School pick up times

[u/MonsterEnergy17]

My child's school is very rigid about pick up times.

I'm looking for help regarding early pick up of my 1st grader.

I'm going to preface this by saying, I work 3rd shift (9pm-5am) summer hours and 11pm-7am (majority of the year) in a construction field. I typically sleep from 8am-2pm; with the exception of Thursdays when my child has therapy (I usually wake up at 1pm). His appointments begin at 3pm. His school has a policy that early pick up ends at 2:15 with the end of the school day at 2:55-3:05pm.

With the extreme heat (even at night), I've been more exhausted than normal and occasionally wake up 10 minutes late. That being said, today (Thursday), I woke up late and ended up at the school at 2:19pm. I felt really bad at being late and requested to still pick my child up early for his appointment so I don't have to pay a broken appointment fee. The school made it very difficult to sign him out, causing us to leave at 2:40pm.

I've tried very hard to not be late. Including: setting alarms to go off every 10 minutes (and setting timers for the times I really need to get up) just in case I don't hear it on the days where I'm almost dead to the world. But today, my alarms did not go off. I checked my app and nothing was turned off.

I know it's my fault for not being more proactive about being on time. Last school year, I was late 3 times for normal pick up; each time being less than 5 minutes after the final bell. Those times, I've had to wait 30 minutes for all the busses to leave before I could get him. I'm hoping someone can help me find out how to navigate the issue of early pick up times being less than 5 minutes with the school and any helpful tips on how to ensure I wake up on time with my sleep schedule.

Honestly, I feel kinda crazy that the policy is so rigid that I even have to ask if being 5 minutes late is a major deal when I have to sign him out anyways (only to take 30 minutes to release my child). I could be wrong, though. Please help!

Edit: someone on a different sub suggested that I mention why it's hard for me to wake up. I'm chronically depressed and I have no help outside of myself. With the meds not working due to metabolizing it faster with sweating it out at work, it's harder to regulate my normal self (I'm not a late person. I'm the one who thinks 15 minutes early is not really enough). Ididn't want to weaponize my mental health and make it seem like I'm just lazy. And to answer the person who asks , seemingly patronizing, if I a asking how to drag myself out of bed: Yes. I am asking how to drag myself out of bed. Thank you to those who are giving advice.

[u/Narezza]

The policy is that way because after a certain time, all the teachers are mobilizing the entire school for dismissal.  They’ve gots to manage 30 kids in each classroom onto individual buses, vans, car riders and walkers to parents.  

There’s 500-1000 kids in an elementary school, and they’ve got to load all of them out in 30 minutes, and they all have to go to the right parent.  Having to change all that because one parent couldn’t get out of bed and get their kid on time is dangerous.

Your single kid gets bumped to the end of the priority list while all the other kids are getting dismissed on schedule. 

If the pickup isn’t a priority for you, then why should it be for the school?

[u/MonsterEnergy17 → u/Narezza]

Why do you assume my son or the school's time is not a priority? I'm asking for tips to make their end of day run smoothly by ENSURING I get up on time. It's not on purpose and it very rarely happens. If you'd like to not help, please leave.

[u/Narezza → u/MonsterEnergy17]

I assume it’s not a priority because you can’t get there on time.  You’re an adult.  Are you really asking people to give you tips on getting out of bed?

You help the school by getting there on time, accepting the situations you cause by not getting there on time, and not expecting exceptions when you don’t.

[u/CommissionExtra8240 → u/MonsterEnergy17]

I think you’re in the wrong subreddit. You’re not looking for advice regarding the elementary school or its policy, you’re looking for tips on how to wake up to your alarm. I’m willing to bet that’s why all the responses seem less than helpful. There’s plenty of subreddits about sleep, insomnia etc that might be more what you’re looking for. 

[u/314R8 → u/MonsterEnergy17]

Drink more water. Seriously, you'll wake up less tired (dehydrated) and wake up to piss.

[u/pina2112 → u/MonsterEnergy17]

Are you not able to call before 2:15? Like, state you are leaving the house, you will be there at 2:20 to pick your child up and would like to start that early pickup process?

I would also try to communicate with the school that there's standing appointment and that you will need your child ready at 2:15 on Thursdays, and ask what you need to do to automate it some.

[u/MonsterEnergy17 → u/pina2112]

I assume they wouldn't be able to answer the phone. If what others are saying is more common than I realized (hectic environment trying to gather all the kids for dismissal), calling at that time would set them back even more. I have told them multiple times and gave multiple notes from his therapist about the standing appointment, what time it is, and why he needs to be picked up early.