The bus.
What is it with parents, young kids, first days, and the emotional symbolism of busses? My daughter heads into 1st grade in a few weeks, and we're a year into her school drop-off experience. However, she doesn't take a bus to school (we drive her), so while I've had the gaze-forlornly-while-she-walks-in-the-front-door experience, I have yet to have the up-the-stairs-into-the-yellow-bus experience...until about 10 minutes ago. My daughter's going to summer camp for a few weeks, up in the hills about 8 miles from where we live. For the next 3 weeks, we'll be walking to a nearby corner, where a bus driven by what looks like a 12-year-old pulls up and K bounds onto it. Today was her first day, and I imagined her surrounded by unfamiliar faces, trying to figure out where to sit while mean kids blocked their seats. Of course, reality is that she just got on and took a seat. She didn't seem to think much about where or whom to sit next to. Basically, all of the fear and apprehension is on my end, based on a combination of a traumatic bus experience or two of my own and probably at least as many bad teen movies. There's something so both inspiring and sad about seeing your kid drive away in a bus. It's literally separation - no need to overanalyze here - as she becomes a real kid. She held both of our hands as we walked to the bus stop, and I'm starting to count the times she'll hold my hand, as I know I've only got 1 or 2 more years of that left, tops. In the 10 minutes from leaving our house to getting on the bus, I experienced the end of young childhood and the beginning of the next phase. Hmm...what do we call it? Middle-child-hood? 6-10s? Dunno. OK, enough drama. I'm going to work.
Replies
Sounds like one of those epiphany moments us parents share in knowing life is fleeting and that our children are growing up way too fast! You and your wife should feel so blessed that you actually understand those moments, live them and cherish them. So many go through life without even realizing them. Have you seen the play, Our Town? (If not, I highly recommend seeing it.) That play had a profound effect on my life and was an epiphany moment in 9th grade ... truly shaped the experiences that followed.
You will have soooo many more of these moments and K will hold your hand for quite some time yet. And, you\'ll be able to have hugs with her for a long time until they reach oh, say, 11 or so and they think they\'re too big for them. The good thing is .. they come back around and accept them now and again as they continue to grow and then fully again as they have children of their own.
Then again, you know all about (((Hugs))) in forming this site!
Have a wonderful day at work and thanks for sharing such a special memory.
(((Hugs)))
Ranae
PS - Wait till you get that first call from school saying your child is sick and you need to come pick them up ... that\'s what happened on Mikki\'s first day at kindergarten! It sure made the day memorable and is still a fond (???) memory of our first separation. The family still teases her about it at family reunions .. and she smiles about it .. ;p
Great story and most parents that read it will remember how their child handled all these moments. Give her lots of hugs while you can. XOXO
awh... what a sweet daddy......
I still have those feelings when you get on a plane, hence the tears.
You are a wonderful Dad but do not worry she will be fine school is a wonderful place.
she\'s growing up dad. my son is ten...... it\'s no longer cool for me to hug him in public. it makes me very sad. nice part that will never change hun, she\'ll always be your little girl.....
Oh i remember the first days of elementary school for my daughter, I think it really is tougher on the parent than the kid. Especially this year for me, she will be going to (gulp) 7th grade, new school and have to ride public transit since we have no school buses for middle/high school age\'s. I think I would be ok if it was the yellow bus. Thanks for sharing your story and creating such a great website
(((******!!!!!\"\"BUTTERFLY HUGS\"\"!!!!!******)))
I am not a parent but my nieces are like my children and I still remeber the first time my oldest niece got off the school bus after the first day. My Older brother ( her Dad) called me ( I had taken the aftenoon off to see her get off the bus)to remind me to get his baby off the bus. I laughed and said you know I thought I would just let her ride the whole route and spend the night in the bus barn. He got the point. I knew he was nervous so I had her call him at work the second she walked in the door. Then the next morning she rode the bus to school while he followed two car length behind. When the youngest one started it was as bad ( but almost) At least I know he loves his girls and I got a great laugh out of it.