Pasan Nanayakkara
Late pickups are a common problem for teachers of younger children, who are often responsible for their students’ safety until they are picked up by their parents. To address this issue, a school has implemented a policy of fining parents $2 for every minute they are late, with the fines going to the teacher who has to stay after their working hours. In this blog post, we explore the reasons for this policy, its benefits for teachers and children, the negative effects of late pickups on children, tips for punctual parenting, and whether the policy is fair to all parents.
Why the School Fines Late Parents
The school’s policy of fining parents for being late aims to compensate the teacher who has to stay after their working hours to look after the children. As Kristin Evans, an early education teacher, shared in a video, the money charged to late parents goes straight to the teacher’s pocket as compensation for their overtime work. This policy is also a preventive measure to encourage punctuality among parents and reduce the frequency of late pickups.
Benefits of the Policy for Teachers and Children
The policy benefits teachers by compensating them for their extra work and allowing them to go home on time. It also benefits children by setting an example of punctuality and reducing their anxiety and embarrassment when they are picked up last. According to Home Cleaning Family, children who are constantly picked up late may feel undervalued, forgotten, neglected, and embarrassed. St Dunstan’s Catholic School also emphasizes the negative impact of late pickups on children, who may feel increasing levels of anxiety and distress as they wait for their parents.
Negative Effects of Late Pickups on Children
The negative effects of late pickups on children include anxiety, embarrassment, and a sense of being undervalued. According to Training Wheels Needed, being picked up last makes children feel embarrassed, anxious, and may break their trust in their parents. When parents constantly arrive late to collect their children, they send a message to their children that they are undervalued, forgotten, neglected, and feel like a loser.
Tips for Punctual Parenting
To avoid being late to pick up their children, parents can make the task their number-one priority, set up reminders, and have an emergency plan in place. An emergency plan can include having a few people who can pick up their children in case of unexpected events. If all fails, informing the teacher or the child directly that they will be late can calm their anxiety and let them know they were not forgotten.
Is the Policy Fair to All Parents?
While the policy may be effective in preventing late pickups and compensating teachers, it may not be fair to all parents. What if a punctual parent had an emergency or got stuck in traffic because of an unexpected event? Should they be treated the same as chronically late parents who cannot manage their time? This is a question that the school and parents need to address.
In conclusion, the school’s policy of fining parents for being late aims to compensate teachers and prevent late pickups. While this policy may have benefits for teachers and children, it may also have negative effects on children and may not be fair to all parents.
The school’s policy received mixed reactions in the comments section. While the majority of the respondents expressed their agreement with the policy, some considered it excessively rigid.
More info: TikTok
More info: TikTok
