It’s important for her chinuch, I told myself, and I believed it. I still do
She convinced herself she’d be kidnapped on the way, and even as I dismissed her concerns, I worried she wouldn’t look both ways when she crossed the street.
I can tell you about it now, because she just called me to tell me she made it to school safely. But when I sent her off, I had no idea if I was doing the right thing.
We don’t live very far from her school, but it can be a 15-minute walk for small feet. And we drive the little ones to day care anyway, so it only makes sense to take the older siblings along. If they’re ready, that is. Aliza, in particular, doesn’t get out of bed easily. (She doesn’t get into bed well, either. But that’s for another time.)
We instituted a reward system. Whoever makes it on time all week gets chocolate on Friday. Then I thought to offer chocolate to the first one up and dressed. Then I called out that anyone not in the kitchen by 8 a.m. would forfeit the junky snack in their lunch box. I was sure the idea of two snacks of carrot sticks would do it.
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