I almost did it

I almost left a child behind and boy do i feel like a horrible mom. I had been at a meeting, the kids all buckled in, I took a few moments to chat with the teachers over what had just transpired at the meeting. Nathaniel gets out and asks to go to the bathroom, i say sure and think nothing of it.

Five or Ten minutes later I hop into the van, thinking everyone was all still accounted for, not registering the fact that Nathaniel had not come back from teh bathroom. So i pull out and up to the stop sign and prepare to turn, as I do so, I hear this banging along the side of my van. Thankfully i had my foot on the brake and had not started a manuever as the banging was Nathaniel in a panic, banging on the side of the van to stop and let him in.

My heart went into my chest, Thank God he protected Nathaniel, he could have been easily killed in coming up to the van like that. And he is more than upset with me, accusing me of not counting and saying "you always say you count" and of knowing he was in teh bathroom and leaving him behind. He even asked to sleep with us tonite cause he afraid ofbeing left behind. I have reassured him to the best of my ability, that I did not leave him on purpose, that i seriously thought he was in the van and that I would have noticed instantly upon arriving home, since I always count then to make sure all heads are inside the door.

Lesson of the day: always count to 8!~