My afternoon yesterday

Names are changed to protect the next door neighbor.

Missed a call at work yesterday and checked my voice mail message at 4:30:
Message from Hubs Mommyrox – where is Bud? I am at Daycare center. Call me.
I called Hubs on his cell.
Me: What do you mean Where is Bud? he should be there.
Hubs: No he is not here.
I hang up and call the school transportation department. I tell them who I am where I live and that my son who is 7 did not go to Daycare.
The lady at transportation (tsp) says hold on while I call your bus driver, he is a substitute.
I hold and hold and hold.
Tsp comes back on: there are no extra children on the bus.
Me: Where is my son? Where did he go? (believe it or not I am calm. Shocker I know.)
Tsp: Please hold again. Longer this time.
Tsp: your son is at the neighbors house Mrs. Jones, she has him.
Me: WHO? I do not know who that is.
TSP: that is your neighbor.
Me: No, my neighbor is Mrs. Smith. What is her first name?
TSP: Her first name is Jane.
Me: Is her daughter Suzie?
TSP Yes, but we do not have her listed as Smith we have her as Jones.
I let tsp know that she is a Dr. and the kids call her Mrs. Smith (like they really care) so my missing child is located at the neighbors and that Hubs is on his way to get him.

I call Daycare place in a stern mommy voice and tell them that my son did not get off the bus there and that he is their responsibility. They should have called me when he did not get off the bus at 4:00 and that from 4:00-4:45 my son was not accounted for by people who were supposed to be watching him. I will not run down the could haves because I will get mad.

I called the bus garage and asked what is the policy for dropping children off at home when there is not an open door nor any cars in the drive way? They said they typically do not let the kids go from the primary school. I do not hold the bus garage at fault and I told them, because had Daycare called I could have had Bud re routed from that bus to Daycare before he got off alone. James did say that he sat on the front step for a few minutes and it was too cold so he went to Mrs. Smiths' house because a car was there.

I cancelled the daycare effective today and now he is going to another neighbors house. I filed a complaint with Child and Family services against the Daycare center. I don't think that I am overreacting in this day and age. For 15 minutes of my day I did not know where my child was. He was unaccounted for by the center for 45 minutes. Things happen in the blink of an eye. Yes my child is responsible for a 7 year old, but not to be left alone. He is only 7.

Yes, all is well that ends well. I gave him a big hug when I got home and gave him some extra strawberry ice cream. I also took some home made applesauce over to the neighbors.

Enjoy life!