My daughter just started kindergarten this year and I have to pick her up at 11:00 am.

I have my son (3 yo) and 3 other DCKs (1, 3, 4). Since I have the 1 yo and he is not walking, I need to bring a stroller, plus try to control them all while we wait since my daughter is never let out on time.

I usually park literally 10 feet from where I pick them up. However there is a gated walkway which I need to walk around to get to her.

Well, today it was super cold, and my other kids weren't being that well behaved and I watched my daughter's teacher bring her outside so I just locked the car and went and grabbed her and walked back.

Well, DCD saw me with just my DD and questioned "where are my kids?" I explained, but I still feel like he wasn't comfortable with it.

I didn't think it was that big of a deal considering I can see and hear my car and I saw my DD walk out of the school (wasn't like I was out there waiting). Is this a big deal or am I over thinking it?

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I understand where you are coming from. At least one of my littles would seem to fall asleep making it hard to get everyone else out of the car. I used to ask another parent if they would watch my car while I had my back to it.

Maybe your dd's teacher can release her when she makes eye contact with you.

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That is exactly what happened. She released my daughter when she made eye contact with me. The issue is that I have to walk around a gate to get her. I am literally 10 ft from my car, but there is gate between me and the car.

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I can see both sides to this one but in your favor, you were not that far away. You could see and hear them. I imagine you are further away when you use the restroom at your house and are gone longer than the time it took for pick up at the school

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In our state we wouldn't be able to do this- no child under SA can be left in a vehicle without an adult in it, running or not running, not even for a second.

Not sure what your guidelines are there though!

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I do a preschool pickup. The kids are brought to a front playground that is gated. I do not unload the kids. This would be especially impossible as I have two non-walkers, an unpredicatable toddler, and a 2.5 year old that is physically delayed. I drive to the pickup area and get out to load up my preschooler. I am within sight of the car so its a similar situation. I am legally unlicensed. If I was out of sight of the vehicle in any way, I would not do this. I have told the parents that I do not unload the kids for pickup and no one had a problem with that.

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Not sure what state you're in but it's worth checking the laws JIC. Every state varies. Personally it wouldn't bother me but I can see why some parents might not. I had to do almost exactly what you're describing for 6 mos last year for a SA boy I watched. The first couple weeks I loaded them in a stroller and hiked up a big hill because there was a stairway to get to the kinder area. Soon I made arrangements to just wave to the teacher from the side walk below the area and he walked down to meet me.

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I do preschool pick up and I call the office from my cell and have them send the kids to me - I've tried taking the kids in to do the pick up and it's simply too dangerous (by the road, steep stairs, etc.)

I do have an assistant that comes in a few days a week so I don't always have to drag everyone out.

That said, I think my clients are probably more lenient because it's their kids benefiting from the transporting...

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