My first grader is starting a 6 week program on Mon. at a school that is 17 miles away, (30 minute ride). I just found out that if he rides the bus to this school, his day will begin at 7am and end at 4:10 pm (depending on traffic). If I take him myself, his day would begin at 8am and end when I picked him up at 2:30pm. I have decided to give it a try and take him myself, even though it will be a bit of a hassle. And, after starting this post, my neighbor, whose 7 yr old son will also be going to this program, calls me and says that there will be older kids on the bus without an aide! She is upset and now so am I. I've offered to take her son too, but she still wants the district to do something about it.

How does it work in your district and what would you do in my situation? My only concern is my 11 yr old being here before I get home, but my 15 yr old should be home most days and this other mom will be home in case something happened.

Life is never simple, is it?

By Annie2 on Friday, January 9, 2004 - 01:14 pm:

My kids ride the bus to school. My elementary kids are only on the bus with other elementary kids from their school. Plus there are 3 of them.
I don't think I would let my 6 year old ride the bus in the situation you are describing.
It may be a pain to drive him but for the short 6 weeks, I would give it a go.
Can you carpool with the other mom?

By Sunny on Friday, January 9, 2004 - 01:40 pm:

We haven't talked about carpooling, but she also has 10 yr old and another 7 yr old (his twin) to think about. I don't have to pick up my 11 yr old from school since we live right down the street and he can walk home, so it might be easier if I drove both kids.

By Sue3 on Friday, January 9, 2004 - 01:51 pm:

yes my kids ride the bus only from school though.
I also have 3 riding the bus together.
It`s K through 5 riding the bus.( from the same school).
If they took the bus to school it`s about an hour ride , also there were cut backs with funding and they extended the bus route so they wouldn`t need as many busses,
so in the morning it`s really crowded.
Three to a seat and with the kids all bundled up snowpants, backpack ect.
I think that is way to crowded
especially for my 5th grader.
So I just take them .
On the ride home it is not as crowded,
so they usually take it home and the ride is only a 1/2 hour.
As for your concern I think that would be O.K.
If your 15 year old is home before your 11 year old that way your 11 year old does not have to come home alone to an empty house.
It will give your 15 year old a little responsibility
and you won`t be gone that long.
Do they get along O.K.?

By Colette on Friday, January 9, 2004 - 03:39 pm:

K-6 ride the bus together but kindergarteners have to sit up front. My district started charging for the busy this year so now my neighbor and I carpool. I bring them in the morning and she gets them in the afternoon.

By Missy3 on Friday, January 9, 2004 - 03:45 pm:

I remember riding the bus and liked having the older kids there. Especially when I got off the bus.

As for overcrowding-call the bus company and the school, those are YOUR tax dollars are work. There is also a max capacity on the bus, see if it is over the limit. I had a GF whose DS rode on a bus, they added some more stops to the route and kids were on the FLOOR sitting. OMG if they did not get 100 calls that day and changed it.

maybe do the bus in the am, and p/u in pm. Nothing worse than just wanting to get home for a snack after school...

By Melanie on Friday, January 9, 2004 - 05:44 pm:

I would drive him as well. Aide issue aside, that is just a long day for a little kid!! I drive my kids to school because it's only five minutes away (if that). It would cost $180 per kid for them to take the bus and it would be a 30 minute ride for them each way. It just makes more sense for me to drive them.

By Lauram on Friday, January 9, 2004 - 06:45 pm:

My son goes to the school where I teach, so we are out of district so i drive him. If we lived in the district there is a law that states they can not be on the bus for more than 30 min each way.

By Dananivyboo1 on Friday, January 9, 2004 - 06:57 pm:

I have younger brothers and sisters that are just getting out of high school. My sister about 3 months ago got into a physical fight with another girl because she was picking on a middle school special needs child. The bully pushed the girl off the bus as she was trying to walk down the steps, my sister has witnessed this younger girl being picked on last year also. She even put in complaints, nothing was done. Now my sister faces charges from the bully because my sister pushed her around because of frustration and broke her nose.

The middle school and high school kids have to take the bus together I think that should be changed somehow. Plus the school is quite long with such a long bus ride. We never got a ride from our parents, but any concerns aroused my mother was sure enough talking with teachers/principals for a change and some did happen.

By Dawnk777 on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 01:41 am:

My kids rode the bus to and from school through 5th grade. They were usually about the last one picked up in the morning and about the first ones dropped off in the afternoon. It was just kids K-5 and not the special need kids, who have their own bus.

In middle and high school, they have to take city buses and I think it's too expensive, so we drive our kids to and from their respective schools.

By Momoffour on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 11:00 am:

I have to drive mine. we live out of district. But sometimes I wish the could ride. I take them both in the morning and at noon I go pick up my kindergardener and then I go back at 3 to pick up Dannah whos in 3rd. a full day

By Kernkate on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 11:22 am:

My DS rides the bus. He is in 3rd grade. It is K-12 Grade. The majority of the kids on the bus are K-6th grade the older kids seem to get rides.
My son could get a ride everyday with DS who is 17 but he opts to take the bus. The ride is maybe 8 minutes if that after the other stops the bus makes.
But Sunny if I were you I would probably drive them...Thats a long day for a little one. The carpooling sounds like a good thought.