Wave at the bus…

I embarrass my children… sometimes on purpose.  Sometimes I’ve no idea what I’ve done until a look on a face makes me realize I’ve mortified them beyond belief.

I’ve been known to make up ridiculous songs when their friends are in the car, roll down my window giving the Queen’s wave as if I were in a parade and dance in the kitchen when Gib arrives home… our houses back on to one another and her headlights light up my kitchen as if it were a stage.  Who wouldn’t dance?

There are multiple things I’ve done on purpose, but I’m quite sure my children could recall countless times I’ve unknowingly caused them great discomfort.  In fact, it’s quite possible I embarrass them on a daily basis.  Like this Dad

On his sons’ first day of High School, Dale Price and his wife stood on the front lawn of their home and proudly waved to their boy as the school bus drove by… on purpose… to embarrass him!  You can imagine the grief as Mom and Dad waved lovingly as if he were off to his first day of Kindergarten!  On arrival home and hearing his son tell his wife not to let Dad do that again… Price took on the challenge.  Day 2… he donned a football helmet and jersey, then Day 3… he was dressed as Anakin Skywalker.

For one hundred and seventy days, Price dressed in bizarre and hilarious costumes with a smile and a wave as the bus went by.  Each day his wife snapped a picture, wrote a witty quote and added it to the blog they named “Wave at the Bus“.

I can imagine the embarrassment their boy first endured… eventually leading to the laughter and anticipation each teen felt as they drove past the house.  I can picture the shock and giggles on the days of the Wedding Dress and TinkerBell costumes and can just imagine how fun it would be… every single morning for 170 days… as this Dad outdid one outfit after the next.  Something tells me this was a happy ride to school for everyone involved… including their son (even if it took him a little longer to smile!)

I wish I’d known about the blog before the final day as I’m quite sure it would have brightened my days just as it did the teens on that bus…. uptight about bullying, friendships, relationships and exams.  There’s much to cause stress during the High School years and this Dad made each morning light and fun… and there’s nothing better than starting your day with laughter.

As parents, we embarrass our children on a daily basis… sometimes by accident and sometimes on purpose.  Every now and then a look on their face makes us realize that we’ve proven to them…. beyond a shadow of a doubt… how very much they’re loved.  In return we see… how very proud of us they are.

4 Replies to “Wave at the bus…”

  1. I love this story…as just this morning when my little girl Amber whos 6 told me to wave at her on the bus but make it look like I'm scratching my nose..lol!!! Thanks Queen for a great read!! Belinda

  2. Reminds me of when my sister and I would drop off her children at school events and we would wave and scream out the window, " I love you…I'll miss you…..be good!!!" Soon they would be asking to be dropped off a block away and we would do a drive by waving and screaming! I have a 9 year old who for now I don't have to worry about this happenning to him. If anything he would want to be the one to get on the bus waving to me in a pirate suit!
    Pamela