Mommy on the Edge Answers the Comments

Froggymama said...
Oh boy. I hear ya. I think I'm going to be the crazy mom who volunteers her time everyday to ride the bus to and from school! But to try and calm your fears, I was a school bus driver in college and we were soooo careful making sure those little ones were taken care of, and safely arrived at school. I watched each one of them walk into the building -- and the school and our bus company were equally concerned. And everyday the principle of the school stood outside, ushering the kids inside. Are there teachers or staff outside, helping the kids in?

FroggyMama: NO. There is no staff outside at all. There was the first two days but then yesterday and today there wasn't a single adult. Kelton's bus is around the corner and quite a distance from his classroom so there is no one watching these kids at all.

11:44 PM
Perrin said...
Oh...this is hard. In the beginning I didn't think C would ride the bus for the first couple of years but on Day2 she demanded it. From what I can gather, the loading of the buses isn't nearly as organized at it seems it should be yet every day C made it. Today I had a scare as when the bus arrived for drop-off....she wasn't there. Finally the bus driver called her name about 5 times and then she came. She was busy talking and didn't notice it was her stop. I think when the buses arrive at school the kids generally all go in one direction and there are grown-ups around. You have to do what you are comfortable with but I finally I decided I just had to let go and trust that it would be ok. Hard! If C wasn't so insistent on riding the bus I would have been happy to drive her.

Perrin: *sigh* Hard it is. I'm not sure I can let go and trust that he will be ok. I'm just not sure I can do that.I would feel a million times better if there was an adult waiting for the buses to walk the kindergartners to their rooms.

12:42 AM
SassyFemme said...
From a teacher's point of view, he'll let you know when he's ready for you to not be there. IMO, there's nothing wrong with being there every day, or taking him to school every day, as long as he's able to make the transition from you to the classroom. No matter where I've worked it seems like the first week or two of school usually has some bus issues.

SassyFemme: He doesn't have issues breaking away from me. He is only scared of not finding his room and of being lost. Once we're there, he goes right in, checks in, hangs up his stuff, kisses me goodbye and walks away. It's just the getting there that is the issue.

4:43 AM
patti_cake said...
I don't know Casey. I don't WANT to be a helicopter parent but it's so hard.
Actually when I first saw your school pics and saw Kelton was riding the school bus I thought "Whoah, Madison will not be riding the school bus for a few years at least". NOT criticizing or judging you, at all, just the very young age + school bus just wouldn't compute in my mind.
Does Kelton WANT to ride the bus? Would he be upset if you drove him to school? That would probably ease your mind and your driving there anyway....
About the kid across the street. The hell? .... I can barely let my child play at the edge of our secluded cul de sac, no way would she get anywhere NEAR a road. No way. What are the parents thinking?

Patti, I am so not happy about the bus thing but he has been dreaming of his bus riding days since he was just over two. This morning we had settled on my taking him instead of going on the bus but when it was time to leave he said "I want to take the bus!!!" So a mad scramble took place to get him out to the bus stop in time (I was planning to leave a little after the bus would have been by so we had mere minutes to get out the door.). I had really been wanting to take him today but he wants so much to be a big kid.

6:58 AM
SJayneI said...
Hey, I don't blame you. I hate school buses. There really should be another adult on them anyway. Maybe there is where you live, but here in Oklahoma there is only the driver and a bus full of rowdy kids (no seat belts either). I pray that we are still in the situation where I can be home when it comes time for school so I can drive them.

And, yes, there should be someone meeting the buses for 5-year olds!!!

SJayne: AMEN!!

8:29 AM
Kristen said...
Hey I can comment!

What about following his bus, but parking a distance away and just watching him go in? You can see that he makes it in, but not have to physically walk him. That would also let you know that he *can* make it in safely and its organized chaos, not plain chaos.

This coming from the mom of a two year old who will walk to school cuz its across the street, so...

Kristen: That was plan for today but he freaked out and wanted me at the door. So I tried to alter the plan even more and just take him myself but he wanted to ride the bus. Because of the way the school is designed, I can't go somewhere within sight but not too close. I had thought about leaving 15 minutes after the bus picked him up to see if he made it to his class but he nixed that idea. He wanted me there when he got off the bus.

8:40 AM
Jojo said...
I don't know. I'm still of the mind that an adult other than the bus driver should ride on the bus at all times. I still think this is a 2 person job. Josh's school does not have bus service, none the less, parents are not allowed to drop off kinder's. Olders can be dropped at the front door, but Kinders must be taken to pre-care or to the classroom by an adult.

JoJo: A good plan, actually. These kids are five years old. They are only 5 years old. Way too young for a traditional drop off.