The parents on the bus...

...did not say "I love you" this morning!!

Your ride to school did not go well today. About 10:30 I got a call from Mrs. P (your nurse) saying that you had a rough morning. Apparently I was wrong and there is one other student who gets picked up after you. I didn’t mention earlier that the bus was almost 30 minutes late picking you up—it was the first day and the kinks are still getting worked out with traffic and such. When the bus arrived to pick that student up, the parent gstarted yelling at the bus driver and attendant for being late. You have always been intuitive and sensitive to others emotions, and your feelings were hurt by this exchange. You started crying to the point of vomiting, and didn’t let up for most of the morning. Every once in a while you get so upset that nobody can console you. As soon as you seem like you are feeling better, your eyes will well up and that pouty lip will come out again. This was one of those times. Your teachers at school went easy on you, rocking and cuddling most of the morning. When you made it clear you didn’t want to get in the stander, they took you back out. When the call came in, you were pacified, side-lying on a boppy holding a stuffed animal. Tomorrow I will send a Lambie to stay at school.

Who DOES that? I mean, really? Thirty minutes makes an adult feel justified in getting on a special ed bus to pitch a fit? I am blown away. At first I was really sad thinking of you exposed to that angry parent without a single person you knew to comfort you. Mrs. P said she thought you probably weren’t used to that tone of voice and I laughed saying definitely not. You can’t see or understand words well enough in that situation to know who the anger is directed at—for all you knew that person was yelling at you. Right now I am just so aggravated with that parent. And I feel horrible for their child imagining what their home environment must be like. Tragic.

After school you were the only student on the route home (whew!). But because of issues with the bus lift strap, you left the school campus 40 minutes late. But it was repaired or a new bus came—I am not sure which—and in the meantime you waited inside with your teachers. That sort of thing doesn't bother you one bit, and I really do understand also. But goodness, this was not a good introduction to the bus for us!

I’m looking forward to talking with your morning bus driver tomorrow and getting more details on what the plan is to prevent this parent from coming within earshot of you again. I’ve got a plan of my own if they need any help brainstorming.