Keeping it real!!

Last week had me up at Olivia's school as she had a drs checkup. She didn't take her school bus because by the time she'd get home, we wouldn't have the time to go back into Central.
So to her delight, I had to meet her at her school gates.

Now in South Africa, Id take her every morning to the French School in Morningside. Here, to my relief, she hops on the school bus at our residence. At first I was reluctant about sending her on a bus but it is really well organised. In each bus there is a bus mother who see's to the younger kids, makes sure all seat belts are fastened and just makes sure that all behave on the ride to school.
After tasting the 'school bus route', it will be hard going back to moaning kids in the back seat. Millions of questions, asking for whatever they just dropped on the floor, needing to pee....I could go on.
So yes, hurray for school buses!!

I get to her school and approach the gates. I'm not the only English parent but you can spot the French parents a mile off. Jeans, ballerinas, t-shirt and jumper swung over the shoulders. Greet with the infamous bise and chit chat with a bit of air blowing and puffing!!

Then this lady literally 'pops' out of no-where. Between all the frenchies, helpers and mamas like myself who look totally peeved about having to wait at the gate with the joys to tackle yet another week-end with kids.
She's all smiles and then starts waving and shouting hello. Oh crap and yes, she was english!!
Her kids finally made it through the gate with some kind of goodie bag. She was talking so loud and was really a bit too much! Like 'oh yummy, whats that? Show mommy? You are so lucky. Lets get to the car so we can look inside and you can eat it all up. Its going to be so much fun.'

I'm like what the hell just happened??? Its already mid-term, your kids are older than 3 and  for sure not their fist day at school, so there's definately no need for all this hoopla!
Come on people, we don't need this crap!!

We all know how it really is in the car with two siblings.

I want what she has and not what I have.

But the other wants what she has only to annoy the other one.

Tears. Laughs. Shrieks. And way too many MAMAs!!

Mine fell on the floor and I need it now.

On top of all this, horrendous traffic.

The i-pod earphones aren't long enough and one wants one song and of course the other wants a different one.
Olivia pulls the earphones just to nag her sister.

They have to just fight over the i-pod as there's no way we'll add Justin Bieber blaring out of the speakers into this already crazy and brain numbing situation.


So again, all bow to the beloved school bus!!!