I don't believe in giving an end-of-school -ear gift to every person in your child's academic life. However, one person I do acknowledge is the school bus driver. I trust this driver every singlebday with the life of my child. In traffic. In snow. In rain. In ice. This (very minimally paid) person has a great responsibility. And I appreciate that. Which is why I have a few gift ideas for your school bus driver...
One year I called my bus company asking if I could speak to someone about my bus driver. "All reports should be in writing" said the manager. "But I want to tell you how great our driver is!" I responded. The manager was shocked. "No one has ever called to say anything good about a driver before". I ended up sending an email — writing a glowing letter about how our bus driver went above and beyond the call of duty — and this letter then ended up in the company-wide newsletter (our bus driver was amazed at the appreciation). Good bus drivers deserve it.
On to the gift ideas...
Do NOT give them a bottle of wine (My famous bus driver once confided a kindergarten kid boarded the bus with a bottle of wine for him...1) young kids shouldn't be carrying booze and 2) drinking and driving is illegal
I wouldn't want the job of driving kids to and from school every day (it's a really tough job!). It takes someone with patience, reliability, and loyalty.
We should show our kids these qualities deserve recognition.
I should have said something. Should I have said something?! Today, I surprised dear daughter by a "drop by" visit at the park where she eats lunch with friends. This one boy was "F-this" and "F-that" and "What up A-hole" left and right (seriously. every. other. word.). I was standing right there and this 12-year-old boy had no "grown-up filter" at all. Even when a girl said "Hey, her brother might hear you" (did I mention my 2-year-old was right there too)...he kept on going. Does swearing make this kid cool?
I was torn.
Ask him nicely to stop swearing? "Excuse me, could you please use other words?"
Play toddler card? "Listen, there is a 2-year-old here, could you please change your language?"
Call him out? "Stop swearing you little creep, you aren't impressing anyone."
Or WALL him? "Will you be apologizing now for swearing in front of me or will you be doing it after lunch because either way, we both know your swearing is disrespectful, so now or after lunch, and by after lunch, I mean I'll be in the principals' office and he can call you from class to meet me there."
I wanted to WALL him. But I didn't. I scooped up my toddler. And walked away.
Why?
Because...
I didn't want to embarrass my 12-year-old daughter in front of her friends.
I didn't know if this boy would or would not retaliate against my daughter later.
I wasn't sure if it was my place to parent someone else's kid.
He was obviously showing off. Obviously trying to be alpha.
I wasn't his teacher. Or principal. Or parent. If I called him out on it, would it be using my authority as a grown-up to bully him?
I don't know.
I wanted to turn and tear a layer off of him. Put him in his place. Show my daughter a lady can demand politeness around her.
But I turned and walked away showing his swearing no big deal to me. No reaction out of the grown-up at all. Ignore the bad behaviour.
I should have said something. Should I have said something?!
My friend used come over to my house (weekly) to snuggle my newborn son. “You don’t understand how delicious this is!” she would say. Ok, chocolate is delicious — but babies?! It made me realize that there are everyday moments that provide such pleasure…it’s like a "Daily Dose of Delicious."
HALLS Vitamin Drops has asked me to share my "Daily Dose of Delicious" with you. I have many moments like this is my life—and here are my five favourites, my five ways to make every day just a little bit more special
In university I read William Shakespeare, and now I read Robert Munsch (Romeo and Juliet please meet The Paperbag Princess). Rocking in our glider every night before bedtime, with my toddler on my lap, reading aloud a story book is absolute deliciousness! I could go on and on about how it’s a good family activity, how it encourages literacy, how it connects family, but really, reading a story together every night is my guilty pleasure.
Every afternoon, my husband and I partake in a quickie. Quickie text that is. “How’s your day,” “Baby napping,” “Boring meeting,” "Looking forward to seeing you tonight.” Delicious one-line texts which boost my day. We don’t always have time for phone calls, and we never have time to talk when the kids are awake (seriously, my kids won’t let me get a word in edgewise!) so our mid-day texts are a great way to connect — and just show the other “I’m thinking of you.”
I steal a few one-on-one minutes after school every day (when school bags are being unpacked and homework being spread out) to check-in with my tweens. “What’s up?” I’ll whisper and they know this is their individual time (while the other tween is busy bag-unpacking) to tell me any pressing news. Yesterday, it was my oldest getting 100% on her math test. Then, my middle one took her after-school conversation time to talk about Gr. 4 boy/girl drama (*sigh*…Gr. 4). Our after-school conversations are like their antioxidant for the day; helping them develop decision making skills while making them feel better.
I am so thankful to have healthy kids. Our family routine is, in fact, designed for healthy growing — sports for everyone (except me) and well-planned meals (except for me). Explanation: I enable a healthy growing. I do the driving, the shopping, the food prep and packing…and sometimes while doing all those things, I don’t take care of my body as well as I take care of theirs. Because I want to keep up with my active family, I take a vitamin supplement. I munch on a great tasting vitamin — generally while I’m packing school lunch — knowing that is a little moment I take for my own health.
*right hand up and confessing right now* I eat the good snacks after the kids go to bed. After dinner it’s fruit or yogurt (must set a good example n’est pas?!). But oh how I love a brownie after the kids go to bed. Or a cookie (or three). Or even a ridonkulous, over-sized scoop of ice cream (some days just need ice cream). Total indulgence. Absolute delish!
I now understand my friend and how she would say holding my newborn son was “delicious” — there are delicious moments every day. I think any daily “thing” which makes you happier and healthier is delicious. Moments which rejuvenate the mind, body and spirit — like holding a sleeping newborn baby. There are opportunities all around us for a daily dose of delicious…we just have to recognize them.
This is proudly sponsored by our friends at HALLS.
www.gethalls.ca
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