Dear Kathy: I’m a little bit stressed about sending my daughter to school on the school bus, and I do have the time to drive her every day. How do I decide what to do...?
Dear Driven Mom: Many Moms struggle with this – the advertisements showing a sad child waving from the school bus window have done nothing to help us – but in my experience, giving children the opportunity to ride the bus with their peers (and older and younger kids), helps in a number of ways.
1) The “big kids” often take the little ones under their wings, and there is normally a “Bus Patroller” system in place with kids in older grades taking on a real responsibility to make sure everyone on the bus is okay. My kids have done this, and they had a little training session at school, and took their roles quite seriously (too seriously sometimes). Putting your little ones on the bus lets them see this in action, and they often look up to the patrollers, having the effect of sometimes having them aspire to this role, which has its own benefits. If you don’t have an older sibling to lead the way, consider asking a neighbourhood child to be their “bus buddy.”
2) There is a different culture which happens on the bus than in the school yard. Kids of different grades and classes get to meet and bond with others who usually live in their neighbourhood if they are on the same bus route (normally, although depending some bus routes cover a large distance). This can help to form convenient friendships for the kids, and the Moms who might normally have to drive their kids to play dates further away.
3) It gets the kids set into a routine. The bus comes at a certain time, and arrives home at a certain time. It gives both parents and children the impetus to get out the door on time, and makes planning after school activities easy. Having kids understand the importance of being on time is an extremely important life skill, both professionally, and personally.
4) Many parents worry about what happens when the bus gets to the school – will the kids know where to go, are they supervised from the bus drop off to their class lines – if you have any concerns in this area, talk to the school directly, or drive the kids the first day and see where your kids’ bus lets them off and how/where they are directed. In my experience, the kids on the bus can be much more monitored than the walking or driven ones in fact, as they arrive in a group.
5) With exposure to a school bus experience, kids are less likely to be concerned about field trips on a school bus, or eventually taking public transit by themselves. This is a good thing.
6) It’s environmentally and economically more friendly for the kids to take the school bus, versus being driven independently.
7) The kids usually have a lot of fun on the bus, sitting with good friends, and getting their conversations/catch-ups out of the way before school starts, and on the way home sharing stories as well.
I have to say that one of the best things about the bus is the time it frees up for Mom, and standing at the bus stop in the morning or afternoon is also a terrific way to meet other Moms with kids at your school, especially if you’re new to the neighbourhood. It’s also a good way to find out about the specific routines/behaviour that happens on the bus, if you’re concerned. Above all else, don’t make your child aware of your fears and give it the old pre-college try before making any decisions. Happy trails!
Image courtesy stock.xchng.
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