The Day I Got on the Wrong Bus: Lessons in Getting Lost and Finding Your Way

Tell us about your first day at something — school, work, as a parent, etc.

If homesteading (and parenting) has taught me anything, it’s that sometimes you have to take the wrong path before you find the right one. Today’s daily prompt reminded me of a story from my very first day of kindergarten when I quite literally got lost before I’d even learned how to spell the word. Funny how those early misadventures can shape the way we guide our kids years later.

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You know that feeling when you’re five years old, wearing brand-new white tennis shoes, and suddenly realize you have absolutely no idea where you’re supposed to be? That was me on my very first day of kindergarten in 1995 — tiny, determined, and totally lost.

I was trailing behind my five older sisters, trying to look like I belonged there. They were seasoned pros of the school bus world; I was just thrilled to be tagging along with my pink backpack bouncing against my back. When we reached the bus transfer station, they pointed to a spot like little generals giving orders.

“Wait right here. Your bus will come for you.”

So I did. For about five minutes — though it felt much longer.

When the crowd started thinning out and my bus still hadn’t arrived, I asked a few kids if I was in the right spot. But, for reasons only a five-year-old can explain, I decided I couldn’t trust them. So naturally, I did the logical thing: I got on a bus. Not my bus — just a bus.

For about ten glorious minutes, I felt like I had solved all of life’s transportation problems. And then I realized… nothing outside the window looked familiar. By the time the bus doors opened, my confidence evaporated into pure panic.

Thankfully, a kind teacher noticed the look on my face — equal parts terror and regret — and asked what was wrong.

“Um,” I whispered, “I’m supposed to go to the other school in town.”

The words worked like magic. Within minutes, I was in the principal’s office, then riding across town in the principal’s personal car. Nothing says “first day of kindergarten” quite like accidentally securing a chauffeured ride before lunch. I was fashionably late, but I made it.

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Fast forward thirty years, and it was my son’s turn to start kindergarten. Naturally, I had flashbacks to my five-year-old self making bold (if ill-informed) transportation choices. But his situation was a little trickier. He only rode the bus home in the afternoons — when there were multiple routes running and plenty of room for confusion.

The thought of him ending up on a different route and getting home an hour late brought back that same pit-in-the-stomach feeling. So, I called the school ahead of time, explained my 1995 misadventure, and said, as calmly as possible, “I just want to make sure my kid doesn’t pull a ‘me’.”

The staff, bless them, took me seriously. For the first eight weeks of school, they made sure he wore a big sticker on his shirt every afternoon with all the important details. He even had a “bus buddy,” an older kid assigned to get on the same bus. (I liked to think of it as his small-town security detail.)

He never got on the wrong bus, though he did manage to forget his backpack once. Progress, right?

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Looking back, I realize that first day taught me more than just the importance of knowing your bus number. Getting lost, it turns out, isn’t the worst thing that can happen — it’s just part of finding your way.

Whether it’s school buses, parenting, or life on the homestead, we’re all bound to take the scenic route now and then. And honestly, those are the best stories to tell later. Especially if you can laugh about them once you’re home safe.

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Have you ever ended up “on the wrong bus” — literally or figuratively? I’d love to hear your story in the comments! If you enjoyed this post, go ahead and give it a like. Share it with a friend who needs a smile today. Subscribe to the blog for more real-life stories about family, growth, and finding your way — one misstep at a time. 🌾

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