Lunchbox packed, check; uniform, check; excited boy ready to go, check. So what’s wrong with this scenario? The car wouldn’t start!
Yesterday was Noah’s first day of kindergarten at Launceston West Primary School and he was so excited he and Ethan woke up early. They both ate breakfast without the ususal battles and then Noah got into his uniform with Harvey’s help. All three boys had a day full of activities – Noah at kindy, Ethan at day care and Harvey at college – so we had to be organised.
By 8.10am we’d all piled into the car ready for the school drop off and when I went to start it there was nothing. Not even a slight noise of the motor turning over. The battery was completely dead, brought on by Ethan playing in the car and leaving the lights on.
I called roadside assistance and was told someone would be with us within an hour. That would make everyone late. Harvey tried our neighbour, Peter, who had a battery charger. It took about 45 minutes to charge the battery enough to start the car and then we were off. Harvey called roadside assistance back, a few minutes before he actually arrived. We felt bad leaving him standing there, jumper leads in hand, but we were on a mission!
Harvey’s college was the first stop and Ethan was last (it doesn’t matter what time he is dropped off), so Noah made a grand entrance when he arrived about 40 minutes late by then. His teacher, Mrs Hopwood, was reading Rosie’s Walk, making the transition very easy as Noah loves that book. He walked straight in, sat down cross-legged and that was it. My little boy had started school.
Ethan was the next drop off and then I headed for my 10.30am meeting, just making it in time. By 2.30pm I was back on the road again to do the school pick up – Noah, Ethan then Harvey. When I walked into Noah’s classroom I saw his face eagerly scanning all the parents until he saw me and then he broke out into a big grin. My heart soared. As we drove off he said, “I’m going to kindy again tomorrow. I love kindy”. We made it!
