I have a message out there for all the moms who loathe morning drop-off. If you've got busing in your school district, it's time to give it a try. It will change your life.
I know, I know. You've heard horror stories about the bus, where your precious little dumpling risks learning that Santa is not real and the true meaning of bumping uglies at the tender age of 5. I'm not going to lie; there are some bratty kids on the school bus these days.
But did I mention I put my kid on a school bus every morning? And some 25 million other kids in this country ride a bus every day?
And I wouldn't have it any other way ...
It's so much better than drop-off.
No. Really. Let's talk about this:
1. You have to get dressed for morning drop-off.
This morning I walked to the bus stop wearing the same t-shirt I wore to bed. I threw a hoodie on over it and a pair of sweatpants, but still, I don't consider that "getting dressed." Do you?
This is one of the things I love most about taking advantage of the marvelous modern convenience known as the school bus.
2. You don't have to get up too early. You see, we are not morning people in my house. I'm not. My husband isn't. And my daughter definitely is not.
But when I drop her off at school, I have to rise early so I can jump in the shower and do a full morning routine (even we married ladies have to look presentable when we show up in the school driveway; you don't want it following your kid through their elementary school career that they are the one whose mom dropped them off in her curlers).
3. You don't waste time. But, but, but you'd thinking rising early would be great for my day, really get me going? Wrong-o!
Because school drop-off is nothing but a giant time-suck. You drive all the way over there, and then you get on a long line of cars that inch forward at turtle speed as, one by one, each child hops out and runs off to class. There is no getting around this hurry up and wait just because you have a day to get to. It's how things are done. With the bus, we can walk outside one minute before the big yellow machine makes the turn onto my road, and I can be back in my house and already back to work in two minutes. Talk about efficiency!
4. You can avoid people. The people at drop-off? They want to talk to you. And they're chipper! Much. Too. Chipper. At least for that time of the morning. I don't have any of these problems at the bus stop. Sure, the driver and I wave to one another, but she has things to do -- she's not about to stop and chat.
So there it is -- why I avoid drop off like the plague.
How about you? Do you love the school bus?
Image by Jeanne Sager