When my kids were very young and in their early years of school, I drove them to and from school every day. I enjoyed meeting my mom friends as we waited outside our kids’ classrooms where we chatted as we built relationships, chased our toddlers, and rocked each other’s babies.

Shocked

The day came when my husband and I decided that our kids would take the bus. Logistically, it just made sense. I kept in touch with my friends and we would “catch up” on a regular basis.

Upon having coffee one morning with a friend from school, she told me that a few afternoons that school week, my child ran from the classroom to the bus with no shoes on.

Just socks.

We had a chuckle and figured my child must really not want to miss the bus. This happened more often, and my friend kept letting me know.

Busted

One morning while getting ready for school I quizzed my child asking why they went to the bus with no shoes on. My child was shocked!

“HOW DID YOU KNOW?”  (oh, if I could have taken a picture of that face)

I responded with, “Moms have eyes everywhere. Even at school…when I’m not there.”

My child begged me day in and day out to tell them how I knew they weren’t wearing shoes.

“Was it the bus driver?”

“Was it Mr. van Eerden?”

I refused to snitch on my trusty mom friend. I would just remind my child that I had eyes everywhere.

Snitched

Fast forward from elementary school to graduation…. My child would still ask every now and then how I knew that they would go to the bus with no shoes on and I never revealed the secret until just after graduation.

We were remembering how funny it was that I knew about this “big secret” and my child finally guessed the right person with much, much coaxing and begging. We laughed and laughed at the anonymity for so many years.

The secret was out. (*please forgive me for snitching)

It really does take a village, folks. The socks weren’t really that big of a deal, but I KNEW in the heart of my hearts that even when I couldn’t physically be there with my kids, I had an army of friends watching out for them.