Another Field Trip

Damon's preschool class went on another field trip today. I continue to be amazed and impressed by this teacher. Today's activity was a ride on the city bus to the mall, a visit to Santa, back on the bus to the transit center to retrieve our cars and then on to McDonald's for lunch. Last month, when the class went grocery shopping Damon did not want me to tag along so I was surprised this time that he wanted me to go. Honestly, I didn't want to go; I had some other things I could have and should have been doing. I was curious and asked him why he wanted me there. His answer, "Because buses don't have seat belts and I might fall so I need you to help me." How can a mother refuse that? So I went. BUT, do you think Damon sat next to me on the bus? NO!! He sat by the other kids and I sat next to his teacher.

We probably spent 10-15 minutes on the bus to the mall. The kids thought it was so neat. Most of them, including Damon, have never ridden on a city bus. As for myself, (not counting school buses) it was only my second ride on a bus. (My first and only bus experience prior to today was in Halifax. Our car was being serviced just before we began the trek back to Zion and Brittany had a doctor's appointment so she and I rode the bus downtown. I was nervous because I really didn't know how the system worked and I was afraid I'd miss the stop and end up in some scary unknown place.) Anyway, Damon sat there with this big goofy grin on his face and took it all in.

When we arrived at the mall, we went to see Santa. Each kid had made a wish-list to give to the big jolly elf. Nearly every kid was asking for an ipod. Are you kidding me?! These are four-year olds. Do they even know what an ipod is? So I asked Damon to tell what an ipod was and he actually knew and described in great detail how one uses the device with earphones to listen to music. The other moms and I were surprised to hear our children asking for the techno gadgets so Ms. Patty (the teacher) explained that one kid said "ipod" and after that they all wanted them.

After the visit with Santa we headed back out to wait for the bus. The ride back to the station was much faster. We loaded the kids into the vehicles and headed to Mickey-D's. The kids got to place their own orders and pay for their own food (parents sent the exact amount in an envelope to make things easier) but when they saw the play area, none of them were very hungry. Damon ate a couple of chicken nuggets and some french fries and told he had a tummy ache from eating too much. I told him that was too bad and he had to finish his nuggets, which he did. The play area was a huge novelty to him because I don't allow my kids to play in those disgusting germ-infested indoor playgrounds where you just know some other kid has wiped snot all over the place or peed their pants. But, this was the preschool field trip and I certainly couldn't make him sit at the table and watch his classmates play because he has a germ-freak for a mother; it just wouldn't have been fair. But you better believe I had the hand-sanitizer out before we even left the restaurant and as soon as we got home I had him washing up real good.

Aside from the germs that I know we brought home, despite my efforts, it was a fun morning. Damon had a great time and it was a good learning objective for the kids to experience public-transportation; especially since we live in an area where not many people use it.