With four high-octane children and a husband often away on business, my mother never had the energy to go on field trips with me when I was in school. So for my daughter’s first kindergarten trip – I wanted to be there to share this new experience.

I said I would drive to Muir Woods and could chaperone another child. Once there, my daughter, Mimi, darted ahead to her friend, Annali, and her mother, Sherry, while my charge, Aimee, lagged behind, as did Sherry’s chaperoned child, Lizzie.

“Go ahead,” I yelled to Sherry. “We’ll catch right up with you.”

We never did.

“Hurry up, girls,” I kept saying to Aimee and Lizzie.

They didn't hear me.

Out of some forty children and twenty adults -- Aimee, Lizzie and I were last.

At one point, a father, Peter, observing my situation, asked the one question that played like a Mobius Loop through my head.

“Wish you were with your daughter?”

“It’s kind of why I came,” I said.

Lizzie thrust her arms in the air toward me so they formed a giant V.

“Pick me up,” she said. “I’m really tired.”

This child, who I did not know, and whose life I was responsible for -- wanted me to pick her up? I'm sure she was very sweet, but she wasn't even the kid I was supposed to watch. 

Besides, I needed a pick-me up, too. Say a double-shot espresso latte grande? Actually -- two.

“How much longer?” I wearily asked another parent. 

Labels: Dawn Yun, school field trips, volunteering

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