C started school today...I was fine until he boarded the bus and then as the bus pulled away the tears came. I so badly wanted to know if he made it to his classroom but knew I had to trust my child and know that he was in good hands. I had a good cry and then called my best friend because I knew if I cried too long she would tell me to cut it out. We talked for a while and ended up talking about other things which I knew would happen and it calmed me. Mike took the day off and we went out and had lunch. We came home and had about an hour before the bus came.
The bus was the interesting part. I live on a very busy road because it runs parallel to a major state highway so people think they can take a shortcut down our road and get places quicker. So although our speed limit is 30 mph very rare so you see anyone going even near that speed. I have the counties non emergency number memorized I've called it so much about traffic on our road and issues with it like it running bus lights.
So this year the bus picks the children up where it always does on our side of the street but in the afternoon it is now coming from the opposite direction and the children are having to cross the road. Well we learned today that when you take a 5 year old who has had a very long day of school and is on information overload that it can be confusing where your stop is when your coming to it from a different direction and on the other side of the street. C got nervous and got off at the stop before us that was about 500 yards away and crossed the street by himself. I am thankful that today no cars needed to go flying by and run the bus lights. Lucky for us a couple in the house saw an unfamiliar kid and asked where he lived. They were in the process of walking him home when Mike and I came running up the street.
Now the issues we have that we are working on getting resolved by his school and the transportation department is this:
1. We were told at Kindergarten orientation that if there was no parent at the bus stop a Kindergartener would not be allowed off the bus.
2. The staff meets the Kindergarteners at school in the morning the first couple of weeks and walks them to classroom because they know they are young and need time to figure it out. So we are expecting Kindergarteners to figure out their bus stops on their own and not helping guide them? especially when there bus stop is different in the afternoon?
3. Even when two children were yelling he got off at the wrong stop the driver did nothing. When the child was coming off the bus and saw me and was yelling he got off the wrong stop and I asked the driver were my child was. She told me she didn't know and acted like it wasn't her problem.
Yeah...so now it's the school day I dread but my child getting home safely instead. Always got to be something to add worry to my life. Not the greatest confidence booster for us and the start of his school year.
Oh wow. I would be so upset at that bus driver. It sounds like she doesn't take her job nearly seriously enough. I agree with you that she needs to be more aware of where kids are supposed to be and whether there are parents around to keep those kids safe. Honestly, I think I'd have to call the school to talk about this incident. So scary! Poor you and poor baby.
I know the year will get easier but I'm so sorry you had to go through this on his first day.
Thinking of you,
Tommie
Nicki,
I'm so sorry to hear that you all had this happen at all, let alone the first day of school. I can't imagine how scary and upsetting that must have been for you. I hope that the school/transportation department will work with you to make sure that C and all the other children that ride buses get home safely.
Lots of good wishes that today and this week are better.
Love,
Libby
I would go crazy! I agree with Tommie I would have called the school. I hope you get it all straightened out and that you are able to have a peaceful fix to all this!
Samantha
Holy cow! I'd be in hot pursuit of the school transportation department and the bus company if that happened to Kaelin. I can't believe that the bus driver would let C -- or any child off -- at the wrong stop. And how perceptive were the other little ones to holler to the driver that C was let off at the wrong stop. Does C and other kinder students wear lanyards with name and bus stop on it? Ours do.
We're having our own bus issues on this end -- a 50-minute late dropoff on the first day. And no teacher on the bus the first day, as was promised.
I hope these issues resolve quickly and the school year progresses more smoothly.
erin
I would have had words with the bus driver. I'm proud of you for taking up the issues you noted with the school district rather than stewing silently. Go mama!!!!
When we lived in Fairfax, I noticed all the people who illegally ran past a stopped school bus and wondered what was so important that they dismissed the safety of children. I am so glad you didn't encounter one of those jerks during the bus snafu.
I think it's sweet your husband took the day off and you guys went out to lunch together.
Hopefully, things will fall into place so the school year will go easier.
Congrats on making it through the first day!