Why didn’t the dad ask the mom to pick up their daughter?

If you are in a dual-income household during the first five years of your children’s lives, you understand how difficult scheduling can become. If one of you works at night and the other works during the day, the division of labor within the home couldn’t be clearer, but if both of you work full-time 9-5 jobs, you both probably have to cut some corners at work to make sure that you can get your kid to and from childcare every day. If you have a grandparent or a retired family friend who is willing to watch your kids full-time during the day without a strict stop or start time, that’s great, but very few daycares operate on such a schedule. They need the kids out by a specific time because the underpaid workers won’t be paid for the extra hour they’re spending waiting for you to pick up your kids. 

Many workplaces will be flexible, allowing you or your spouse to leave early a couple of times a week so you can pick up your kids from daycare on time. Not all workplaces are like that, and sometimes you have to really rush to get your kids from daycare on time. It’s stressful for everyone involved.