The Po Show

Field Trippin'

Yesterday I went along on Tessa's nursery school field trip. It was actually the first time I've ever volunteered for a field trip, so it was long overdue. I managed to fit three carseats in my car's backseat, which was a first!

It was fun, if chaotic. The two 4 year old classes went, so there was a total of 32 four year olds. We went on the train (the commuter line) from Harrison, NY to Greenwich, CT, three whole stops :). Much more time was spent standing on the platform waiting for the train than the actual trips took. On the way out, we all huddled in the glass enclosure on the platform (it was like 26 degrees and felt much colder with the wind). Now THAT was loud!

We ended up in the bar car (no drinks were being served since it was 10 in the morning), so the kids were a little squished in the seats and not too happy about that. They were pretty stoked, though, that the conductor came and punched a ticket for each one of them (though the conductor himself didn't look too stoked). After we arrived at our destination and stood waving on the platform ("Goodbye Mr. Conductor!!!," the kids all cried), he said "Come back again," but then he rolled his eyes a bit, which leads me to believe that he was really hoping he never saw us again.

Then we walked a block and made a "surprise" visit (the kids didn't know ahead of time) to a pizza place. The owner was fantastic and showed the kids how they made pizza. Each kid was given a piece of dough to roll and flatten and try to flip. They passed around toppings and showed them how to put sauce and cheese on the dough. Then everyone got a slice. Tessa ended up at the food allergy table, with the little girl who couldn't have tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese (and got crust with ricotta cheese; she actually isn't supposed to have wheat either, but her parents cut her some slack so she could at least have the crust) and the little girl who couldn't have any cheese (and got cheeseless pizza). It was really fun.

Then we headed back to the station, boarded the train, and got a much more kid friendly conductor. He punched each kid's ticket with multiple punches in the shape of a smiley face :). We got back to the station, all headed to the parking lot, and I couldn't get the kids buckled in. The seatbelt in the middle locked and I could not get it to release. All the other cars drove away and there I was, sweating that we were left behind. I knew my way back, but had this horrifying image of the other two moms, waiting for their kids, wondering what the hell I had done with them.

Eventually I managed to get the belt buckled and we made it back to school. I was glad to no longer be responsible for other people's children.

So I wonder why it is that I have never volunteered to go on events with my children's classes. When I was working and Matthew was in daycare, Ross sometimes volunteered for trips. I had the excuse that I was working. Then I became a SAHM, and Matthew was in kindergarten, but I had the excuse that I had Tessa with me. But the last two years, I haven't had an excuse. So what's my problem? I guess it's been the overhang of social phobia that has haunted me, that bewilders me (I didn't used to be like this!). Maybe I just don't want to deal with it (I cherish my hours of kidlessness).

But maybe now that I've done it, I should remember that it was fun, and that Tessa was THRILLED to death that I came along and she got to hold my hand on the trip. Someday I'll be working again, and I will have that excuse again, so I really should do this while I can.