2003/08/12 instructions for sitter

An interesting historical document, especially the bit about Benjamin on 8/14.... --Woozle 21:12, 15 September 2010 (EDT)

Wednesday 8/13

You pick up Josh and Zander at Hope Valley Elementary. (To get there from 122 Pinecrest: turn left out of the driveway; turn right on Chapel Hill Rd., go across the bridge, through the traffic light at University Drive, and left into the school.) If you get there after 3 pm or so, the driveway starts to fill up; when it fills up past a certain point, you have to drive the wrong way down the exit lane and turn past two lanes of standing cars to get into the parking lot. (If it fills up past a certain other point, you have to enter using the "exit only"; if it fills up worse than that, you have to wait in line or find somewhere else to park -- we used to use the convenience store across the street a lot.)

Official pick-up time is 3:15; people start going in some minutes before that. Arrive before 3 to beat the parking lot rush.

To get from Hope Valley Elementary to Kidspace: Turn right coming out of the driveway (which you pretty much have to do anyway). Turn right at the University Drive light. Drive about 3 miles to Roxboro Road; go left on Roxboro. You know the drill from that point, I think (straight through town to Holloway (just past the library); turn right on Holloway, then next left, then next right, then pull into the undersized parking lot).

Mel will take care of the kids from 4:15 to 8:15; we'll leave him pizza money and a large styrofoam bat for Benjamin control.

Thursday 8/14

Drop off Zander & Josh at Hope Valley. We usually leave here in the 8:20-8:25 window, to arrive before 8:30 when the parking lot does the same thing it does at 3pm. "No drop-offs before 8:45", but of course you can gauge it by when other people start walking in.

Dropping of Benj: You don't need to know this, but in case you're interested -- the routine for the past few weeks has been that he insists on pushing the buttons (on the door lock) randomly to get a red light, then Sandy pushes the correct combo to get a green light. Then we drop off his lunch (did you know that zipping and unzipping a backpack requires audience participation? Well, it does.). Then he says "red light stop!" and won't let anyone go until he says "green light go". (The new bench at the end of the entryway is an attractive nuisance...) Then he runs down the hall to his class, refuses to go in, and walks backward to the front door. Then he wants "three hugs" from me and "three kisses" from Mommy before pushing us out the door and instructing us to go home and drive the van home.

This morning, however, he amazingly shortened the routine to something sensible -- no "red light stop" after dropping off the lunch, no running down the corridor to his class, refusing to go in, and walking backwards up the hall; we cut straight to the exit scene after dropping off lunch and signing in. I have no idea at all what he'll do for you.

But anyhow, it's ok to leave him off at the Kspace front door; he does go to his class. (As long as nobody's watching.)

--

Then pick everyone up again in the afternoon, as on Wednesday.

Friday 8/15

Drop-off as on Thursday.

Unless you hear otherwise from us, please do pick-up in the afternoon. Mel can watch the kids until we get home if you need to go somewhere (if you would like to stay for a bit and it's ok with The System :-), that would be fine too).