My Life Stopped for Six Minutes

Muirne's school just called. She was marked as absent. I dropped her off at 8am. The same routine every morning. Get in line in the turn around, pull up to the drop off area, give her a kiss goodbye, watch her walk in and pull away.

Today though, after I watched her walk in, she didn't go right to class. It is a short walk from the front door to the kindergarten wing and her class in the first in the hall. She was marked absent, which results in a phone call from the receptionist. Of course this call sent me into full panic.

My thoughts took over my mind. I tried to rationalize, telling myself she was fine, there must have been a mix-up, there are plenty of explanations. Then my emotions took over, I ran all kinds of scenarios through my head. What did I need to do. Who did I need to call. Oh my God my baby....

The receptionist said she would call me back as soon as she called down to Muirne's classroom. I am sure every mom has had a moment when they have lost track of their child at the playground, the wading pool, even your own yard and the few minutes they are missing feel like hours in which your mind and body reel with emotion and thought. I started feeling faint when the phone rang. It took 6 minutes. The longest six minutes ever.

She is in class. She was marked absent, then tardy. There was some miscommunication on the roster. I wash washed over with a sense of relief and confusion. School didn't start until 8:15 and I dropped her off at 8am. There is no reason she should have been late. The receptionist suggested I call her teacher after school. So I will.

I don't really care that she was late, but instead just happy that she is there. Of course I will be investigating and making sure she understands that if she wants to continue walking in alone she needs to go STRAIGHT to class. I am not sure I could take another scare.



**UPDATED** So she was in the cafeteria eating breakfast?? What the hell. I do actually feed my child before I send her to school believe it or not. She said she was still hungry so she went to eat. Oh and it was okay because one of her classmates ate breakfast at school and didn't ask her mom first if it was okay. I guess we will be having the "If all your friends jumped off a bridge would you too?" discussion sooner then I thought. Awesome.