I happened to be driving past Betty's school at home-time last Friday, so I decided to surprise my little darling by collecting her in the car, rather than meeting her off the school bus. I also wanted to demonstrate to the teachers that I do still exist and care.
I was greeted by her teacher who turned to Betty and enthusiastically said 'Look, isn't that lovely, your mum has come to pick you up!' This immediately made me feel like a neglectful parent. Betty gave me a big smile and took my hand, and began tugging me towards the car, eager to tell me all about her day, I imagined.
As I got dragged across the car park by a silent Betty who was probably too overcome with joy and excitment to talk, I had pangs of guilt and wondered whether, despite her insisting on the whole bus thing, I was damaging my child by letting her do it at such a tender age. Would she grow up with feelings of abandonment and neglect, and would it be soley my fault if she turned to a life of crime?
These doubts were short-lived. As soon as we were safely in the confines of the car and out of her teacher's earshot, Betty turned on me: 'Why are you here Mummy? I was really looking forward to going on the bus with my friends, you've ruined it now'. 'There is always tomorrow,' I reasoned. 'Tomorrow is too far away,' she retorted stroppily. She made me promise I wouldn't do it again, and it took a KitKat bribe to get her to be nice to me again.
9 comments:
Well, you sure blew that one, Mum.
Sure did!
well, she had better get used to a lifetime of Embarassing Mum! I'm already doing this to my girly girl. As she files into class in the morning, I leap across and give her a kiss as she reaches the door. She told me one night that she didn't want me to do that again, to just wave as she goes in. Yeah right, now I make sure I do it every day!! ha ha ha.
I'm a mum, embarrasing her is my job!
x
Hi Sadie, i know, i didn't think this whole being an embarrassing mum started so soon :( x
ahhhhh - really feel you for after reading that! That is the sort of thing my son would say!
No school buses here - I've been ordered to pick him up in the car, but nit to go into the school, just to wait for him out in the street... As if!!!
Betty is so well-behaved! Anna would have told me off in front of all the other parents, just to add to the punishment of picking her up.
Living in a rural area, I used to go in the bus every day from the age of 4 and it was my dfavourite part of school!!! Mind you, it could have had something to do with my first ever crush on the 11 yr old boy who used to look after me and let me sit next to him every day!
It's so true, you just can't second guess an intelligent school-going child! So much for mother's guilt... Livvy
oooops, silly you!
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