School bus time

Janie cannot ride the bus either to or from school while in Preschool. She needs to be signed in and out by Mom or Dad (or another authorized person). This is fine!

Irene can ride the bus home, but not to school.

May can ride the bus both to and from school.

May could take or leave the bus. She really enjoys the time in the car with Mom or Dad. So, she just wants the freedom to control the method for transportation. Last year, this worked fine. She could come and go via car or bus without issue. But, the school seems to be much more organized and strict about being consistent about being either a Car Rider OR a Bus Rider this year.

Irene was SO EXCITED about taking the bus this year! She was THRILLED to be able to ride the bus home with May. And, May was excited about teaching Irene the ropes about the bus.

So, on Tuesday, August 12, they both agreed to ride the bus home.

Irene knew that May would be with her. And, so she was at a low level of anxiety. But, when her teacher took the kids to line up for the bus, May was nowhere to be seen. Irene got worried, and by the time she boarded the bus to wait for May, she was full-out crying. :-( In retrospect, I really should have asked the art teacher (who also coaches the running club, which Chris assists, and helps guide the kids onto the buses) to pull Irene aside to wait for May, and THEN have them board the bus together. Poor Irene was promised she would ride WITH May, and there she sat -- no May.

Well, of course, May's class soon arrived and May got on the bus and joined her sister. May told me later that Irene was really crying with LOTS of tears and May had no Kleenex to wipe her tears. She made a special point of putting a little travel pouch of Kleenex in her backpack when she got home. How sweet is that??

Janie and I headed out of the Preschool (they release 10 minutes before the release of May and Irene's classes) and I asked Jane, "Irene and May will ride the bus home today. Should we sneak over and make sure they make it onto the bus and follow the bus home in our car, or should we trust and go home?" She said, "Trust and go home!" I need to trust more in life, in general. So, off we went!

Jane and I drove to the bus stop so I could take photos of May and Irene getting off the bus when it arrived. We stood right where the bus dropped off last year. However, when the bus arrived, it was across the side street from where we were! Oh well. Best laid plans.

So, here are some photos of May and Irene "near" the bus, and walking home up the street.