Tonight was the LAST STRAW for my almost 4 year old and his family dicking around at pick up.

This kid has never been awesome at pick up, he doesn't listen to his parents, they end up having to dress him entirely (he's almost 4 and capable of doing nearly everything on his own). When we go outside during the day, I lay out his snow pants, boots, and coat, tell him to get ready and he does. With his parents they play little games and dilly dally to get his things on. Ends up taking 10-15 minutes, not including updates or anything.

So tonight dad picks up (and he's worse than mom) asks him to get his stuff on and he ducks between a wall and my little hallway stand in my entryway to play hide-and-seek. Dad tells him a couple of times to come out, he doesn't, I ask him to, he just laughs, doesn't move. I sternly tell him "no joke, you need to come out now, or I'll help you out." Still doesn't move, so I grab his hand, tell him "I'm going to help you now" and guide him out. Then the waterworks start. Bawls and screams bloody murder, wants to hug dad, heartbroken (mid-hug smiles and sticks his tongue out at me). Meanwhile I have dinner cooking, my husband is home, and we have an appointment tonight. I walk away, tend to the stove, come back and dad is leading him outside without anything on, to show him "it's pretty cold out, don't you think we should put our things on?" They come in, dad dresses him (again, no help from dcb), asks about his day and they leave. By this point it's 10 minutes past my closing time and I'm livid.

YOU ARE THE ADULT. Your child does not get to choose whether or not they want to get dressed and when to do so. Dress your kid and leave. This kid has no expectations or consequences and he knows it. They've lost the choice now. He will now be getting dressed at 4:40 and he will wait by the door until his patents come.