I'm trying not to let this consume me but I keep thinking about what happened at Evelyn's school. A million thoughts keep going through my mind as I replay back the events of today. I wonder who would have noticed if she was missing. I mean, if John and I hadn't followed the bus to school, who would have known she'd even made it there on the bus? As parents, how are we to even know if our kids make it to the school via the bus on the first place. Sure, buses are touted as safe rides for children of all ages. We were assured at the school open house that special care and attention would be given to all the kindergarteners.
Well, if this is their idea of special care and attention....
How does something like this even happen?? I mean, obviously no one even noticed my little four year old girl wandering the halls upstairs alone until an announcement was made. If we weren't there to draw attention to this issue, would the announcement have been made at all? Who would have known to look for a little girl in a purple jacket, a little girl named Evelyn Bang?
No one would have noticed. No one would have even known.
So how am I supposed to comfortably send her back there, day after day? How do other parents do this? How do I let go so my children can grow up and become strong, independent adults? How do I let go when everything within me wants to lock them up in the house and homeschool them - er, if I were that kind of parent, of course. Heh.
This parenting thing... how do people do it.
I really don't know.
oh lord, you just described all my worst fears about sending my kid to kindergarten... he's not going for another YEAR and i've been up till 2 a.m. on several occasions reading up on our school district and trying to understand HOW he will even know where to go (like i was telling you on saturday). praise god she was found. i would have reacted exactly the way you guys did.
ReplyDeleteI hate to sound so cliche Linda, but all I can say is it will get better despite how upset you and John feel towards the principal, school and system. You may have to drop/pick Evelyn up for the rest of the school year to ease your fears and anxiety. It's an extremely scary and upsetting thing you experienced so your reasonings are completely valid!
ReplyDeleteMy kid is only TWO and I'm ALREADY freaking out about school. I can't even IMAGINE him being gone that long! MY BABY! GAH! Now I'm going to imagine what it will be like when HE DOESN'T GET OFF THE SCHOOL BUS and I lose my YOU KNOW WHAT!
ReplyDeleteThen again, part of me seriously can't wait.