One day this week, not long before my girls typically get on the bus, there was a perplexing text that came through saying we had been moved to a two-hour delay due to an ongoing law enforcement situation. About an hour later, we received a text that said that school would be in session after the delay based on information received from law enforcement.
Yeah, talk about some texts to get the mind racing first thing in the morning. Most of the information flying around about the situation was on social media stating that a car had crashed not too far from the school and some men fled with potential weapons (or weapons in the car) and had not yet been found. Honestly, I wasn’t really sure what was going on completely, I was just glad that my babies were still home with me.
However, it was then that a decision needed to be made – would I send my girls in for the rest of the day or not? So, us mamas in our neighborhood did what we normally do when we are not sure what to do – we jumped into our mama group text to see what everyone else was doing.
One mama friend started it with “I know I am a crazy, overthinking, worst case scenario Mom… are you all sending your kids to school today?”
One mama called the school and spoke to the principal who assured her that the sherriff spoke to the superintendent and the kids were safe to return to school. And yet, that mama still messaged the group that her kids were staying home and, if the subjects were found, she would take her kids in to school.
One Mama simply stated that her kids were already on the bus – no explanation shared or needed – that was what she had already decided.
The last Mama texted that she didn’t really have an option to stay home, she was trying not to live in fear and had to trust that the school would do what is best for our kids.
Inside this group text of mine, half sent their kids and half did not. Different reasons were given for their decisions – or not given at all. One sought out extra information and another didn’t need to hear any more, she had already made up her mind.
And yet, the next text that came through after all of that was the glue that holds our Mama friendship together:
“Every family has to choose what is best for them. I respect each choice.”
To which, every single one of us agreed. Not one second did we judge another Mama for sending – or not sending – their babies to school that day. We each did what we needed to do or felt was right in our hearts and we all felt at ease with our decisions.
A prayer was shared in that text – for safety and wisdom – for mama hearts and children to feel safe and loved. Just four friends bouncing ideas off of each other, sharing a prayer and respecting each other’s decisions on how they handled the situation.
Not too much later, we learned that all of the subjects were in custody. The children who had gone to school were safe and one mama who had kept her kids at home ended up taking them to school after the all clear.
And us mamas, well we went back to our regular nonsense chats – different things one kid had to deal with the weekend before and checking to see if anyone wanted to keep any extra kid or two while an errand was run.
It was that simple. And guys, isn’t that the way it is supposed to be?
As a Mom, there is so much pressure to be the best – do the best thing for your kids at all times. And let me tell you – people sure are quick to point out when something you did does not match their beliefs.
But what we too often forget is that the best thing for one parent may not be the best for the next. We are all playing the cards in our hand to the best of our ability – even if that isn’t the same way another mom would play that hand.
That morning began with a scare to this Mama. Yet, after reassurance that my babies were safe, I looked back on that text thread with my mama friends with peace and thankfulness into my heart. In a world full of judgement and constant questioning if I am doing everything I need to for my babies, it was refreshing to have these ladies right by my side unconsciously assuring me that I am.
Another prayer went up that day as I couldn’t help but thank the good Lord above for sending me these amazing, supportive mamas to share in the adventures of learning and growing as mothers and raising our babies – to the best of each one of our abilities – together.
Sarah (Pitson) Shrader was born and raised in Lima. She is a Lima Central Catholic and Tiffin University graduate. Sarah is a full-time working mama who enjoys writing about her somewhat crazy, always adventurous life as a mother. She lives in Bath Township with her daughters and writing inspirations, Maylie and Reagan.
