · 13/10/2017 16:55

don't get me started about the excited kids who run out of school shouting "Mummy" to a mum is too busy on her phone to even acknowledge her child and turns and walks away, still on her phone without even checking her child is still behind her!
Sad We have a few like that at our school. They'll often miss their kid coming to the front of the line because they're not even looking and the child then gets sent to the back.
Between the performance parents and the ones that just can't be arsed, the school run can definitely be a bit tedious. Add the batshit crazy parking and you could quite easily be driven to insanity.

RedForFilth · 13/10/2017 16:59

Oh gawd my son is only 2.5 and no one told me I had this to look forward too! WIBU to pay a childminder or something to drop off and pick up so I don't have to?!

crimsonlake · 13/10/2017 17:09

As a supply teacher it is the parents who are always late picking up their children that I hate. Some never acknowledge you or say thank you, sorry for being late etc. I always shout 'your welcome' as they are leaving, but leaves me fuming.

UtahGirl12 · 13/10/2017 17:12

Redforfilth learn from this thread and you will be the Mum we talk favourably about in the staffroom! Simple rules: be on time (you'd be surprised at the parents who turn up up to 20 mins late with no explanation or apology, to the child or the staff!) Stand where you are meant to. When the teacher opens the door make eye contact so she can see you are ready for your child. Look for your child coming out and make a fuss of him! He will be excited to see you and want to tell you all about his day. Smile and shout "thanks, bye" to the teacher as you leave the yard. If he has lost his jumper/whatever which obviously will have his name on it in big letters somewhere obvious, then hold back till all the children have been dismissed and then approach the teacher, telling her not to worry, you can pick it up tomorrow. If you need to see her about anything more important, hang back and ask when it would be convenient to make an appointment to see her. I'm sure you will do just fine. Smile

crimsonlake · 13/10/2017 17:12

If anyone is missing a jumper etc I always tell the parent to come and search the class with their child, no way am I searching for it I have enough to do. Equally annoying are the parents who always try to get into the class at the start of the day or linger in the cloakroom so they can see what is going on in the class.

AtHomeDadGlos · 13/10/2017 17:16

Lost jumpers! How exactly are they my problem or responsibility? I allow the parent and child to have a look around but that was it - I disappear off to the staff room for a cuppa too, otherwise you get drawn into a discussion about progress/friendships etc.

RedForFilth · 13/10/2017 17:21

UtahGirl12 thank you! My sister is a teacher so I'll ask for tips from her too. I'm aiming to be the teachers favourite parent Grin I can't believe people turn up so late! Why do they think your time has no value? So bloody rude!

BootHill · 13/10/2017 17:23

Yep. Every year without fail there are those parents that stand over the line and in the way.

Slickster10 · 13/10/2017 17:25

Dropping DD off in the morning, we queue up to go in and it always seems to be the childminders who jump the queue when dropping the children off. I understand they need to be somewhere but so do I and I respect the queue.

spiderlight · 13/10/2017 17:27

I am so glad we're in Y6 now and DS comes half-way home on his own. The days when i have to pick up a friend's child from the infants yard fill me with dread - it's like a rugby scrum.