A Caring Bus Driver Made All the Difference

By a mother

A few years ago, my son was being bullied in school. He had an extremely hard time. He would wake up in the middle of the night terrified from nightmares, and every morning was a struggle.

The one reason he agreed to go to school was his bus driver.

I still don’t know exactly what Naftali did, but just hearing the words, “Naftali is coming,” was enough to get him on the bus every single day until, baruch Hashem, things got better.

I want to say something to all the bus drivers out there.

You may not realize it, but you can make a tremendous difference in a child’s life, in a mother’s life, and in an entire family’s day. For a family with several kids, a calm school morning versus a stressful one can set the tone for everything that follows.

This morning I was standing behind the door in my tichel, watching for the bus. My daughter was sitting in the front yard. As soon as I saw the bus, she ran out. (Yes, we were there.) The bus drove right past our stop without even slowing down.

I called the driver, assuming he had skipped us by mistake. His response?

“No, on Monday mornings I don’t stop unless the door is already open.”

No apology. No concern.

Do you realize what a difference that one decision made to our whole family?

Then he said, “Meet me three blocks away.”

I have four children at home. I don’t have a car. How exactly am I supposed to do that?

This isn’t just about me.

It’s just some food for thought for every bus driver.

Take a moment. Realize how important your job is. You may be the reason a child feels safe going to school. You may be the bright spot in someone’s day.

We’re all trying our best. A little care and a little kindness can go a very long way.

Thank you.