Reasons behind our daily school trips
Vai and I have been sending Anya to school (and picking her up) since she started nursery early this year.
It’s a 7-minute walk to the bus stop, 7-10 minute bus ride, and another 7-minute walk to school from the bus stop. And the timing is pretty much the same for our going-back home trip (oh, plus the time spent waiting for the bus to come, of course).
So, Vai and I are basically under the scorching sun (or rain) between 11am – 12pm, and 2pm – 3pm every day (and yes, we’re ‘more tanned’ now than before Anya started school, hehe).
Now, one common question I get from people is : why I don’t just let Anya take the school bus. It’s easier and more convenient for me, and the overall cost is more or less similar (compared to me personally sending and picking her up every day).
And here are my reasons :
> I know Anya will definitely take the school bus one day (perhaps soon, even), but when I can still personally take her to school, I’d want to enjoy that privilege and daily moments of sending her to class, giving her a hug and a kiss goodbye and seeing her walk into her classroom
> I get to meet her classmates and and chat with her teachers (on top of making friends with other parents and maids who make daily trips to school too)
> During our daily trips to and from school, we get to spend time and chat about things. About school, her friends and teachers, what she did and learned, what so and so did, etc. And if say, her teacher reported to me how she did something that she shouldn’t have done earlier that day (upon picking her up from class), I can immediately talk to her and ask her about it too.
The thing is, this approach will no longer be there when she starts taking the school bus later.
I mean, by the time she gets home from school, the level of seriousness of what she did wrong earlier is automatically reduced, especially if she happily laughs and plays with her friends on her way home (ie. less ‘impact’ by the time we have our ‘why did you do what you did’ talk, because it doesn’t take place right after she leaves class)
> Personally picking her up from school allows us to eat out together immediately after class too once in a while (which can be a special treat for all three of us)
And because of all those reasons, somehow I don’t feel ‘burdened’ by this daily routine (ie. every day, for the past five and a half months so far).
Yes it may sound a bit silly, but when every time I think about it, I really just don’t mind.
[Yes I do get physically tired at times though, eg. from carrying the stroller with Vai on it up and down the bus and stairs, from carrying Vai in a sling, when it rains]
But you know, one day, years from today, if Anya happens to say, ‘Hey Mom, remember that one time when we all got drenched from the sudden rain on our way home from school?’
I would be happy if I could reply, ‘Yes I still remember. I was the one who held your hand.’
