security blanket

Savannah has an issue with going to school. She's been to therapy. She's been on medication. She's had tutors. She's tried alternative schools and different school districts. Since January she has gone to our school district, with mostly success. I had been taking her to school and she would ride the bus home. Then she started "lollygagging" in the morning and Jason started taking her because I couldn't be late to work. She had an anxiety attack one busy morning and again didn't want to go to school that day. Our stance is "you need life skills, you will take the bus to school from now on." All our other kids ride a bus in the morning that stops at our corner, and Sis rides the bus home. Therefore, all logic says this is not unreasonable.

The first two bus days she would not go outside to the corner. We went to work and left her to fend for herself. She managed to get her mom to come drive her to school on her way to work. We weren't happy about this arrangement because she wasn't facing her bus issues, but we figured she is being resourceful. We didn't say much. After a few times, her mom agreed that she needed to ride the bus. You could see the panic set in.

The night before school we gave her one of our parental lecture/pep talks. Sis agreed that she doesn't have a problem with the bus, but has stress about standing alone outside. I told her she could stand with Trinity and the others because their bus comes just a few minutes before the high school bus. "AH!" Sis seemed relieved. She was up, ready and out at the corner. I sent Zeph to sit on the front step as my spy. He was giving me play by play as I finished getting ready for work...

"Mom, the first bus is gone."
"Sissy's bus hasn't come yet."
"Mom, still no bus."
"Mom, is it supposed to take this long?"
"Mom, she looks nervous."
"That's it I'M GOING."

And off he went... I peeked out the bedroom window to see my 5 year old holding hands with his big sister. I could see her relief. I could see him distracting her by chattering away talk talk talk. And here comes the bus. She let go of his hand and he came running back in.

"Mom, we can go now. I put her on the bus."
*Go ahead, wipe your tears. I just did. I'm a sap.