My name is Mark, and I survived the 2nd grade field trip on Friday to a local museum. I didn’t chew on any dinosaur bones, I didn’t take off my clothes and pose as an old timer from the old times, I didn’t push the red button in the space exhibit, I didn’t build a sandcastle instead of digging for dinosaur bones, and I didn’t let any of the live animals out of their cages to cause mass hysteria with all the visitors at the museum. There were other schools there, there was a private event, and there were even normal people and their kids visiting.
Nina would’ve done it, but she had a shot for her back pain on Tuesday, and wasn’t quite ready to walk and chaperone Niko and one of his classmates. So, it was all on me!
Step 1, request day off from work, success. Step 2, take Aleve in morning and take some extra just in case, half successful as I didn’t need any afternoon relief. Step 3, have fun, success. Step 4, write about it for my Sunday dad blog update, success.
Both of them had different ideas of where to go, and it was up to me to tell them let’s do one for Niko and then we can do something for his classmate. I think they were both so happy not be on the bus or in the classroom. I told his classmate that my style is very laid back, and I had to explain what that meant. He has two older siblings, and maybe his parents have a different style than I do. I made sure they used the bathroom often, had enough time to eat lunch, and made sure they had time to run around like crazy maniacs while I chased them throughout the museum.
I had to bring Niko’s and my lunch in my backpack, along with a few waters. Niko really wanted me to bring his backpack, but I have one from work and I really wanted to show it off.
I won’t bore with the details that when we first got wind of the field trip, Niko wanted no part of it. Even earlier in the week, he was still insistent on not going as he didn’t like the pictures he saw of the museum.
I won’t bore you with details that the teachers encouraged all the kids to wear a special orange shirt that was provided earlier in the week. I told Niko this, and he wanted no part of it. I was like, you can wear a long sleeve shirt and the orange shirt over it. That didn’t work. I was like, how about your blue school shirt, and that was one was agreed on over a white long sleeve shirt. When he came downstairs all dressed, he didn’t like the combination. So, he took the white long sleeve shirt of and wore his blue short sleeve shirt. But, and a big but this is, he can’t just wear a short sleeve shirt alone, so he got a thin long sleeve button down shirt. I know he was probably hot and doesn’t think about it and I asked him multiple times when he was getting on the bus to come home if he wanted me to take it. One day, I really hope he will surprise us and wear shorts and a short sleeve shirt. He will shorts and a shirt at the pool. Maybe I can find him a school in the pool, hey that rhymes!
I won’t bore with details of my drive to and from the museum; it was long and I am so glad I have a remote job where I don’t have to sit in traffic. On one of the local highways going there, there was a car accident and a firetruck was blocking the left lane! On the way home, I got stuck behind some super slow cars who thought it was a school zone, but it wasn’t yet as the lights for the high school weren’t flashing yet.
I won’t bore you with details that the Apple app map, hey more rhymes, messed my route up, and I had to pull over at a shady place to reset it. By shady, I don’t mean like covered from the sun, no, I mean a place where I wouldn’t want to pull over in Downtown San Antonio, but I had to. The reset still didn’t work. Luckily, I saw a building I recognized and a Starbucks that my wife I visited a few months ago when my Aunt passed away and both were not shady by any means. I pulled in, and downloaded the Google map app, and that worked like a charm. It was kind of funny that from Starbucks, I was 3 miles away from the museum. But, I still had to get back on the highway despite that.
I won’t bore you with details about finding the place to meet the kids. As I was getting out of my car, I saw some other parents and followed them nonchalantly.
I won’t bore with you details that when I was waiting for Niko to arrive, most of the parents were hanging with other parents. I was alone and only talked to two parents. One of them was like, hey, you’re Niko’s dad? I was like yes! We talked for a minute. Then, they started to talk to somebody else. The other parent was standing next to me, and when I saw her son, I told her so. Some people are short and can’t see over my 5’10 frame. Her kid was in front of Niko and Niko is by far one of the tallest kids in the 2nd grade.
I won’t bore you with details that when I left and any bus I passed, I was like, Niko, are you on that bus. I ended up beating the buses to the school and fortunately, when they arrived, parents who were at the school waiting were able to get their kids early; it was only about 15 minutes before the normal dismissal. I offered him food and ice cream, but he was tired and wanted to come home. I was tired also, and was very glad that I had a few minutes to take a cold shower while he was in the bathroom.
Despite the craziness, it was organized excellent by the school and also the staff at the museum. I made sure to wait and watch him get in the bus before I departed myself.
I do wish that we could’ve been part of a group tour where a staff member could tell us about things instead of just quickly running around like maniacs! They did have a small group presentations about solids, liquids, and gases, and it was actually pretty neat and fun to watch the students be so involved. When the instructor asked for volunteers, every kid raised their hand. Niko didn’t get chosen, but his classmate who was with us did.
I also wish we had more time as the buses were scheduled to arrive at the museum at 9:45 am, but in reality, they arrived around 11:00 am. Our presentation was scheduled for 11:30 am, and we had to meet back the entrance for departure at 1:20 pm. The first thing I did was find the teacher so I could get his classmates lunch, and I told them both let’s get a quick snack and then after the presentation, we can finish lunch. By that time, we only had an hour. I got them back right at 1:20, but they both had to use the bathroom so I asked the teacher, if he had time and she said yes. As his class was lining up to get on the bus, his teacher took two students to the bathroom. The reason I knew that was I saw her looking for something, and I asked if they were looking for a trash can as she had something in her hand that resembled trash and she said no, they need to use the bathroom. If it was trash, I could’ve taken it and found one on my way to my car. I almost volunteered to take the kids to the bathroom, but I kept my mouth shut as she had it covered. She told another teacher and the bus driver to hold the bus!
Niko has already asked a few times to go back, and I said yes, but let’s do it in a few weeks so Nina can come with us.
