Bus stop drama

So school started last week. Third Grade. I can't believe it. Next year, Connor goes too. Crazy, and yet so not crazy since I wish he could go this year.

I'm always surprised that I'm "that mom". I don't want to be "that mom" and yet I keep finding myself being "that mom". You know the one. The one who is all involved in everyone's business, drama drama, no sense of perspective, a phone call to your boss, that mom. Grrr.

For the past two years, the bus stop has been in this one particular spot. It's not perfect, but it works. It's safe, the kids have lots of room to play, I have to get someone to stop throwing landscaping rocks every 5 minutes but it's an ok bus stop. This year the bus driver decides that it's going to be across the street from there. Which is not an ok bus stop. I spent every morning for the past two years trying to keep kids out of the exact place that they now want to put the bus stop.

But I stayed out of it.

Other parents talked to me about it. Said how they didn't like the bus stop. Said how they spoke to the bus driver but she wouldn't move it. Said how they called the bosses of the buses. But I stayed out of it.

What do I care really? I'm there to watch my kids, and I can keep my kids out of the street. If other parents don't come to the bus stop to watch their kids then that's their problem. I can't be responsible for everyone's kids. Only my own. But obviously in practice that isn't how it works. If one of those kids got hurt then I would be responsible, in reality. So even though I don't want to be in charge of the bus stop, somehow I am.

I'm not sure how it happened, exactly. Someone asked me if I thought we should move all the kids back to the old bus stop. I said ok. Then when the bus driver stopped at the now empty bus stop I was some how elected to go talk to her. How does this happen to me?!

So I do, against my better judgement. It wasn't pretty. I told her that this bus stop isn't safe, it's too busy, the cars are not watching, they fly around the corner and someone is going to get hit. And that the new bus stop is going to be back at the old bus stop.

I don't know what she said, but it wasn't "Sure, no problem!" I can't even tell you what else went on, but I was upset. Basically it was her trying to convince me that the bus stop is fine. Which I don't care what she thinks. It's not fine, none of the parents think it's fine. But all I wanted to hear was, "ok, we will move it." And until I heard that, everything else was just blah blah blah.

So I got the number to her boss. I gave it to all the other parents. I tried to call, but no one would answer. I didn't call back because I wanted to calm down first, which didn't happen til after lunch.

Then in the afternoon they dropped off at the old bus stop. So I don't know what happened. I'm curious to talk to the other parents. Maybe I actually got something done with my craziness?? I won't get excited til the morning... we'll see.

I do think I need to apologize either way. :( Sucks.

On a happier note. Connor also got his Yellow Belt in Karate. So cute! He's so proud. We haven't fully decided if he is going to go again, but I think we are leaning that way. Green Belt.