The verdict is in: I am a failure at being a Helicopter Mom. And you know what? I'm kinda fine with that!
I came home after running errands to a beeping answering machine (yes - I still have an actual machine attached to my phone. Aren't I retro? Or it could be that I am so bad that if it wasn't for wanting to shut that machine up I would probably just ignore any messages.....this is why I don't have voicemail). It's the school calling about "an incident" with Prince #1 at the bus stop this morning and some concerns that they have with him ater school. Of course I have no idea what they are talking about because....drumroll please....Daddy took him to the bus stop this morning (like any of you moms were shocked)
The incident was rather minor, but then they launched in to their "real concern":
School Secretary (SS): It seems that you often don't make it to the bus stop before it arrives so there is no parent to walk him home
Me: yes - that's because I also watch Satan's Spawn every day after school and since he is in 5th grade, they walk back together.
SS: But you aren't there to meet them?
Me: No - he has to walk the length of 9 houses to get home on what is possibly the least busy street in the township.
SS: Still - you do know that most moms wait at the bus stop, don't you?
Me: Actually, they don't in my neighborhood, since you have buses stopping practically every 50 feet. Besides - NeighborGirls are in 3rd & 5th grade and I know for a fact that their mom doesn't go to the stop either. They walk back with him as well! Has he been behaving badly on the bus or is there something else that I should know about?
SS: No, but I think that the bus driver would just feel better if you were there to meet him every day. She says that you wait with him every morning...
Me: That's because it's nipple-hard cold in the morning and he gets to wait in the car. If it is that cold in the afternoon or raining, I always go get them!
SS: so what is your solution to this problem?
Me: I'll talk to him about what happened this morning, but other than that I don't intend to change anything this year. Next year when those older kids are in the middle school I'll re-assess, but that will be my decision, not the bus drivers.
SS: So what should I tell the bus driver?
Me: Tell her to have a nice day.
This is my first real issue with the school (last year Prince #1 was in kindergarten and the bus drivers aren't allowed to let them off the bus unless a parent is there to meet them), but I am sure I have just been branded "The Mom Who Doesn't Care If Her Kids Are Hit By A Car On The Way Home"
Nevermind the fact that I live in West Kabumblefuck where nothing EVER happens. Nevermind the fact that in the 30 minutes it took me to type this, I have been looking out my window and have not seen a single car......
Maybe they are afraid of the geese that like to congregate on the farm behind my house? Those things can be dangerous I hear.
kelly
I'm sending you a scarlet M that you can wear to your next PTA meeting. You bad, bad, Mommy 😉
FreeFromItAll
Thanks for making me laugh out loud. I don't get my child from the school bus each day either (I drive him to school ONLY because he would have to get on at 6:50 am to go 2 miles, but he's the first one off at 3:35). We are on a dead end street in a new development that has literally 5 houses on it. I wouldn't dream of not letting him enjoy the walk home.
As if he wants his mommy sitting there picking her nose waiting for him. I know for sure there'd be a game of 57,000 questions of "why do you pick me up from the bus".
LOL
Maria
*lol*
He's fine. SIS and BD are just royal assholes.
Vampy
9 houses and help from the neighborhood kids...hel-lo SIS and BD, what are we missing here? LOL...things that make you go hmmmmmmm.
fightingwindmills
Hey Mindi, do you want to play? I tagged you with a meme where you get to condense your life story down to 6 words. It should be a hoot to read what you come up with!
Daisy
Our township has a policy. Someone must meet the child at the bus through grade one. After that - not. Most of us here do wait with and for our kids though. I know I do it because we have six registered sex offenders in this township and I don't want anyone stalking my very naive and trusting child.
That said - I don't get where the bus driver gets to parent for you. If they want to have a policy - that is one thing - but other than that it is 100% your call. I love that you told them to tell the bus driver to have a nice day, LOL...
Pammy Girl
When I worked in the schools there were mothers who would leave their sick 5 year-olds at school because they didn't want to deal with vomit. I also knew moms who bought liquor for their teenagers and beat their kids. How you, of all people, have become the world's worst mother is beyond me. But I'm glad you told the bus driver to have a nice day... hope it pissed off the lady you were talking to. HA HA
BusyDad
I'm appalled. 9 houses? They could get hit by random yard sprinklers. 9 times!!
(BTW, just noticed your website tagline. Love it.)
Darrell
You go girl. I'm an educator and think our kids are being systematically destroyed. Check out my last blog at my website. It's a much dryer article than yours but may bring reassurance to you or any other bad moms out there.
Mindi
WooHoo! I'm finally getting caught up on my comments, the house is clean and after my meeting at 10:00 I get to catch up on my blog visits!
Kelly - just make sure that you make one of those for that tart Mr. Lady as well 😉
Free - perhaps it would the the "picking your nose" part of it that makes him not want you waiting there? ;-P
Maria & Daisy & Pammy: I thought that "Have a nice day" was nicer than "tell her to sit & spin"
Fighting - it sounds good! I'll do the meme this weekend (or tomorrow - we're supposed to get 3-6 inches of snow tonight)
BusyDad: is that the perfect tagline for a WeekendBlogHopper, or what?
Kori
If THIS makes you a bad mom, I am so totally screwed that words can't express it. Oh, well, I think I can live with that! 🙂