You have NOTHING better to do?

This is my first foray into the wonderful world of Elementary School. Miles is in Kindergarten half day.

He is picked up by the bus in the afternoon, because the district doesn't want to have kids walking alone to school in the middle of the day. Makes perfect sense to me. Miles is a "walker". We live just about 5-6 blocks from the school. But his main walk would be on a pretty busy street. Yes there is a sidewalk, but he's only 5. So the bus...awesome.

Now, at the end of the day at 2:40 pm, I pick the boy up. Because once again, I don't think he, as a 5 year old, should be walking home alone, on a busy street. I don't want my kid to be a statistic.

But picking him up is almost like a full contact sport for suburban parents. The first couple of weeks, I was tempted to walk to the school to pick him up, but Claire said no. Meh...she's 3 and usually tired around 2:45. Then the weather started to get bad.

I would get to the parking lot and would have to drive around in circles until I found a spot. Usually I ended up parking on the street. While I waited for Miles to come out, one of the parents told me, HE was there at 2:00 and people were already lined up in the parking lot. 2:00PM!!! School doesn't even let out until 2:40. Fucking ridiculous!

I asked him what he does for that 40 minutes. He told me, "I read, and just look out the window." LOOK OUT THE WINDOW???? Really dude? I so want your life.

I on the other hand breeze into the lot around 2:30. I think that gives me ample time. And if the weather is THAT hideous, whatever. I'm a Minnesotan.

Sadly for me, my kids won't be able to walk home from school until at least the 5th grade. And even then I'll have to really think about it. Yeah I'm that mom...so what?

Just about 7 more years of this....only 7. *shudder*