I haven’t mentioned too much about co-op preschool. I do it for Miss 5. At the beginning of the year I felt so sorry for her because she couldn’t go to kindergarten yet that it seemed like a great idea. And it has been a good ride. I’ve enjoyed the other moms and I haven’t even minded taking my turn, which as you may or may not know, is the main downfall of co-op preschool. It’s so nice to drop off your happy preschooler but can be a little daunting when all the moms bring their happy preschoolers to your house!
Now the year is winding down and we are in the last days. Yesterday was my final turn. And let me just say, I went out with a *bang*. . . .
Because it was my last day and I wanted it to be really easy, I decided I would just drive all the preschoolers over to the library for an all ages storytime. Great idea right? The only teeny tiny little snag was that storytime was not being held at the library I am familiar with, so I planned to go to a different library. I just looked up the address on Google Maps, filled my van with preschoolers, and I was ready to go. I told the mom who also kindly volunteered to drive that I would just meet her there. I didn’t want to be late and I could see from Google Maps that it was going to be a bit of a drive.
All the preschoolers and I headed off down the road. We drove and we drove. Preschooler girl #1 commented: This is far away. I think my mommy is going to miss me!
Other nervous preschoolers decided to join her in this lament, but I calmly nipped it in the bud, telling them we would be back at the regular preschool time and no mommy or daddy would be worried or in tears when we arrived. Their mommies knew where I was taking them.
I continued to drive and drive, pointing out llamas, horses, and other livestock along the way.
I started to get a little nervous that we were going to be late and started watching more diligently for our turn off on Library Street.
After quite awhile, I realized that Library Street was not appearing, and storybook time was going to be starting without us. I turned around and headed back, still looking for the ever elusive Library Street. Then I got a call from the mom I was supposed to meet. “What library did you go to?” she asked. “I don’t see you. I am at the library on Right Place and Library Street.”
When I heard her mention the address, I knew there would be no story time for these preschoolers. By now, the van of kiddos and I, were in the literal middle of nowhere, surrounded by empty fields and heading into mountains. I turned around again.
The preschoolers smelled trouble. They knew we were circling and lost. ( Mostly because Miss 5 kept yelling, “Mommy, are we lost again????”) I told them about the little problem we were having but tried to put a good spin on it. “It’s an adventure,” I said. “Look at those llamas. And mountains! Wow! This is so fun. I’ll read you a book myself when we get to the library!”
That’s the good thing about preschoolers. They totally got excited and started cheering about our adventure. Preschooler Boy #1 started chanting: “I love adventure, I love adventure!”
We finally got to the library. Exactly on the corner of Right Place and Library Street. (Turns out I had looked up West Library Street on Google Maps.) It was after story time. The preschoolers had ridden around in my van for. . . . well, I don’t want to say for how long.
I started unloading kids. Preschool Boy #1 was frantically yelling something, but I couldn’t understand what he was trying to say because I was too busy unpacking preschoolers. When I finally had them all unbuckled, I reached back to grab my purse. That’s when I realized what Preschool Boy #1 had been trying to tell me.
There was a bee on my purse. *BEE STING* ouch!
So to sum it all up, we totally missed story time. I got stung by a bee. We were late getting back to my house and all the moms were on the street out front waiting for us.
When one of the moms asked her little boy if he was okay and if he had a good time he said, “Yeah, I had fun ’cause I didn’t get stung by the bee.”
I believe that when the time comes to send Miss 2 to preschool, I will pass on the co-op, thank you very much!
