As it was the first day of school, I made the effort to wake up at 5.30am along with the kids to prepare #4 a lunchbox.
They were all in high spirits and excited to go back to school.
At 5.50am, #4 noticed that #3’s schoolbag was still on the chair.
Me: Quick, run out and pass it to her.
#4: (Running back in.) Their school bus has left!
Me: Hmmm, strange that she would have forgotten her bag. Maybe this is an extra bag she brought down.
(I wasn’t too perturbed as #3 is a survival and takes everything in her stride. She wouldn’t feel bad borrowing what she needs from friends, and even if she gets scolded by her teachers, it doesn’t affect her badly.)
#4 started ruffling through the bag.
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| new school bags for Christmas |
#4: There’s a storybook… pencil case… notebook… HER WALLET AND HER PHONE! It’s her real bag!
Her tone started to rise. I could tell she was feeling worried for #3 that she had indeed forgotten her bag.
#5: What? M didn’t bring her school bag to school! How’s that possible? That’s just crazy!
And the boy being a boy, dissolved into peals of laughter.
Suddenly, #4 shrieked:
“MUM! MUM! She took my bag! My bag is gone!”
She was almost hysterical. Her bus was arriving any minute.
“I need my bag! My teacher will scold me!”
She is in P6 this year, and the teachers expect them to hand in all their activity books on the first day. And as is usually the case for this important year, lessons start rolling from the get go.
I grabbed my phone and called #2. Both #2 and #3 are in the same secondary school and they take the school bus. I asked her where they were and was relieved that they were still in the vicinity picking up some other students. I told her to inform the bus uncle to wait where he was.
As I was speaking, I grabbed the keys and jumped into the car. I sped over to where they were, and suddenly realised that in my hurry, I didn’t take #3’s bag along for the exchange!
No choice.
I told #3 to hop into my car and I will have to send her to school.
#3 could still find the humour in the situation and apologised, while relating how she was just commenting to #2 in the dimly lit bus, “Didn’t realise my new bag is that big. And it does feel rather heavy.” She unzipped it and burst out laughing that she took the wrong bag! Such a chill child.
While rushing back home, it occurred to me that if #4’s bus had left, I’ll have to ferry the both of them to school. In different directions.
Thank goodness #4 was still waiting for her bus and they quickly swapped bags.
As I drove off, I told #3 to call #2 to see where they were.
Luckily, they were about to emerge from the estate and the bus uncle picked her up before making his way to the expressway.
What a start to 2016.
I hope the rest of the year is not going to be as dramatic as this morning.
Ah well, all’s well that ends well!
What a first day of school! The chaos, fun and laughter of having 6 kids.
Yup! Mayhem!
I'm confused reading your narrative of the numbers.! Lol 😛
Haha! I get confused too 😉 Throw the eldest and Kate into the mix and none would have made it to school on time! That's how crazy it gets around here.
Then again, I refer to mine as #1,2,3,4 as well, hahahha. Only that I don't have 5, 6. The gap between my youngest and eldest is also 14yrs, though. 😀
How coincidental!
I'm sure you can totally relate to the commotion 😉
different type of sameness. hahahhah