So far, so good. He seems to really like his teacher and today when I picked him up he gushed on and on about having two new best friends. One is named Kevin but he can't remember the other boy's name. I always have to hold back giggles when he talks of "best friends" but doesn't know names. Life is so easy when you are five. :) And in case you are wondering, recess is his favorite time. :)
Life isn't so easy for me though. I'm having issues about the big yellow bus. Mainly, I'm not sure when or if I will ever be ready to *not* follow the bus and make sure that Kelton arrives safely to his classroom. It just feels so....I don't know....not safe to expect a 5 year old to get where he is supposed to be without anyone watching him. He doesn't need hand holding but it would be nice if someone would meet the buses and escort the kindergartners to their rooms for the first few weeks.
It makes no sense to me - we spend years teaching children not to talk to strangers and to always stay within sight and then BAM! They go to school and the rules all change. As an example, the little boy across the street has always had someone come with him when he came over to play. Always. That included last Thursday. He is now in the afternoon kindergarten class and this afternoon when the bus arrived to drop him off, there was no one to meet him - he just bolted across the street (which is residential but people tend to drive way too fast on it). Then he bolted back over to our side to see if Kelton could play (he couldn't, we were getting ready to sit down to dinner). He bolted *back* across the street. An hour later the doorbell rings again and it is once again this unescorted child who was dropping off a birthday party invite (for this Saturday! Another gripe of mine. A little more notice would have been really, really nice. *sigh*). So that is what? FIVE times this child bolted across a street alone. Apparently once your child enters school, all safety measures just go out the window?
Ummm...yeah. Not for MY kid!
So my dilemma is this: When do I stop meeting him at the school to be sure he arrives safely? When do I just take it on faith that he is there safe and sound? When does it become ok that I wouldn't know if he didn't show up for a minimum of 90 minutes (or more) between arrival time, attendance time and the time that the office staff calls parents? When do I just say no to the bus and drive him there myself because frankly, that would be easier and less stressful for me. Or do I just do what I said I would never do and get him a Disney Go Phone that has a built in GPS so that I can check to be sure he is at the school? And even if the GPS says he is there, what's to say his backpack is but he is long gone?
How in the world am I supposed to feel safe that my baby is out in the world with no one watching to be sure he is ok? He is not 10 or 12 or 14 or 16. He is five. Five is too young to just put on a bus at the house and assume that he will be safe until I see him again three and a half hours later.
I think this will be a great deal easier when Kaylen starts school (I think that now, anyway). Kelton will be in the same school and I will have him walk her to her class each day. I just wish there was an older student that I knew and trusted to walk with him from the bus to the classroom door. That would alleviate so many of my fears.
I just don't know how parents can put their child on a school bus and walk the other direction. I guess this is proof positive that I am an over-protective parent who trusts very few people with my children.
Yes, it's true. I'm a freak about my children's safety. :)
8 comments:
Oh boy. I hear ya. I think I'm going to be the crazy mom who volunteers her time everyday to ride the bus to and from school! But to try and calm your fears, I was a school bus driver in college and we were soooo careful making sure those little ones were taken care of, and safely arrived at school. I watched each one of them walk into the building -- and the school and our bus company were equally concerned. And everyday the principle of the school stood outside, ushering the kids inside. Are there teachers or staff outside, helping the kids in?
Oh...this is hard. In the beginning I didn't think C would ride the bus for the first couple of years but on Day2 she demanded it. From what I can gather, the loading of the buses isn't nearly as organized at it seems it should be yet every day Corinne made it. Today I had a scare as when the bus arrived for drop-off....she wasn't there. Finally the bus driver called her name about 5 times and then she came. She was busy talking and didn't notice it was her stop. I think when the buses arrive at school the kids generally all go in one direction and there are grown-ups around. YOu have to do what you are comfortable with but I finally I decided I just had to let go and trust that it would be ok. Hard! If Corinen wasn't so insistent on riding the bus I would have been happy to drive her.
From a teacher's point of view, he'll let you know when he's ready for you to not be there. IMO, there's nothing wrong with being there every day, or taking him to school every day, as long as he's able to make the transition from you to the classroom. No matter where I've worked it seems like the first week or two of school usually has some bus issues.
I don't know Casey. I don't WANT to be a helicopter parent but it's so hard.
Actually when I first saw your school pics and saw Kelton was riding the school bus I thought "Whoah, Madison will not be riding the school bus for a few years at least". NOT criticizing or judging you, at all, just the very young age + school bus just wouldn't compute in my mind.
Does Kelton WANT to ride the bus? Would he be upset if you drove him to school? That would probably ease your mind and your driving there anyway....
About the kid across the street. The hell? .... I can barely let my child play at the edge of our secluded cul de sac, no way would she get anywhere NEAR a road. No way. What are the parents thinking?
Hey, I don't blame you. I hate schoold buses. There really should be another adult on them anyway. Maybe there is where you live, but here in Oklahoma there is only the driver and a bus full of rowdy kids (no seat belts either). I pray that we are still in the situation where I can be home when it comes time for school so I can drive them.
And, yes, there should be someone meeting the buses for 5-year olds!!!
Hey I can comment!
What about following his bus, but parking a distance away and just watching him go in? You can see that he makes it in, but not have to physically walk him. That would also let you know that he *can* make it in safely and its organized chaos, not plain chaos.
This coming from the mom of a two year old who will walk to school cuz its across the street, so...
I don't know. I'm still of the mind that an adult other than the bus driver should ride on the bus at all times. I still think this is a 2 person job. Josh's school does not have bus service, none the less, parents are not allowed to drop off kinder's. Olders can be dropped at the front door, but Kinders must be taken to pre-care or to the classroom by an adult.
Well, since I'm not there yet, I don't know how I'd respond. I guess the best answer I can offer is ... when you stop asking when it's time, THEN you'll be ready. Good luck!
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