Bringing baby home on the bus

When my daughter was born we were having some financial difficulties. Basically we were running out of money before the next check. It happens to a lot of people. We had just gone onto Ontario works a few months before and were still trying to adjust. It was hard to go from two people working, to welfare and no car. The no car was a big reason for us being unemployed and on welfare. So we tried to save money and do the best we could.

So I did the unthinkable. I took a cab to the hospital when in labour. Over $50.00, ouch. Then I had my daughter, spent the night. The next day my husband brought our son, our double stroller and the baby car seat to the hospital. I had to let the nurse see me put the baby in the car seat, which went into the stroller and then they wanted to see me put the baby in the car. What car? You see, they don’t let you leave with your baby any more unless you have a car seat for them. Ok, great, it is needed, and it works in strollers, I can live with that. However, not every one has a car. How was I getting home, on the bus. Yes with a new born. So we stopped at a Zellers on the way home and shopped for about an hour and then got back on the bus and went home. So why was this unthinkable.

Apparently I was to spend the money we had for food and such to cab it home with the baby. I had arranged for a car ride home, but the person backed out at the last minute. I was ok with that; I had no problem taking the bus home. So who gave me such a hard time about taking the bus home, my Mother and Grandmother. I don’t know what their problem was. Not every one has a car, not every one can get a ride. That is what the bus is for. My daughter is two now, and I can tell you so far coming home on the bus did not harm her. I can also say spending $50.00 for a cab ride home instead of buying food, and diapers would have. It is not like they were here to help me, nor did they offer any money to help pay for a cab ride. Not that I asked or any thing. Mind you I am sure if I had been dumb enough to take a cab ride home they would have been upset I spent the money on that and not diapers and food. With some people you cannot win.

So why am I writing about this 2 years later? Because I just read a story about some one giving a man a hard time because his kids were being disruptive on a bus ride, and some one gave him heck for not watching his kids and he said that he was sorry, but he was on his way home from the hospital, where his wife had just died, and he was not paying as much attention to his kids as he should be. It made me cry. Some times it is not the ride that is important but where you are going or what you are coming from or leaving behind is what is important. For me I was bringing my daughter home, how I was bringing her home was not that important.