You’re Going to Miss the School Bus!

For the past 11 years the school bus arrives at the bus stop 7:05 a.m. to bring our children to school.

It has not changed times or routes, so there should be no surprise that you need to be standing on the corner ready. Yet, I find myself every morning yelling, “the bus is coming, are you ready?” This was the challenge from kindergarten to junior year of high school.

Senior year, they were allowed to take their cars to school. So the screeching statement changed to “you’re going to be late, leave yourself enough time and don’t speed!” 

Like most parents, I had to expand this statement with, “Do you have everything? Homework? Lunch? Make sure you put your seatbelt on and text me when you get there.”

Yet, I found myself driving to school with the same lunch/homework that I asked if she had with her. We had the “one oops clause” which meant one time I would drive to school with said item and after that one time, she was on your own. 

I find myself in a position, with what I call empty-morning-syndrome.

My daughter is off to college and my routine of supervising and guiding her out the door is done.

There will be no more sitting by the window looking for the school bus or waiting for the one word text message “here” announcing her arrival at high school.

Maybe I should put an advertisement in our local paper, screeching mother willing to record motivational messages to get your child out the door and to the bus stop on time. Eleven years experience and have mastered that high pitch voice that is needed to be annoying yet effective.

The unfamiliar empty house and the quiet cup of coffee in the morning is a welcome change. Maybe it is my turn to be that woman who sits on the porch and waves to all the kids on the bus as it passes my house. If you see me out there, smile and wave.

The empty-morning-syndrome sneaks up on you fast and one day you may experience it too.