Kindergarten!!!!!!!!

[bdavis337]

My son has JUST been assigned the school of my "dreams" for kindy in the fall. Now instead of obsessing about getting him in, I can focus on obsessing about all the REST of it!

1 - the uniform. He needs fully elastic waist pants, no cargo pockets. NOT EASY to find for a reasonable price.

2 - car drop off lane is a "quick" drop off. You get I think 30 seconds to unload and if you're not done they wave you off and you have to go around again. Makes sense from a logistics standpoint, but he's in the back seat of our Astro van in a 5 point harness seat he cannot undo by himself. There is no way I can get him out in 30 seconds or less, even if I move his seat closer to the front. Loading at pickup is the same deal. I don't want to be required to pick him up in a separate location that separates him from the rest of the kids, especially since I'll also be picking up his older brother. ??????

3 - KINDERGARTEN???? O.M.G. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[alicia622]

what size pants does he wear? Kohl's usually has kids pants with elastic waist but they only go up to 5T. Also, check lands end- they do lots of uniform type clothes, so they may have them.

KINDERGARTEN!!!!! (DS will be entering pre-K this year so I am almost there myself!)

[~cassie~]

Is there no way that they will bend the rules a bit? Are the teachers/aides allowed to help unbuckle?
My oldest starts kindergarten next year and will still be in his 5pt, I usually unbuckle while waiting in line for drop off so he can get out the door faster at his preschool. I sure hope we don't have a time limit! My SN kid starts prek3 next year and we don't even do dropoff with the other parents, we can only walk them in.

[K-Mom3]

1. Try landsend.com for uniforms. I like their climber pants for my ds but they also have a lot of stuff that is specifically for school uniforms. These look good...

2. I think I would go with a separate location.

3. Kindergarten is awesome!

[bdavis337]

No cargo pockets allowed or we'd already have what we need for pants! They must be plain khaki or navy blue.

Those Lands End pants are perfect - now if I can just reduce the price by about $15/per pair......... :

Separate pickup location doesn't appeal to me because that means I'd have to require his older brother to wait at the alternate location as well, which I don't think is far to ask of him. He has to work so much of his life around Mark's needs already. Then again, if I'm dropping off he'll have an aid meet him at the car so that might solve it, although she'd have to climb INTO the vehicle completely to get him out. No, I cannot change the seat location.

[Equuskia]

If you have a SN kid, then the school is required to accommodate him. If he requires more time to get out of the car, then he should get it.

[Linda on the move]

Originally Posted by Equuskia

If you have a SN kid, then the school is required to accommodate him. If he requires more time to get out of the car, then he should get it.

they may best be able to do this at a different door.

There's no way for them to explain to all the other parents why you are holding up the line, so a different door may really be best *for your child*.

(I once had a parent honk while my DD with anxiety was having trouble getting out the door. The staff is sweet as can be to her, but how are the other parents supposed to know why it takes her longer?)

[sbgrace]

This probably won't work for some reason but can he load with or just after his brother so his brother can help with the buckle?
Wow. No way could either of my kids get out or in within 30 seconds. So you just keep driving around over and over if you don't get it done in 30 seconds or what? I don't get how starting over would ever get the job done or am I misunderstanding? Yikes.

I'm so glad you got the school you wanted!

[Momily]

I work in a school, and I can't really imagine that the 30 second rule means you can't stand there long enough to unbuckle or buckle your kid. I think it means you can't wait until you're there to make sure your kid has their permission slip, kiss them three times, call them back to wish them luck in the play try outs, and negotiate with them for 5 minutes about whether they're wearing their coat for the 1 minute walk into the building.

Having said that, I do think that having your older son unbuckle the carseat, if he sits next to him, might help. I also know we have mother who buckle loosely, and then pull over ahead of the carpool line to adjust the buckle to their liking. I'd be OK with that, although I know other mothers who wouldn't.

I'd look at Target for pants.

[bdavis337]

After enrolling my 3rd grader this morning (he's returning to school after a stint at home with me) I have the full scoop on the dropoff lane, and I can't even exit the vehicle to help him. Argh.

[Momily]

Is there someone to help though? My son went to a camp like that this summer, and they opened his door and helped him out -- and he's 10. I know that at my old preschool we did ask parents to stay in the car, but we got in and out and did all the buckles.

Can his brother buckle/unbuckle him? The kids I carpool the 1st grader buckles and unbuckles the Pre-ker, but he's in a booster.

[RiverTam]

Originally Posted by bdavis337

No cargo pockets allowed or we'd already have what we need for pants! They must be plain khaki or navy blue.

Those Lands End pants are perfect - now if I can just reduce the price by about $15/per pair......... :

Separate pickup location doesn't appeal to me because that means I'd have to require his older brother to wait at the alternate location as well, which I don't think is far to ask of him. He has to work so much of his life around Mark's needs already. Then again, if I'm dropping off he'll have an aid meet him at the car so that might solve it, although she'd have to climb INTO the vehicle completely to get him out. No, I cannot change the seat location.

Go the "Overstocks" section on the Land's End site, and keep an eye on it. I get some great deals there.

You can buy khaki pants with elastic waistbands at Old Navy, Target or Kmart pretty easily.