Nature, Fall, Alpacas, and the Mysterious Bead Thrower

On Friday, I took the pre-k on a field trip to a nature trail and then to an Alpaca farm. They went looking for Fall and Nature. Both went missing sometime on Thursday night. I am proud to say that the pre-k had successfully located both Fall and Nature somewhere along the trail. Leaves were taken as evidence, and gumshoes gathered mud and sand on the ground. The alpacas were cute. Did you know that male alpacas are the only ones that spit? Most of the pre-k kids were more interested in the friendly Dachshund and Jack Russell Terrier dogs that were permanent residents of the farm. Note to Self: Purchase wet wipes to be kept handy on the bus.

In other news, my cherubs and I had a wonderful “talk” on Friday afternoon. Though it was more like a cross between yelling and shouting. They had pushed me to the edge and I had enough. While waiting for the middle school to let out, I stood for about 5 minutes and lectured my pre-k through 3rd graders on their increasingly poor behavior on what was once a well-behaved bus. As I continued on my loud, commanding rant, a lot of the kids began to sit upright in the seat with their eyes wide as I continued to demand they sit down, sit back, and behave by not talking. I expounded that I’m repeating myself DAILY and should NOT have to do this. I gave them ALL a warning that should they decide to disobey, I WILL be speaking to their parents and failing that, they WILL be getting a write up. As my middle schoolers got on the bus, I lectured them and stopped them in their tracks. I made them sit where I decided. You could have heard a pin drop for the rest of the route.

Mysterious Bead Thrower threw a bead at another student, but it hit me instead. When I pulled the tape, I did not see who threw the bead on the tape, so until something else happens, the Bead Thrower will remain a mystery. I had a question from a parent who had been told by her son that I accused him of throwing a bead. I explained to her that I pulled the tape and that nothing was shown directly indicating him throwing the bead, but he was sitting in close proximity to the bead thrower and very well could have been the bead thrower as he was being his usual Goofy boy self. However since both boys questioned in the incident have not fessed up, Bead Thrower will remain a mystery.

Today, the behavior was much better, however I still came down hard on the kids and will not let up until they know I mean business.

Frustrated,

The Bus Driver