At What Age...(I know, not ANOTHER one of these)

[CamColt]

What age would you let your kids go to the bus stop alone. The bus stop is on someones front walk, there are no sidewalks on the street, its a narrow street & somewhat busy(speed limit 30, people go a lot faster). This yard used to have a fence which was taken out when a car crashed into it and drove up on the lawn.
Maybe I should ask what age would you let your kid stay there alone, once you knew they got there safely?

 

[Wish Upon A Star]

How far is your home from this bus stop?

For me, the bus for DD picks up right across the street from me, so she started getting on by herself in 6th grade . . .

DS bus picks up right at the end of my driveway, but I take him up the street before school to a friends house because he's only in 4th grade and doesn't want to get on the bus by himself yet. And I'm in work by 7:15 sooooooo maybe 5th grade for him . . .otherwise, he'll start getting on the bus by himself in 6th grade.

 

[janette]

I'm probably over cautious but I'm concerned next year about the possibility of my 11yo DD being at a bus stop I can't see from the house. That's without any of the hazards you mentioned. Right now the girls catch the bus across the street and it's a very quiet street.

Have you tried asking the bus transport if the stop could be moved? Doesn't sound like a good spot. Our bus driver asked that some of the kids she was picking up be moved to another bus because they had to cross a busy street to wait.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Probably never with a bus stop as you described. My 6th grader does walk to the stop alone. It is at the top of our court but I wait until she gets on the bus before I take my eyes off her. I have to know she got on the bus safely in the morning.

 

[JulesMom]

When Jules was in 6th grade she walked to the bus stop alone. It was only a few houses down and she met a friend and waited with him(the bus stopped right outside his house)

 

[dizneenut]

My boys bus stop is at the corner of my street. (which is only 2 houses away.) I have a bay window and can see them perfectly. My 6 yo is on a different bus than his brothers, and he walks to the corner alone. I watch him from the window all the way until the bus passes by my house. I also watch my 3 older boys. I watch them until they get on the bus and the bus pulls away.

 

[CamColt]

Thanks for the replies guys, I guess it could go either way. I think I was just feeling a bit frustrated this morning, like I was being taken advantage of.

Our stop consists of 5 kids 5, 5, 5, 8, & 9. This morning, and some other mornings too, I have been the only parent out there. And I have a 2 year old to watch out there too. The parents do see that their kids get there safely, but feel thats enough. Im sort of getting the feeling, they know Im there so they dont feel they have to be. I dont mind if someone asks me to keep an eye on their kid or whatever, in fact in a few weeks one of the 5 yo's will be coming to my house every Thursday morning and Ill be taking him, but that was asked for and I agreed. Personally, I would never leave my 5 yo home alone or with the above mentioned kids, so why would I send him to the bus stop alone with them? I wouldnt just assume another parent will be responsible for him. Today all 5 kids were throwing acorns across the street. I told my son to stop because I didnt want him hitting cars(which has happened once when that kids father was watching from a second floor window. I assume he couldnt see it because he never yelled out to his DS to stop), but I didnt feel I had the authority to discipline the other kids.

If it was just this incident it probably wouldnt bother me too much, but there has been more. Like no one being there to pick up a 5 year old, 3 times since September. I feel they just assume Ill be there and dont worry if they arent. Thanks for letting me vent!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

{{HUGS}} Sounds like you are being taken advantage of. Our school has a policy in place that all K students must have a parent at pick up & drop off present. While they cannot really enforce the pick up, we have half days and they do enforce the drop off. You ain't there the kid goes back to school.

 

[grovsnerguy12]

My parents let me go to the bus stop around the 6th grade.....I dont really remember how Olde I was but it was the 6th grade......it had a group of kids at it....so maybe thats what let them let me go to the bus stop then.....

-Eddie

 

[jfulcer]

I never in a million years would leave my 5 yr old there all by herself, even if another adult is 'normally' there. If we were taking the bus, they won't let the child get off unless there is an adult there to pick them up. I don't know the policy about pickups, but I would be scared with all the sickos out there about someone driving away with my child.

I would talk with your school principal and see if (s)he can ask the bus company to enforce a parent drop off and pick up. What if your child is sick and you're not there? Who's gonna watch the kids then? What if the bus breaks down and doesn't come to get the kids for another 45 minutes? I would be very stern with the school that legally you're not comfortable being responsible for watching those children. If the school gets involved and sends notes to those parents on that route, it doesn't make you look like the bad guy and eliminates your worries.