The school bus

So Kat has been asking us about taking the school bus. More than half the kids in her class takes the school bus to and from school, and so she decided she should take the bus too.

After talking it over with hubby and finding out that the school bus stop was not far from the house, we decided to let her try it this past Monday. Hubby was even more for it when it found out the bus was free! Save gas and less mileage on the car (though the school is less than 3 miles away)

Monday morning came...

I have some butterflies in my stomach ache. I am a little scared. Kat seems fine. Deep breaths.

We got ready and walk to the bus stop. There were quite a number of kids waiting for the bus already. Boy, this is a full bus. A lady recognized me as the new neighbor and introduced herself. Glad we got a chance to meet :-) She asked her daughter, Amanda to watch out for Kat. In the mean time, I noticed Kat wasn't really her usual self. She seemed a little apprehensive.

But the bus came, and she got in line and got onto the bus. I kept hoping that she will be alright and will enjoy her bus ride.

3.45 pm came. School's out at this time. I walked out with Chloe to the bus stop. No bus yet, but 2 other moms soon came. One lady mentioned that it was her daughter's first day on the bus too. And then she went on to tell how last year when her daughter was 5 and in kindergarten, her daughter had gotten off at the wrong stop. She went on and on about what happened. Arghhh!!!! I am slightly panicking her.

The bus pulls up. I peek inside the big bus, hoping I see her little face. I don't see her! Oh no! What if she didn't recognize her stop????

After a minute or two, I see her finally coming down the stairs. Whew! What a relief! She is safe!

But I immediately see that she is not happy. She looks a little shaken. A girl came over to comfort her - "See? Your mom is here. It's OK"

Kat later tells me that she cried in the morning on the bus, and again on the way home. She is to this day a little traumatized by the bus ride. She is worried that I will leave her and she will never see me again.

I spoke to her teacher the next day and she also mentioned that Kat was affected that day by the bus ride.

I am more than willing to be my little girl's chauffeur. I feel so much better knowing that I personally send her to and from school. Plus I don't have to stand in the hot sun/rain waiting for the bus to come. Especially since I would have the 2 younger ones with me.

Well, at least we let her try something new. I just feel bad for her that she didn't enjoy the new experience. But we didn't want to keep telling her that she is too young, since a lot of her friends are doing it. All I can do right now is comfort her and to reassure her that I am there for her.

Maybe next year :-)

(Hmm.. now I recall when I was in Standard 1, I used to think that my mom will never come pick me up from school. Then she would always be super late, so that reinforced my fear! I remember telling the other kids that my mom is not coming to pick me up and then start tearing up. Such as cry baby ;-) I guess Kat takes after me in this respect)