Waiting for the Bus

Michael has always had school (extended school year) throughout July.  His public school program was very good so he was in school for full days Monday through Thursday throughout the month. Fridays were half days, because it is summer after all.

Mikey loves school so waiting for the bus has always been a happy time for him. Unless the bus is very late and he becomes impatient or frustrated, it’s a peaceful and joyful time of day for our family.

Getting Off The Bus

Over time, we gradually taught Mikey to get off the bus in the afternoon and walk up the driveway independently. He learned the garage code and could open the door by himself.  I always watched from the window to make sure he was coming directly up the driveway, but he could do it by himself.

One stage of this process did involve me coordinating with the school bus driver and aide. I let them know that I would be hiding in the bushes for a few days to make sure that Mikey would reliably walk up the driveway and not put himself in any traffic danger.  This parenting journey sure has been crazy!

But in all seriousness, we tried to give Michael independence whenever it was safe to do so. Getting off the bus in the afternoon involved a set of steps that were almost entirely within Mikey’s control.

Independence v Safety

Waiting for the bus to arrive in the morning is a different skill entirely. He would need to assess which vehicle he was getting into and make sure it was the actual school bus or van. Additionally, the vehicle can sometimes change if it is a different driver or if the vehicle needs repairs.  I would not be able to tell Michael ahead of time how long he would need to wait because the bus comes at slightly different times each day.  Way, way too much variability and need for careful decision-making.  Waiting for the bus would need to remain a family activity.

But, the good news is…that allowed me lots of time to snap smiley photos of my buddy!

Another Post on Waiting for the Bus

When Mikey was younger, he used to use this time to get in a morning walk. This continued for many years. In fact, I shared about it as a Flash Forward Friday in 2023.

Since I posted this FFF in 2023, Mikey has given up the morning walk and he has opted to sleep in a little later. We let him sleep in and just give him time to get dressed, do his morning hygiene routine and eat some breakfast.