There is no way to cutesy up this title. There's no way to sugar coat Anna's inevitable. The BUS is coming, early, in one week, and I could not be less excited about putting her on it.
I am not talking about the sad, "I'm sending my baby to kindergarten" lamenting. I'm talking about me being a "town kid" and dreading having to take the bus when I was in school if ever I had to ride it out to a friend's house or piano lessons. I can smell the vinyl seats, feel the hot breeze in my face, and sense the nausea coming on.
And I'm putting my FIRST BORN, the child we (seriously, I) labored for 36 hours, on a hot, stinky, crowded BUS???
I need to get over this, because although inside and to some close friends, I am freaking out about the bus, Anna could not be more excited! Thank to some bad acting on my part, her easygoing, former-bus-rider himself dad, and the way we have spun this situation, she doesn't know any different. Anna doesn't know that upon telling the head of the bus drivers where we lived, he loudly announced, "Oh, that pick up will be early!", I died inside. Anna never flinched when I discussed with this man an alternate pick up spot. Instead, she got really excited when she found out she would be boarding with her cousin, just up on the "hard road." Anna isn't worried about whether or not she'll know where and when to get off (even though our district is housed in all one location). She's just ecstatic.
Thankfully, Joe's job allows him to be able to put in taking our sweet little kindergartner up the road into his "chore route." Instead of having to load up my two other children on cold mornings, Joe and our dog can take Anna to my aunt and uncle's house to catch the bus. Thank heaven for my farmer husband (how many times have I said that??).
As much as my anxiety and nervousness is eeking through every pore of my body as we approach this milestone, Anna will know no different, and, consequently, her little sisters will ride the bus without fear as well. They will know nothing else, and being driven to school by someone other than the bus driver will be the exception, not the rule. Country kids are resilient, and in my researching on this topic, I have found that there are a lot more funny bus stories than the horrid ones broadcasted on the Today Show.
I need to remember that my attitude toward this needs to mirror the way I want Anna to view this experience. I need to remember that she is a big girl, and the if the state of Illinois deems her ready for kindergarten, the transportation said district provides should be adequate and age appropriate.
Right?
Yes, Emily, right. . . keep telling yourself that.
I think maybe you could use some bus appreciation. Let's plan a bus trip to Chicago to go shopping and we can ride the good ole' Greyhound. I think after that- the school bus will seem like a bit of a Cadillac ride:) You're so cute:) Love you!
ReplyDeleteHopefully a good driver. I rode a bus to school every day, well until I turned 16. We lived 10 miles from school by the direct route not the bus route. Mom had a couple of neighbors promise to show me to my room on the first day I was on my own after that.
ReplyDeleteI knew not one classmate, all the home town kids were in a different school district; it is good to have cousins.
Erik's greatest day was the driver's worst. Bus got stuck in the snow three times. Had to get farmer with tractor to pull them out Erik was thrilled.
As a "bus" kid, I can really say, it isn't that bad. It is a plus to have a wonderful driver, like I did as a kid, who sometimes surprised you with rewards, like candybars or pop, and always decorted her bus for the holiday and surprised us with things on our birthdays (my kids, who are also being bussed, sometimes, get to enjoy those same rewards) But look at it this way....It is a great time to just get to enjoy some time with friends, with out a teacher telling you to be quite, and as your girls get older..the longer they will want to just talk. And as I recall, talking to a friend on the bus always felt a little more private. It's also a wonderful time to catch up on a good book, or maybe just daydream...what kind of girl doesn't love to do that, or what mom doesn't want them to?! Sure I have some bad "bus" stories..but I have to say, my good totally outway the bad. And besides...by the time she starts to hate it...she will be ready to drive!
ReplyDeleteSome of my best friends in school were those who rode the bus with me for that 30 minute trek to school five days a week! My mom taught at our school but still made us ride the bus! Hope all goes well!
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