LOST

Okay - some of you already know, some of you don't, but we had an adventure yesterday.
Shaun's school LOST him yesterday - TWICE!

About an hour after school started I received a call on my cell phone at work. They were verifying that he was absent today.
ME - um, NO, he's not.
BC Office - Hmmm they say, maybe the check mark here is for the child on the line above him, it's hard to tell...I'm sure that's it.
PAUSE
Pause
ME - Yeah - could you please go check on him and verify that for me? You just gave me a heart attack and I'm a 45 minute commute away.
Pause, Pause, Pause, Panic...
My Thoughts - "I wonder if my new mini-van will go 120 mph? Would anyone blame me if I strangled an educator for losing my 5 year old on his 7th day of school ever? How am I going to call Matt, who is in N.C. on business, and tell him I lost his son?...I wish I had some asprin in my desk...How long does it take to sprint down one hallway and find the cutest 5 year old boy ever sitting safely in his classroom?"
BC Office - He's fine. It was just marked on the wrong line for the boy above him that is absent. He's in his classroom, safe and sound.
ME - Thank God, thanks for checking!
BC Office - I'm really sorry for the heart attack.
ME - No problem, I'm sure I can find another one at Costco. Maybe they have a 5 pack, because I might need some extras to keep on hand over the next 12 years of school.

SO - That was the FIRST time they lost him yesterday! You heard me right, 1st time!

The 2nd happened about 3 hours later. I get a call on my cell phone telling me he never showed up to his after school care club that meets after school right there in the school's cafeteria. (It was an early release (1/2) day yesterday due to some teacher meetings) I sat on the phone helpless and shaking for about 15-20 minutes as it unfolded. In the end his teacher was waiting for a few late parents who come pick up their kids before she could walk him down to his group. Another teacher who's class had already released came over to offer to help. Shaun's teacher told her to take him to the Mascot Club, the other teacher heard it wrong or misunderstood and instead took him to the Boys and Girls club bus line and put him on the bus. Shaun went off to the Boys and Girls club about 5 miles away in another neighborhood. I was freaking out. They said they'd just send him back to the school on another bus. I'm like - you do realize he's FIVE right? On his 7th day of school EVER!? And that I've not approved of him being in a vehicle with ANYONE, much less a bus driver I don't know, have never met, for an organization I've never been a part of? DO NOT MOVE MY CHILD AGAIN! Leave him there, I'll be right there!
(Yes, a Kia Sedona can do 120 mph if needed).
I've received many apologies from the school, his teacher, the other teacher, the after school club...and I do think they are handling it properly now and the principal is on the rampage against the B&G club for not using their checklist before removing any child from campus. They are taking responsiblity at the school of course, but without the B&G club following school mandated policies as a check and balance, it's hard to uphold the safety measures they strive for. The B&G club on their part took no responsibility. When I went to get him, they acted defensive, they stopped me in the parking lot and were more concerned with explaining to me why it's not their fault, but the school's fault than they were concerned about putting my child in my arms. Then once I went in and got him and left, I realized they never even asked me my name or checked an I.D. or anything! Nice!

Anyway - Shaun was totally fine. A little dis-oriented, but not scared in the least. That kid is amazing! I'm still a bit shaken up, but his teacher called AGAIN last night after dinner and offered more apologies and spoke with me for about 20 more minutes.

Short of it is - Shaun's fine, and we took advantage of this opportunity to have the talk about NEVER getting in a car/bus/vehicle with anyone other than mommy/daddy, grandma/grandpa, NOT EVEN if a teacher tells him to. Important lesson illustrated without having to scare him by talking about bad guys or predators.

So - hug your kids, fight for them like the fierce mama bears we are, teach them to speak up and talk back when warranted (even if we hate it when they do it to us)! Teacher's are not always right. We'll be focusing on speaking to adults with respect, but not blind obedience from now on.