We have been so blessed to have Calvin ride the "short bus" to school for these last almost two years.(if you laughed at the phrase "ride the short bus" that I'll assume you are a bad person. I have one brother and one husband who can't say short bus without laughing and I am sorry to say they are not ideal human beings.)
Overall it has been wonderful and we and met some amazing people. We have also run across a few people who are not quite as wonderful as those who you usually find working in the special needs department!
Calvin has also been creative in finding ways to make the ride to school as unpredictable as possible! Here are some of his tactics for throwing a wrench in what could be a smooth bus ride...
-don't get on the bus when it comes to pick you up
-don't get off the bus when you get to school
-fall asleep on the bus and don't get off the bus when you get to school.
-pretend to fall asleep on the bus and don't get off the bus when you get to school.
We've never had a problem with him getting off the bus at home although occasionally he is asleep on the bus ride home and we have to wake him up to get him off the bus.
With those last 3 options, the bus driver would at first bring him back home, but that is too rewarding, so then they'd wait at school but that took too long and the district didn't want to pay them overtime, so now we meet at the bus yard. When they call me to tell me Calvin is still on the bus I have about 25 min to get there giving me time to load the car and head over. It is just right. Then I drive him to school which is sort of a pain but we make the most of it by going to the beach or zoo afterwards.
Remember when Calvin's bus driver hit him? That driver is no longer in special needs! Crazy!
After that incident we had the best driver ever, Kevin! He genuinely loved Calvin (which is tough to do)! and was so great. He'd do a doughnut day or in-n-out day here and there just because he wanted the kids to feel special. He got "out bid" by a more senior driver so we haven't had him this year. We miss him terribly.
Calvin's aid Jeannine has been with us for a long time, over a year. She is so kind. Calvin adores her.
Calvin's current bus driver is fine...neither great nor terrible. We did have an interesting experience today though. She pulled up the house! I opened the door and waved hello as I usually do and then she drove away down the street. Weird?.... I walked to the end of the driveway and as she looped around to pass our house she slowed down and said, "he won't get up I'm taking him back to the lot." WHAT?! I said, "no, I'll get him off the bus." I walked onto the bus and woke him up and got him off the bus. It was funny. He wasn't mad or angry, he was asleep with his head phones in and never heard her stop or tell him to get up. She was completely furious and fuming. Must be an off day....hopefully she isn't losing patience with him....that would be an unfortunate turn of events.
What's funny is Calvin wasn't mad or trying to be difficult, he was sound asleep with his headphones in and his shirt wrapped around his head so he had no idea they had even stopped and tried to get him off the bus.
It is interested how as an observer I can see that this was an incident where Calvin was innocent but somehow managed to get the driver in a fury. I know this happens to me at home. Since he does cause such a rukus so often and puts people on their guard it is easy to be upset with him often and assume he is trying to cause a problem but the trick is slowing down enough in judgment to see what his intent is and working with him to move forward. A galaxy sized amount of patience is required. I'm still working on growing some more!
Showing posts with label transportation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label transportation. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
are you kidding me?
So Calvin got off the bus today at 4:15. (school gets out at 2:30). I was kind of surprised that it was so late and asked the driver if there was anything unusual about today. She said that they were actually missing two kids so the route is usually going to be LONGER. So, you're telling me my kid is going to have over two hours on the bus ride home each day??!! I think I'll give it a week and then start to make some phone calls. That is pretty insane. Especially since probably all of the kids on the bus are there because they don't know how to behave themselves in school.
the honeymoon is over
I always try to remember this simple rule of parenting: Enjoy the good times when they come and don't be surprised when they disappear. However hard I try, I never can master this simple advice. When the hard times come I find my self in total shock and not knowing what to do.
This morning Calvin would not get out of bed. After being totally frustrated for a short while, I finally had the presence of mind to ask, "Are you nervous to go on the bus?" The answer was yes! . . . . long story short.....
The bus showed up at 6:55. We told the bus driver "sorry, but he's not getting on the bus today!" They were totally understanding. The morning was total chaos and insanity until I left at 8:45 to take Clare to school and then Calvin to his. We made a few stops to pick up food at various locations and eventually made it to school by which time Calvin had turned himself around. We arrived home again at 10:15 having spent about an hour and a half on the road. I felt it was kind of ironic to spend an hour and half on the road since that is how long Calvin's bus ride would have been. I realized two things: 1. I don't really feel that bad about having him on the bus for so long (as long as he's not into trouble). His time is not so precious or so carefully spent that he can't afford a little down time. In fact, I think it is good for him to have some down time. 2. During my busy days when I have errands and kids to drive around, I OFTEN spend hours in the car, driving, waiting and sitting. If I can do it, so can Calvin. It really isn't that big of a deal.
This morning Calvin would not get out of bed. After being totally frustrated for a short while, I finally had the presence of mind to ask, "Are you nervous to go on the bus?" The answer was yes! . . . . long story short.....
The bus showed up at 6:55. We told the bus driver "sorry, but he's not getting on the bus today!" They were totally understanding. The morning was total chaos and insanity until I left at 8:45 to take Clare to school and then Calvin to his. We made a few stops to pick up food at various locations and eventually made it to school by which time Calvin had turned himself around. We arrived home again at 10:15 having spent about an hour and a half on the road. I felt it was kind of ironic to spend an hour and half on the road since that is how long Calvin's bus ride would have been. I realized two things: 1. I don't really feel that bad about having him on the bus for so long (as long as he's not into trouble). His time is not so precious or so carefully spent that he can't afford a little down time. In fact, I think it is good for him to have some down time. 2. During my busy days when I have errands and kids to drive around, I OFTEN spend hours in the car, driving, waiting and sitting. If I can do it, so can Calvin. It really isn't that big of a deal.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
first day of school and transportation issues
Calvin had a good first day of school today. I drove him down to school this morning so that I could do some paperwork. We left pretty early in case of traffic but made great time. School is about 25 minutes from our house. He was excited to be there and happily went with his case manager to start the day!
After school he said he did math, spelling, reading, etc. etc. He said he has a binder that he carries around and he can get stars in each class when he is on task the whole time. He is not sure yet what the stars can help him earn.
He is very enthusiastic and seems to feel really good about his school situation so far. I'm sure eventually the super fun will wear off but hopefully by then he will have settled into a good routine.
Calvin will be riding the bus to/from school. Our home school district provides transportation. It can take up to 10 days to get the bus route worked out. I decided that rather than drive both ways for 2 weeks I'd have him piggyback onto another stop already in place. He rode the bus home from school and I picked him up at a bus stop about 10 minutes from home. I had planned on having to do this for the first week or two of school but was pleasantly surprised to get a call from the transportation department today saying that the route is ready for tomorrow!
The HUGE down side to the transportation provided is that Calvin will spend 1:35 minutes on the bus EACH WAY. That is such a long time. Calvin gets picked up at our house at 6:55. He arrives at school at around 8:20. Unlike regular school, the kids sit on the bus until school starts as there is no playground. So at 8:30 when the bell rings, the kids start getting off the bus and head to class. In the afternoon, Calvin gets on the bus at 2:30 when school ends and arrives home around 4pm. (Tuesday school gets out at 1pm and he will get home at 2:35).
I have a lot of worries about Calvin being on the bus for such a long time. The main worry is that he will get bored and get into trouble. I am hoping he will use his bus ride home to do homework or sleep. I think for the first week or two it will all be so new to Calvin that it will be interesting and exciting for him.
The reason the bus ride is so long is because Calvin is the first stop in the morning and the last stop in the afternoon. We live pretty close to the district bus yard so it makes sense that we are first/last. There are 10 kids who ride the bus and each one of them is picked up at their own home. It takes a lot of time to make those stops and then move onto the freeway to school. Buses aren't allowed to drive in the carpool lane so they experience more morning traffic than I do.
I was quite surprised that they'd have the bus route so packed and make the kids be on the bus so long. The transportation lady who makes the bus routes said that they have ordered more buses which were supposed to be here in January but never came. They hope to shorten the routes but can't until they get more buses. Once regular school gets out for the summer, they will re-do routes when they have more buses and then by fall new buses should have arrived so that the route will never be this crowded. (insert major frustration at the way government run stuff is so inefficient and ridiculous)
On the plus side, since Calvin is an early riser, I actually think it'll be nice to get up and get ready and then have him out the door first thing in the morning. Usually he is up around 6 and is ready to go by 7. It won't be hard for him to be ready at that time and he will probably have some positive momentum carrying him out the door!
I hope the kids on the bus are nice and he enjoys being with them.
BTW, there is an aide on the bus to help with any problems that may arise.
After school he said he did math, spelling, reading, etc. etc. He said he has a binder that he carries around and he can get stars in each class when he is on task the whole time. He is not sure yet what the stars can help him earn.
He is very enthusiastic and seems to feel really good about his school situation so far. I'm sure eventually the super fun will wear off but hopefully by then he will have settled into a good routine.
Calvin will be riding the bus to/from school. Our home school district provides transportation. It can take up to 10 days to get the bus route worked out. I decided that rather than drive both ways for 2 weeks I'd have him piggyback onto another stop already in place. He rode the bus home from school and I picked him up at a bus stop about 10 minutes from home. I had planned on having to do this for the first week or two of school but was pleasantly surprised to get a call from the transportation department today saying that the route is ready for tomorrow!
The HUGE down side to the transportation provided is that Calvin will spend 1:35 minutes on the bus EACH WAY. That is such a long time. Calvin gets picked up at our house at 6:55. He arrives at school at around 8:20. Unlike regular school, the kids sit on the bus until school starts as there is no playground. So at 8:30 when the bell rings, the kids start getting off the bus and head to class. In the afternoon, Calvin gets on the bus at 2:30 when school ends and arrives home around 4pm. (Tuesday school gets out at 1pm and he will get home at 2:35).
I have a lot of worries about Calvin being on the bus for such a long time. The main worry is that he will get bored and get into trouble. I am hoping he will use his bus ride home to do homework or sleep. I think for the first week or two it will all be so new to Calvin that it will be interesting and exciting for him.
The reason the bus ride is so long is because Calvin is the first stop in the morning and the last stop in the afternoon. We live pretty close to the district bus yard so it makes sense that we are first/last. There are 10 kids who ride the bus and each one of them is picked up at their own home. It takes a lot of time to make those stops and then move onto the freeway to school. Buses aren't allowed to drive in the carpool lane so they experience more morning traffic than I do.
I was quite surprised that they'd have the bus route so packed and make the kids be on the bus so long. The transportation lady who makes the bus routes said that they have ordered more buses which were supposed to be here in January but never came. They hope to shorten the routes but can't until they get more buses. Once regular school gets out for the summer, they will re-do routes when they have more buses and then by fall new buses should have arrived so that the route will never be this crowded. (insert major frustration at the way government run stuff is so inefficient and ridiculous)
On the plus side, since Calvin is an early riser, I actually think it'll be nice to get up and get ready and then have him out the door first thing in the morning. Usually he is up around 6 and is ready to go by 7. It won't be hard for him to be ready at that time and he will probably have some positive momentum carrying him out the door!
I hope the kids on the bus are nice and he enjoys being with them.
BTW, there is an aide on the bus to help with any problems that may arise.
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