Tag Archives: kids

Causes and Friends, Maine Life, Personal Growth, School Programs

Don’t Count on It! (Round 2)

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I just noticed this is National School Bus Safety Week. Since I haven’t noticed any change in practice, I’m running this post again!

Here’s a short message for kids and parents everywhere. Things don’t always happen the way they’re supposed to. Let me explain.

cute diverse children near school bus
Photo by Mary Taylor on Pexels.com

I recently stopped for a school bus. That’s not big news. It is an example of things happening the way they should. I was facing the bus and could see past it, noticing that the cars behind it had also stopped exactly as they should.

The lights flashed, the stop sign on the bus opened, and the safety arm across the front of the bus swung wide.

Four or five kids got off the bus. They ranged in size from tiny ones with outsized backpacks to some older ones. They came around the front of the bus. So far, so good.

Some ran, some walked in front of the bus and across the highway.

When they started across my lane, I started yelling at them even though there was no way they could hear me. They didn’t stop or even pause to look up and down the road. Fortunately, everything was working the way it should. Well, almost everything. I think the kids were supposed to look both ways.

Safety shouldn’t be delegrated;
it should be shared.

“Mr. Boomsma”

Sometimes, things don’t work the way they should. I can think of several ways that might have been the case. Several days later, there was a headline from a distant state where someone didn’t stop for a school bus, and a child was injured.

If we want kids to feel and be safe, we need to involve them. It wouldn’t be so bad for them to learn they have some responsibility for staying safe. A few seconds-long pause to look up and down the road is just plain smart.

Perhaps parents should meet the bus at the start of the school year and ensure the kids do. I’d be happy if the bus driver kept the window open and told the kids to stop and look—at least until they got into the habit. It’s been a few years since I’ve attended a school bus safety program, but I’d be thrilled if crossing in front of the bus was part of that curriculum. Safety shouldn’t be delegated; it should be shared.

Amish Life, Causes and Friends

Learning to Live Together

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This morning, I read an interesting but disturbing story on my favorite Amish-related site, Amish America. I recommend the site and story to you, but the short version is that a Wisconsin man is concerned about an Amish School located in a hazardous location due to blind hills and curves. He’s lobbying local authorities (somewhat unsuccessfully) to put in school warning signs on the road.

The Amish are aware of his efforts. An unidentified member of the Amish Community sent Jim Kostohrys (a retired police officer) a letter of appreciation.

The last line of that letter might be the real story here. It expresses appreciation and support for Kostohrys’ efforts.

“Let us live together in a respectful way.”

A large part of my appreciation for the Amish is their effort to keep things simple. That sentence is a simple but elegant example.

Our (non-Amish) system of problems-solving seems less than simple. In spite of the efforts and media attention, it appears little progress has been made towards taking steps to protect these young scholars.

Amish children and one room Amish schools are important. It doesn’t come as a surprise to me that more than one person has suggested moving the Amish school to a better location. That’s not a particularly simple solution, but it reflects the belief this is an “Amish Problem.”

It’s OUR problem.

“Let us live together in a respectful way.”

Road Trip 2024

A Word from Anina

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Anina is providing today’s update! You can learn more about her and how we met here and here. She is a very wise young girl!

Would you believe it? I got to meet Uncle Walter and Aunt Janice from Maine!

If you don’t remember, they are the ones who have sent me mail almost since I was born. It turns out that Uncle Walter decided to come to Michigan to learn how to farm with oxen.

When Mom told me about this development, I said, “I love oxen. But I’ve never seen one before.”

Mom and Dad then explained that there are moose in Maine. This also sounded interesting to me, and I expressed my interest in seeing these creatures.

Uncle Walter with the Oxen

Uncle Walter and Aunt Janice drove down from Michigan in a pickup truck, and would you believe it, they brought neither an ox nor a moose with them! Now here’s what I want to know: what’s the good of a pickup truck if you forget the moose and the ox?

Anina and her moose

This would have been a disappointment, but they brought so many moose items and oxen photos that I was well-satisfied. One of the moose is one that grows bigger when you put him in the water. Another is a lovely soft stuffy that fits perfectly in the cradle at the foot of my bed. Also, Aunt Janice sang me a song about moose and marshmallows, which was lovely.

The moral of the story is: I have a moose from Maine and all is well.

Find out more about Anina’s Mom and her books here! Tell her Uncle Walter sent you!

Amish Life, Causes and Friends, Just for Fun, Small People

Weird But Happy Hearts

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“Don’t ever be ashamed of loving the strange things that make your weird little heart happy.”

Elizabeth Gilbert

I suppose it goes with the territory of “aging,” but for some reason, this past week, I noticed some strange things that make me happy. One was stumbling onto Elizabeth’s quote and realizing my heart is weird.

One thing that’s making me happy is my email inbox is approaching a record low of under 100 emails. The delete button is showing signs of wear. That also makes me happy.

Late yesterday afternoon I went to Nightengale’s Dairy to pick up milk. I always stop to say “thanks” to the girls and scratch the interested ones behind the ears and under the chin. Seeing them look expectantly at the truck when I drive in makes me happy. I like to think seeing the truck makes them happy.

If I seem a bit obsessed with bovines, I can offer “We’re Already Here” as an explanation that a summer road trip to Michigan includes a four-day commitment to learning how to train and drive a team of oxen. That will make my weird little heart happy.

Speaking of cows, my Amish friend Rachel in Pennsylvania made a sign for us: “Money can’t buy happiness. But it can buy cows. Cows give milk. Ice cream is made from milk. Ice cream makes me happy.” We gifted it to a friend who loves cows even more than I do, but I think I love ice cream more than she does.

And speaking of Amish, I love my occasional visits with my Swartzentruber friends in Corinth. During a recent stop, the boys and I compared suspenders. It started when they found mine with clips fascinating (weird?). It became a bit of a “You show me yours and I’ll show you mine.” Their suspenders come from a harness maker, are made from leather, and button inside their trousers. That we can share our differences makes my weird little heart happy.

The oldest boy just finished his first year of school, so he now speaks English well, although his Mom had to help us with the word horse–“paard” in Pennsylvania Dutch. I like to think we are learning to celebrate–to love–our sometimes strange differences.

After all, we don’t all love the same kind of ice cream.

Causes and Friends, Learning, School Programs

Don’t Count on It!

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cute diverse children near school bus
Photo by Mary Taylor on Pexels.com

Here’s a short message for kids and parents everywhere. Things don’t always happen the way they’re supposed to. Let me explain.

I recently stopped for a school bus. That’s not big news. It is an example of things happening the way they should. I was facing the bus and could see past it, noticing that the cars behind it had also stopped exactly as they should.

The lights flashed, the stop sign on the bus opened, and the safety arm across the front of the bus swung wide.

Four or five kids got off the bus. They ranged in size from tiny ones with outsized backpacks to some older ones. They came around the front of the bus. So far, so good.

Some ran, some walked in front of the bus and across the highway.

When they started across my lane, I started yelling at them even though there was no way they could hear me. They didn’t stop or even pause to look up and down the road. Fortunately, everything was working the way it should. Well, almost everything. I think the kids were supposed to look both ways.

Safety shouldn’t be delegrated;
it should be shared.

“Mr. Boomsma”

Sometimes, things don’t work the way they should. I can think of several ways that might have been the case. Several days later, there was a headline from a distant state where someone didn’t stop for a school bus, and a child was injured.

If we want kids to feel and be safe, we need to involve them. It wouldn’t be so bad for them to learn they have some responsibility for staying safe. A few seconds long pause to look up and down the road is just plain smart.

At the start of the school year, perhaps parents should meet the bus and ensure the kids do. I’d be happy if the bus driver kept the window open told the kids to stop and look–at least until they got into the habit. It’s been a few years since I’ve attended a school bus safety program, but I’d be thrilled if crossing in front of the bus was part of that curriculum. Safety shouldn’t be delegated; it should be shared.