Fed up with bus driver

[Erin1700]

I am so fed up with my dd6's afternoon bus driver. She goes on the bus from kindergarten to day care (it is half a day kindy and she goes in the morning). This is approx 4 days a week, she gets to day care about 12:15 and I pick her up by 3:30. Anyhow, at the beginning of October my dd came home and said the bus driver asked her if she hit some girl. She said the girl had tried to bite her in a playing way and she did push the girl off of her. Do we allow this?? NO Did she get punished??? YES So I call the bus company and ask what happened...I then procede to tell them that if they feel my dd needs to sit by herself then I support them 100%. I told them to call me if there are any other problems.

Fast forward a month when I meet dd getting off the bus at day care. The bus driver starts yelling about how bad these kids are. I had not heard anything so I assumed my child was being good. The lady said she is not the worst one but she hit someone again. WHAT???? First of all, my kid is no angel but I never had a complaint of her hitting before. Second, why wasnt I notified??? Third, I call and tell them my child is NOT allowed to sit with anyone until further notice. So again dd is punished.
I start asking her lots of questions everyday...were you good? who did you sit with? who got in trouble? She tells me she sits with 2 other kids everyday and these kids are the biggest trouble makers on the bus. They get out of their seats, etc. Why when you have a bus that is 1/3 full are you putting these kids 3 in a seat???
So I have called since and heard yes my child is doing okay. Then today I again meet her at the bus stop and I ask driver and she said my child is "well, okay". I ask what she is doing wrong? hitting? no out of seat? no disrespectful? no ok then what??? she is a little loud and too silly.
WHY DO YOU HAVE HER SITTING WITH THESE KIDS?? WHY CANT SHE SIT BY HERSELF? they actually said something about socialization...I told them she loses those priveleges if she cant behave!

I talked to dd teacher and she said there is no way it is dd causing trouble and agreed with me about having her sit away from the trouble makers. So now what? I support discipline by the driver, I have offered suggestions, I check up on her but cant call everyday. I dont know what else to do. If she is not breaking any rules then why are they fussing at her? And I believe the best thing I did was let dd know that I have contact with the bus driver, she is not going to hit anyone or get out of her seat knowing mom will find out. Any ideas? If they keep throwing her back into the party, the is going to be involved...take her away from the party animals and she will be an angel. Kindy teacher has NO problems with her at all.

 

[crs7568]

If you cannot get the busdriver to allow your daughter to sit alone, assuming there is room, I would call the director of the bus garage and let him or her know about the problems on the bus. Perhaps the director would be more inclined to listen to your suggestion or maybe even offer an acceptable alternative. I would also continue to talk to my daughter about appropriate ways to handle herself around the troublemakers as well as the importance of bus safety. Good luck!