5 Ways to be Productive in the School Drop-off Line

Author’s note: I wrote this piece more than two years ago when my daughter started first grade. Here I’m ruminating (bitching!) about how much time we parents spend in the school drop off/pick-up line. Since then, she’s been homeschooled and is now back in 3rd grade (and I’ve delegated the task to my husband.) Enjoy!

Since my daughter started 1st grade in a new (and much bigger) school I’m slowly adjusting to the drop-off/pick-up line daily fiasco. It’s only been a few weeks and I’m already wishing we’d homeschooled. I’m just not ready for this cutthroat, elementary school jungle. Who knew Bad Moms was a documentary?

My sweet child could be prancing around barefoot with ‘schoolmates’ called Indigo, Peace and Leaf, planting cabbages in an organic Zen Garden, and learning yoga. Even her name — the Welsh word for Star — is homeschool friendly.

But instead, it’s 7:35 — dangerously close to tardy time — and we’re still stuck in the drop-off line in our 2002 slightly beat up minivan. We finally get through to the drop-off zone, and it’s a frantic fight to unclip the car-seat, while a mob of impatient, suburban moms and dads in their shiny new convertible BMW’s and SUV’s loom behind us. The clip gets stuck in her Hello Kitty t-shirt and so the honking starts — we’re just not fast enough. If this were a military maneuver we’d be screwed.

Production Line

And when I pick her up, after waiting at least 30 minutes, teachers, and little helpers in bright yellow vests, frantically wave their hands, ushering me along the production line, despite the fact my 6-year-old is barely sitting down let alone buckled in. The car-seat is a struggle for her tiny hands, and I can’t seem to sufficiently contort my body to reach back and fasten the dreaded bottom clip. This sometimes necessities breaking the school line law of stopping and exiting the vehicle to get back there and help…I can just feel the scorch of those angry stares! Then more honking.

Time Consuming and Anxiety Ridden!

She’s been exposed to a fair amount of flowery language since school started so at least her vocabulary has broadened. But for me, it’s been a frustrating, stressful, and scary experience so far. And I haven’t even joined the PTA yet!

As well as inducing anxiety the whole process is also time consuming. Between dropping off and picking up my daughter from school I’m spending at least 45 minutes or more just idling in the car. Ignoring the ‘no phones beyond this point’ sign like everyone else, I find myself surreptitiously glancing at my e-mail and Facebook, my head popping up every three seconds like a prairie dog, just in case I miss moving a couple of feet along. It’s gotten to the point that I’m dreading school as much as she is every morning and longing for the weekend.

Use this time Productively

But then I got to thinking. How can I make this taxing ritual more bearable? And what about all that precious time we spend waiting? We’re all busily rushing around every day, always complaining we don’t have time for things. For most moms it’s hard to even snatch a few moments to curl up with a good book. I have two notebooks full of to-do lists, so there’s plenty to catch up on. And I’m always doing research, be it for work or pleasure. So wouldn’t it be nice to use that pick-up time productively?

Since I’m a home-based writer and a stay-at-home mom, my first thoughts were, ‘I’m going to write about this!’ And then I made another list of things I’ve been meaning to do but never seem to get around to.

Here’s what I came up with, all you need is a smartphone or tablet, and you can join me on my journey to pick-up line peace and productivity:

Five Ways to make those Precious Minutes Count

(Without being distracted by constantly looking at your phone or frustrated by people who just pulled in, getting through before you!)

With voice activation and audio versions of just about any online content, these activities can be safely enjoyed without even a downward glance. We’ll be the calmest, smartest, most informed parents in the line, baby!

1. Learn a language

I’m already bilingual but really want to learn Spanish and French. I’ve been saying that for over a decade and now seems like a good time. There are plenty of audio language courses designed for mobile use. Popular language apps include Duolingo, Babbel and Rosetta Stone.

2. Listen to an Audiobook

No time to read your favorite novels. That’s okay. How about aiming to ‘read’ a different audiobook every week. Make it a fun challenge. Or if you prefer non-fiction, make a list of the books you’ve been meaning to sink your teeth into, but never had the time.

As well as audiobooks, at Audible you can also purchase audio versions of newspapers and magazines. There are also audiobooks available online for free, including many on YouTube.

3. Tune into your favorite Podcasts

From crime and law to economics and finance, there are countless podcasts to choose from. You can subscribe to a podcast show with an app on your phone and listen to it whenever and wherever you like.

4. Listen to TED talks

Try TED Talks audio and learn something new every day. TED talks are short, powerful talks, usually running 18 minutes or less, so perfect for the pick-up line!

5. Listen to Music

How about choosing a new music genre each week, something you don’t normally listen to, and try it out! From classical to folk, take a listen to what’s out there.

From Hot Mess to Mindful Mom

Instead of waiting impatiently to inch along the line, you may find yourself begging for more time so you can find out who ‘did it’ in your novel or learn about that 10th ‘step to self-confidence’ on the podcast you’re tuning into.

Or maybe there’s something educational and useful like the audio version of: ‘One Minute Zen: Go from Hot Mess to Mindful Mom in One Minute or Less.’