Our First Field Trip

“Oh!  Is Declan’s aid not coming?”

The other mom and I looked to the doorway to see Declan’s 1/1 aid talking with the other parents.  Even though she is Declan’s aid, she’s very nice and has developed relationships with the students and the parents who help in the classroom.

“I guess not.  I guess that is why the teacher asked me to come.”

“Yes, same.  She told me if I was unable to come a nurse would have to come for my son based on his medical needs.  So, I just volunteered.”

I nodded and the morning announcements continued in the background.

Yesterday, I had a first.

I was a chaperone for Declan’s field trip to the zoo.

Through the years my older kids have gone on many field trips.  I never chaperoned.  Really, I couldn’t.  I had Declan.

Now Declan is in school for the full day.  And even though the older kids have aged out of field trips, Declan is just starting them.

The request for chaperones came out, and before I could ponder if it was time for me to try this new chaperone thing, the teacher sent a message asking me to volunteer.

My little ego was a little inflated at first.  I thought maybe she just really liked me.

Then I realized she probably needed my help with Declan.

Turns out Declan did need my help, and I was happy to be there for him.

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“Did you know that Herbert Hoover had a pet alligator?”

“I didn’t.”

“Well, he did.  So did John Quincy Adams.”

“Oh.  What else do you know about the Presidents?”

“Franklin Pierce ran over an old woman with his horse and was arrested.  But the people still voted for him to be President.”

“Geez.  Can’t say I learned that in school.”

“Yep.  And did you know Ulysses S. Grant got a speeding ticket while he was President for riding his horse too fast?”

“Nope.  Didn’t know that one either.”

 

Five minutes earlier, Declan was an anxious mess.  I forgot Declan had never ridden on a regular bus before as he rides the special needs bus.  When he sat down on the big bus, he was upset there wasn’t a harness to hold him into his chair.

When the bus started moving, so did he.  And he didn’t like it.

“She’s going too fast!  Make her slow down!”

I put my bag with our lunches and waters on his lap to weigh him down, my arm across his chest (at his instruction) and started talking to him about his current favorite subject for forty minutes.  The U.S. Presidents.

At the zoo, I didn’t think how much walking he was going to have to do.  Not that I could have brought the wagon we use to cart him around after his legs tire out.  Since I was there, I could sit with him and let him take all the breaks he needed.

I was able to talk him out of his fear that bugs kept trying to fly into his mouth making him eat them.

And if there was one spot that had any reference to a U.S. President, of course he was going to find it.  And want to spend a lot of time there.  Since I chaperoned, we could visit the picture and tidbit on Theodore Roosevelt as many times as Declan wanted.  Perfect.

Throughout the day I saw that all the special needs moms were chaperones.  I wondered if it was their first time too.

Declan had a great time yesterday as I was able to let him go at his own pace and see what he wanted to see.

Yesterday was my first time being a chaperone.  It certainly won’t be my last.