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One of the potential positives in them taking the bus is that my work hours are flexible, such that if I get to work earlier, then I can leave earlier and have more time with them in the evening. If I drop them off at school on the way to work, like I have been doing, I get to work at 8 and leave at 4:30. But if they take the bus I could be at work at 7 and leave at 3:30 instead. I don't know, but it's possible that if I left at 3:30 and if the afternoon bus ride is as long as the morning bus ride, that I could potentially be home from work in time for them to take the bus home in the afternoon. Then they wouldn't have to go to aftercare (and I wouldn't have to pay for aftercare). Although they like aftercare and complain if I pick them up early! I don't know if that would actually work - it would be tight since school gets out at 2:50 - but I was thinking about if it could maybe work. That might make it worth it to me.
I would rather have them in supervised aftercare, able to move around, play or do homework, than stuck on a bus with one driver who can't really do anything about what's happening behind him/her.
During my youngest son's 5th-grade year, the afternoon bus was so loud with kids yelling that my son sometimes came home with headaches.
FWIW, my kids all ride/rode the bus, but the trips were never more than 25 minutes.
If they REALLY want to do it, though, you could try it for a week or two to see how it affects your schedule and their ... demeanor.
However, after several calls to the transportation people, she finally explained they have to pick up early because the kids have to be at school by 7:20 ish for the ones who get low-income, free breakfast. I told her she could adjust the routes for those people, as they know who they are, but seeing as the bus comes to about 7 streets in my neighborhood and about 5 streets across the street in a neighboring community, I know there are no low income kids on the bus.
How do you know that there are no low-income people in your neighborhood? Have you asked them? Do low income people look a certain way? Dress a certain way? Are they a certain race? You don't know and you shouldn't assume. I am white, college-educated, dress, act, and speak well; and, for a time, was on food stamps due to a divorce and being underemployed (due to being a stay-at-home-mom for 5 years.) My kids were fed, clean, respectful, had nice brand-name clothing (thanks to Goodwill), and we "didn't look low income."
Quote:
Originally Posted by FalconheadWest
It bottom-lined that each bus has to be treated equal so all kids have the chance to eat breakfast at school, low income or otherwise.
As it should be. Gods forbid your snowflake has to get on the bus early so "those people" can get a free breakfast at school.
How do you know that there are no low-income people in your neighborhood? Have you asked them? Do low income people look a certain way? Dress a certain way? Are they a certain race? You don't know and you shouldn't assume. I am white, college-educated, dress, act, and speak well; and, for a time, was on food stamps due to a divorce and being underemployed (due to being a stay-at-home-mom for 5 years.) My kids were fed, clean, respectful, had nice brand-name clothing (thanks to Goodwill), and we "didn't look low income."
As it should be. Gods forbid your snowflake has to get on the bus early so "those people" can get a free breakfast at school.
I would take them in the morning and let them take the bus home in the afternoon. That splits the difference and gives them the novelty of riding the bus. Honestly, they'll probably get sick of it within a week or two anyway, unless they have friends on the bus who they can sit with.
Even when I was briefly unemployed, my kids took the bus.
They've been riding the bus since kindergarten (they are now in middle school) and don't know anything else.
What's been great is that I've been able to change my work schedule so that I arrive home 30 minutes after they do. Once they reach high school, we'll actually get home at the exact same time every day - which is AWESOME because I think that's important age to be more present in their lives.
If they want to, and it works for your schedule, I don't see why not. When my son was in Kinder, he INSISTED on taking the bus. It took an hour to get 4 miles with all the stops. I let him do it. It was super hard for me to "let go" and let him be driven with kids up to 8th grade on a bus driven by a stranger but he loved it.
We did have to stop because it became a safety issue, but that was the bus companies fault (they couldn't keep a driver employed for more then a couple weeks). When I was a kid, I had the same bus driver for years who knew all the kids and their stops. being that they are going to school, they get on and they don't get back off until school. It removes that issue.
I am a big believer that we should let our kids have the space they are asking for...even if it scares us just a little bit. Most kids don't ask for (much) more then they are ready for (besides R rated movies...my son won't stop asking for those...maybe he is ready but I am not ready for him to be ready, at least)
Yes, we must be towards the beginning of the route is my guess. My understanding is that the route starts out close to the school and goes north a ways then loops back and comes back south again on a different road. I guess it would be better to be on the end of the loop instead of the beginning!
Most schools that have that type of route, reverse it for the way home. So for most kids it evens out.
My daughter's bus comes at 6:52am and they get to school between 7:20-7:25am. I think that's way too early as we're just over 2 miles from the school, and school doesn't start until 7:45 so I kept asking for them to adjust the routes out 10 minutes.
However, after several calls to the transportation people, she finally explained they have to pick up early because the kids have to be at school by 7:20 ish for the ones who get low-income, free breakfast. I told her she could adjust the routes for those people, as they know who they are, but seeing as the bus comes to about 7 streets in my neighborhood and about 5 streets across the street in a neighboring community, I know there are no low income kids on the bus. It bottom-lined that each bus has to be treated equal so all kids have the chance to eat breakfast at school, low income or otherwise.
She wants to take the bus and wake up early, as I've asked her several times if she wants me to take her. She likes the social aspect of it. She's in 2nd grade and has ridden the bus since Kinder, though the bus used to come at 7:10 in Kinder, 7:05 in 1st grade, and now the 6:52am... though it came at 6:45 for the 2 years before she started Kinder.
You'd be surprised which kids get free breakfast and lunch. Many, from wealthier towns/neighborhoods.
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