Journal Entry

Choosing to use the school bus

Families living in rural school districts or those on tight schedules may not have a choice about whether their kids ride the bus to school, but others may have some considerations: Is it better to allow your child to ride the bus, even if you are able to drive them? Does riding the bus foster a young child’s independence or cause her undue stress? How do you support a child who does not want to take the bus when you are unable to take her yourself? What seems like a simple thing, the school bus, can certainly bring up a lot of issues.

Learn about your district’s bussing system

Having accurate information can be very helpful when making a decision about bussing your child. Get a copy of your school’s policies. Most schools have behavior and safety rules that children must follow while on the bus, and breaking those rules should have consequences. These can help you prepare your child for what will be expected of them as well as help them recognize and report misbehavior.

Ask about the schedule and route of your child’s bus. If your child’s school day doesn’t begin until 8:00 am, but he needs to be at the bus stop at 6:45, you may want to factor that into your decision.

Find out if your town or school district has a bussing fee. Some school systems charge families up to a few hundred dollars per child annually for bus passes.

Check your town or district’s bus safety record. School systems are required by law in most states to provide parents with information about accidents involving school buses, inspections, and driver safety records. Call your school’s administrative offices or go to their web page for more information.

Talk to your kids

If your child has strong feelings about riding, or not riding, the school bus, find out why. Perhaps she wants to ride to school with her friends, or she feels nervous about getting lost. If a child feels that she is ready to try riding the bus, you can always start her out on a limited basis, letting her ride one or two days a week until you feel she can handle it every day.

If your child must ride the bus to school due to schedule constraints but does not want to, find out what’s going on in the child’s classroom, or on the bus itself. Talk to the bus driver and your child’s teacher. Often, problems that seem minor to adults can be very upsetting to kids.

Talk to other parents

One of the best ways to get up-to-date, accurate information about your child’s school bus is to talk to the parents of the kids who ride it. They are the ones most likely to give you the real scoop about the bus driver’s personality and driving habits, the bus’s resident troublemakers, and whether or not the bus tends to run early or late.

Get a few phone numbers. Becoming friendly with other parents is a great idea in the event that you can’t make it to the bus stop one afternoon or need to get to the bottom of a bus-related incident. It can also be a good way for both you and your kids to make new friends.