We need you! ->

It is that time of year again were letters are getting send out highlighting the up and coming school trips, teachers are coming up to you to remind you that the residential money for little Sinead was meant to be in last week and there is that notice pinned to the school doors asking for parent volunteers, “we need you”.
When I first left work on Maternity leave it was Oscar’s first week at school, ever. So I was really excited and vowed to be ‘that’ mum, the one that helps out on the tombola stalls, the one who bakes for the bake sales, the one that goes in to listen to readers, the one that attends every parents play and stay session with a smile on my face and last of all the one that volunteers to help hold hands on school trips, alongside 2 or 3 other mums/grandmas who have also gotten roped into to wearing a hi vis standing in the middle of roads stopping on coming traffic while a class of 30 4 year olds toddle across.
So Oscar has only actually been on 2 school trips and by trips, I mean he left the school ground. One was his harvest festival in the local Church and the other was too the park on remembrance day. I took note of the tired looking piece of paper stuck to the door stating “we need you”, I couldn’t hide, they knew I was free, I agreed to hold my little ones hand whilst the whole class took the short 2 (in normal cases) minute walk to the church.
I got there eager and excited to be here, on time and alert despite been 8 months pregnant at the time. Oscar saw me and his face lit up that his mummy had come to walk with him, well that was priceless and made it all worth wile, however the actual reality of a 2 minute walk with 30 4 year olds is quite something else.
I held Oscar’s hand of course, but the ratio was too hold two children’s hands. Having been a nursery nurse in the past this was nothing out of the ordinary or weird for me but having to hold another child’s hand who kept letting go and wanting to run of was a little different. Having to ask Oscar the child’s name to encourage them to walk nicely, when Oscar admits he doesn’t actually know this child’s name…well it just makes it a little harder. Three other parents turned up to help that day, three! And weren’t we the unfortunate ones. We arrived at the church and got out little ones, and the rest, seated we could then go and find ourselves a seat and enjoy the first experience of them singing in a school show.  Oh but we couldn’t get a seat because all the other parents, from the entire school, who hadn’t walked had seats already. So at 8 months pregnant I leaned (sat) on a tombstone in the church trying hard not to throw up or pass out throughout Oscar’s rendition of been a little pear.
The walk back to school was equally enlightening, I had a different child’s hand to hold this time, he obviously noticed I was carrying a water melon in my jumper and went on to discuss with Oscar how he thought babies were made. Walking through the church red faced while two foundation students discussing tadpoles and eggs was defiantly not a highlight.
All been said I felt good that I had been a good mum that day, I had made my little boys day and even if I couldn’t see him be a pear I certainly saw lots of his pear hat (A pear stapled onto some card for them too wear) that I had to pick up enough times from the side of the road along with two dozen oranges and five apples. So all in all a really positive first school trip.
I got back to the car, only to find a parking ticket. So that ‘short 2 minute walk’ ended up costing me £60. Fair to say I didn’t end up volunteering for the park walk/waddle the following month.