School Dropoff Etiquette Plea, Reminder from Aliso Viejo School Crossing Guard

ALISO VIEJO, CA—An Orange County mother's group was discussing the perils of school drop off again this morning, proving that this is a universal truth. Pull forward can answer almost every school drop off complaint, however one crossing guard added a concern to the current "pull forward" movement.

A Don Juan Avila Middle and Elementary school crossing guard sent out a Facebook plea reminding parents of a few simple rules :

• Be present when picking up your child.
• Please stay off your phone.
• Please don't park illegally.
• Please watch for children and watch for crossing guards
• Remember, if you hit a crossing guard or any child, your life as you know it, is over.

"My number one priority is getting all students to school safely," the crossing guard identified as Denise Coopersmith stated, "Please help me do that by driving slowly through the school zone."

Read the full statement on safety by Aliso Viejo Mayor Mike Munzing here.

It can happen in any town, in any school district anywhere. Whether at back to school time or in the middle of the year when THAT mom (and it is rarely if ever you) breaks an unwritten school drop off rule.

Pull forward.

That's it. If you pull forward during school drop off there is no problem. If you don't know that rule...well. Here's an example of what happened in my neighborhood just this week on day two of school.

A mom—probably harassed and definitely not paying attention to the umpteen other mothers attempting to drop off their children—swung around a u-turn toward the middle school drop off area and stopped at an angle, blocking oncoming traffic.

Stopped.

At an angle.

Blocking oncoming traffic.

Pay no attention that her trunk was in the middle of a two lane road. Pay no mind that her innocent new middle schooler was exiting her vehicle from the wrong side of the car.

Watching this in horror, I went into mama-protect mode and carefully created a roadblock with my own SUV.

She was harassed, hurried and her son was obviously in turmoil wrestling with the thousand-pound backpack they are required to wear. With my own children in the car I attempted to swallow the choice phrases that came to mind.

I tried to remember that I was in her spot last year. Now the mother of a 7th grader I'm currently a veteran middle-school mom-taxi. I did my best to remember that the "rules of middle school drop off" are mostly a learn as you go. There is not a manual (that I am aware of) of school drop off etiquette.

Therefore I must side with Jenny of "Jenny on the Spot" as I remind all parents in situations like this when you are minutes from the bell ringing and your child has forgotten their homework, lunch, shoes (insert yours here) there is a universal rule for dropping off children at all schools.

• Be kind.
• Be courteous.
• When you can, be early.
• And at the very least, pull forward to the most open spot when dropping off your kid.

Try to leave the areas around u-turns clear for mothers driving SUVs who cannot complete a u-turn without having to back up and try again in a three-point manner.

Finally—always, above all else—keep an eye out for everyone else's kid as much as you will for your own.

And now, here's "Jenny on the Spot" with her Rant on School Drop Off for your viewing pleasure.

Be safe out there, fellow mom-taxis!

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