Need a little help

People, I need prayers!  Specifically this Saturday when I'll be spending some time in hell chaperoning a bus full of band geeks kids.  Now don't get me wrong, I love every single one of these kids.  Heck, I was a band geek myself once upon a time. (Saxophones ROCK!) Ahem.

The part I'm dreading is the actual riding of a bus for a solid hour one way.  I do realize it could be worse.  We're making a trip in a couple of weeks that will be THREE hours one way.  However, I didn't volunteer to ride the bus on that little trip. (Yes, I volunteered for this Saturday, mainly because I didn't want to drive down there by myself and none of my "band mom" buddies are going this time, AND they needed a chaperone.)

Now, one thing I'd really like to know is this:  why do we get tickets for not putting our kids in all manner of safety seats/seat belts in our cars? Apparently, it's ok for them not to be belted in if there are 50 of them on a  death trap school bus?  I'd really like someone to explain to me why, when the government has their nose in EVERY OTHER aspect of our lives, they haven't thought it was a good idea to mandate seat belts on school buses?

Where was I?  oh yes, the riding of the dreaded bus for an hour.  My tailfeathers may be a lot bit more padded than they were when I was bus-riding age, but somehow, I don't think that will help.  Most of those things ride like a log-wagon.  Then after the ride, I will be sitting on bleachers for around oh, 8-10 hours, followed by another bus ride home.

This doesn't even include the pain responsibility of keeping my eye on all those kids.  Now, as a general rule, band kids are better behaved than say, football boys.  (Don't get your britches in a bunch, football moms, you know it's true.)  But there is the occasional couple who are a bit too touchy feely. I remember being a kid on the band bus, and while I never did ANYthing wrong (ahem), I know it's a good makeout place for young couples.

Have I mentioned that my daughter's boyfriend is ALSO in band?  And they like to sit together on the bus?  Yeah.  Luckily, I'm friends with SEVERAL other band moms whose children have "significant others" in the band.  We are all pretty good at keeping an eye on each other's children. My spy network is vast.  So even tho I'm the mom doing the spying this week, I have no doubt that my kid always has someone's eye on her.

Please don't get me wrong, I LOVE LOVE LOVE being involved in my daughter's life. (Much to her chagrin.)  But this bus riding thing?  Not so much.


Happy Tuesday!
Melissa