Ethan is a Bus Rider!

Ethan has been bugging me for the last several weeks to be a bus rider. He informed me that only preschoolers are car riders and big boys ride the bus. Who knows who he heard that from at school. But, he doesn't want to ride the bus in the mornings, b/c he would have to get up earlier. So on Friday he rode the bus home for the first time that afternoon, and things didn't go so well. I must admit I was pretty nervous all day with the thought of him riding the bus. I know at the beginning of the year they take extra precaution to make sure kindergartners know where to go. But this wasn't the beginning of the year anymore and he didn't ride that morning, so I just wanted to make sure the bus driver knew he was on the bus.

I rode the bus when I went to school. But for some reason the thought of Ethan doing it made me nervous. Not b/c I think the bus is going to wreck. It's b/c of all the other kids on the bus. Big kids. I know Ethan is going to pick up things from school, but I'm sure he'll pick up a lot more from the bus. And that makes me nervous. But this is something he really wanted, and honestly, it makes it a lot easier on me since I don't have to go and sit in the carpool line for 30-45 minutes every day. So we set it up...well kind of. When I asked what time he would be dropped off, they told me they couldn't give me a time. All they told me was that most buses leave the school by 4:15. They also told me he would be dropped off in front of our development (which is on a busy road). So Carter and I went there a little after 4 and waited.

Around 4:30 a bus stopped in front of our house, but b/c of the hill I couldn't see anything else. As the bus made it's way to the intersection I was told to be at, I saw that it was Ethan's bus. The bus driver stopped and asked if I was Ethan's mom. I told her yes and she said she just dropped him off at our house. First I was surprised that she would drop off a kindergartner when no one was there to greet him. I told her that the office told me the intersection was the bus stop and she said that didn't make sense since she goes right by our house. We chatted a little longer so that I could make sure of a few things, and then Carter and I ran down to our house. Too late. I left the garage door open and Ethan was inside crying his eyes out and screaming for me. After I calmed him down and explained what happened, he told me that he cried on the bus b/c it took so long and he said the bus driver yelled a lot. A little boy in his class rides his bus, and their teacher told them to be buddies on the bus, but the bus driver told Ethan he couldn't sit by his friend.

Needless to say, not a great first day on the bus!! He said he wanted to go back to being a car rider, but I told him it would get better and asked if he would give it one more try. If it didn't go better on Monday, he could be a car rider again. He agreed to it and today was much better! He said he got to sit with his friend and the bus driver was nicer. He said she must have had a better day today! So now he wants to keep riding the bus and has even mentioned riding it in the morning, so we shall see.