So is it ok for my Kindergartner to ride the bus?

[wildeyed]

I assumed we would walk or dive to school, at least for this year until she got the hang of public school, but she has been begging to ride the bus. I am glad she is asserting her independence, but I am also fearful that we are going too fast. I dunno, we are very close to the school, the last stop on the route before you get to school, first stop on the way home, and other neighborhood moms seem to think it is perfectly ok for her to ride the bus, so maybe I am being over protective.

Here is my secret fear; She will get lost between home and school, and the school won't realize they have lost her, and I won't realize she is lost until it is too late. :hyperventilates:

Am I too protective or are these reasonable fears? Any opinions?

For what it is worth, I walked twice as far to school, with only a group of other kids, from Kindergarten on, and I don't remember any problems at all.

[phylny]

1. I think it's absolutely fine to have your child ride the bus.

Having worked in public schools in the past, and having children who all attended, I can say that every school I've worked in or my children have attended has been ultra careful, ESPECIALLY with Kindergarten students, regarding the bus and safely transporting children to their homes. In fact, in at least one school when no one was there to pick the child up at the bus stop or at the home where the bus would stop, the bus would return the child to school and care for them until someone came to pick them up.

If you have worries, call the school and ask how they make certain kids get from point A to point B.

Good luck!

[Lars39]

2. Some thoughts...

What's the age span of those riding the bus?
Would your child have an assigned seat up front?
Are there any adults on the bus besides the bus driver?
Are there cameras on the bus?

Hindsight:
I wish I had driven mine all the time, even past kindergarten. That car ride to and from school,no matter how short, is one more opportunity to have time with, and influence your child.
It gives them a chance to talk to you in a kind of neutral setting.
I've seen small kids pick up the worst phrases and attitudes from older kids on the bus.
There's also the possibility of abuse.

I can think of no other time where I sent my children with a group of kids ranging in age between 5 and 18, with one half-way attentive adult to watch everyone, in a space where it is not possible to watch everyone.

Handled correctly, a bus-ride can be a safe and positive thing.

[Dora]

3. If the bus doesn't work out, then you can always drive her.

Give it a shot!

I loved riding the bus to school. It felt like a real step up into the adult world.

[gemdem]

4. It's okay... :-)

Our oldest (of four) is now 15 and a sophomore in high school. When she was in kindergarten we had many of the same concerns as you. We took her to school every day and picked her up afterward. After a while, though, with the encouragement of her teacher we put Sarah on the bus. You know what? She did just fine.

Since that time, riding the bus has become a rite of passage. Kevin, our youngest, who is five, has been waiting for "a long time" to ride the bus and he finally got his chance last week. He's doing just fine and is as happy as can be. He's a "big kid" now.

I think she'll be okay on the bus. Give it a shot. If she and you don't like it, you can always go back to driving her to school again.

Hope this helps. :-)

[wildeyed]

5. Update....

Well we started with the bus riding yesterday. My daughter is fine. I am still a bit of a basket case. I did make my husband follow the bus to school and check to make sure she got to class ok yesterday. I know it was wacky, but it was either that or worry all day that she hadn't made it and was lost out in the wide world somewhere.... Kinda like when your baby is new and you feel compelled to check to see if it is still breathing in the middle of the night. I would lie there and fight the urge until finally I figured it was easier to get up and check than lie there and obsess.

Thanks for all the advice and hand holding. :hi: