Walking to school

We live right around the corner from the boys school, but they do not walk to school. I normally drop them off on my way to work. Well, today we had to walk to school due to a flat tire. Growing up, I always walked to school, but I cannot see letting the boys walk alone. I've seen too many news stories of kids being snatched up while walking to school. I think back to when I use to walk to school. I was given a specific route that I had to take...no shortcuts. I would complain about taking the long way to school, but now being a mom, I understand why.

I thought the walk to school would be a Kodak moment. This was the only shot I got, and I never want to walk them to school again! I realized that walking to school is no fun if there are no sidewalks! We have a sidewalk outside of our apartment, but once you turn the corner, there is no sidewalk, so we have to walk in the road or the wet grass that is likely to have dog doodoo. I am always paranoid the boys will step in it and track it in the house. So the whole walk I'm telling them to watch where they are stepping. And for some reason, the boys decide to walk as slow as molasses, knowing I had to get back home. (I was working from home) So I tell the boys to walk faster. What do they do??? They take off running as a bus was coming down the road. Now the boys were not running into the road, but I guess the driver thought they may, so he slammed on the brakes. I'm pretty sure the bus driver was cussing us out. This was not the walk to school I pictured in my head, not at all.