Help a helicopter mom out! Bus question

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I swear I'm not a helicopter mom, or raising a snowflake. In fact I'm probably the most "free range" of all the moms I know around here, so I feel really stupid even asking this question.

We just moved to a new area, and today was "new student orientation" at the middle school. It was students only, and they ran the buses. Even though I'm a teacher I have zero bus experience because I grew up, teach, and up until this year sent my kid to school in a district that doesn't have them. He's ridden one for school trips or camp, but never the kind that comes to your neighborhood and picks you up.

So, they told me he didn't have to sign up, just show up at the stop at the right time and get on. So, 5 minutes before the right time we went out and there was a bus (they said to allow 5 minutes either way today as the drivers were learning their routes). I was hanging back, pretending to be a random dog walker as he got on, because apparently it's embarassing to have your mom walk you to the bus. I was surprised that he was the only kid (a neighbor told me that there's usually about 30 kids at our stop which serves a large apartment community, so I figured there'd be other 6th graders), but then another girl who looked much older came on and got on just before the bus drove off. I walked off.

Then a moment later, a second bus came to the same stop, stopped, waited, noone got on and they drove off.

So, here's my question (yes, I know, helicopter mom question). It occurred to me that he never asked which school the bus was going to. For all I know that was the high school bus. Or the bus that goes to the gifted magnet school, or something. But the driver would have asked, right? When my son got on he would have said "John Doe Middle School?" or something correct? I know it was the right school system, at least, because it had "Smith County Public Schools" on the side.

You may now start laughing at me!

 

[Liberty Belle]

I swear I'm not a helicopter mom, or raising a snowflake. In fact I'm probably the most "free range" of all the moms I know around here, so I feel really stupid even asking this question.

We just moved to a new area, and today was "new student orientation" at the middle school. It was students only, and they ran the buses. Even though I'm a teacher I have zero bus experience because I grew up, teach, and up until this year sent my kid to school in a district that doesn't have them. He's ridden one for school trips or camp, but never the kind that comes to your neighborhood and picks you up.

So, they told me he didn't have to sign up, just show up at the stop at the right time and get on. So, 5 minutes before the right time we went out and there was a bus (they said to allow 5 minutes either way today as the drivers were learning their routes). I was hanging back, pretending to be a random dog walker as he got on, because apparently it's embarassing to have your mom walk you to the bus. I was surprised that he was the only kid (a neighbor told me that there's usually about 30 kids at our stop which serves a large apartment community, so I figured there'd be other 6th graders), but then another girl who looked much older came on and got on just before the bus drove off. I walked off.

Then a moment later, a second bus came to the same stop, stopped, waited, noone got on and they drove off.

So, here's my question (yes, I know, helicopter mom question). It occurred to me that he never asked which school the bus was going to. For all I know that was the high school bus. Or the bus that goes to the gifted magnet school, or something. But the driver would have asked, right? When my son got on he would have said "John Doe Middle School?" or something correct? I know it was the right school system, at least, because it had "Smith County Public Schools" on the side.

You may now start laughing at me!

That is NOT being a helicopter mom. Yes, I would think because your son is older, he would ask, but it's possible he didn't. However, by now I think you probably would have got a call (unless this just happened five minutes ago), if he was sent to the wrong place.

You can always call the school and make sure he got there and explain why. They really should let you know the bus numbers. How else will they know what bus to get on at the end of the day?

 

[minniebeth]

Not laughing at you if you've never had bus experience before, it can be overhwhelming! I know you say you're new to the area, so maybe they don't have your DS in the "system" yet. Typically, the bus dept. of your district has a list of all the kids, where they live, what bus stop they are assigned to.
We usually get a call 1-2 weeks before school starts from the bus driver saying what his name is, a contact number, what bus # your child will be on and what time est. pick up time is. Then the first day or two, they will give a form to fill out for vital info. such as names, address, numbers, and emergency contacts.

At least this is how they do it around here and where I taught in a few other states.
I'd call the bus dept. of your district and ask what the procedure is. You definately 1. want him getting on the right bus, lol! and 2. want him accounted for in case of emergency.

Best of luck in your new area!

 

[WDWKOOK]

I swear I'm not a helicopter mom, or raising a snowflake. In fact I'm probably the most "free range" of all the moms I know around here, so I feel really stupid even asking this question.

We just moved to a new area, and today was "new student orientation" at the middle school. It was students only, and they ran the buses. Even though I'm a teacher I have zero bus experience because I grew up, teach, and up until this year sent my kid to school in a district that doesn't have them. He's ridden one for school trips or camp, but never the kind that comes to your neighborhood and picks you up.

So, they told me he didn't have to sign up, just show up at the stop at the right time and get on. So, 5 minutes before the right time we went out and there was a bus (they said to allow 5 minutes either way today as the drivers were learning their routes). I was hanging back, pretending to be a random dog walker as he got on, because apparently it's embarassing to have your mom walk you to the bus. I was surprised that he was the only kid (a neighbor told me that there's usually about 30 kids at our stop which serves a large apartment community, so I figured there'd be other 6th graders), but then another girl who looked much older came on and got on just before the bus drove off. I walked off.

Then a moment later, a second bus came to the same stop, stopped, waited, noone got on and they drove off.

So, here's my question (yes, I know, helicopter mom question). It occurred to me that he never asked which school the bus was going to. For all I know that was the high school bus. Or the bus that goes to the gifted magnet school, or something. But the driver would have asked, right? When my son got on he would have said "John Doe Middle School?" or something correct? I know it was the right school system, at least, because it had "Smith County Public Schools" on the side.

You may now start laughing at me!

You poor thing! Call his school right now to make sure he got there. You're not being a helicopter mom, you're being sensible.

I'm in a similar situation in that DD11 has never taken a bus either (we've driven and walked only) and now she's going to middle school, too. She doesn't want me to wait at the bus stop with her (it's several blocks from our home) so my compromise is that I'm going to drive her in the AM and she can take the bus in the PM.

Please keep us updated on your DS. I'm worried he got on the high school bus since there was only one other older girl who also got on. This makes me think it was the high school bus. But don't worry, the high school would take good care of him and either contact you or make sure that he got safely to his school. I'm sure if this did happen, it's not the first time.

 

[DawnM]

What does "raising a snowflake" mean? I have heard of helicopter parenting, but what is a snowflake?

Dawn

 

[Mimi1965]

I think you should have been given a Bus#-right?
Bus stops ARE used by many different schools.

Edited-when I was in 2nd grade there was an announcement for us to ride a different bus home-well I didnt hear it and got on my regular bus-I thought it weird i didnt recognize anybody. then they drove in areas I didn know. boy i was scared, When i was the last one-the bus driver asked where my bus stop was-I told him across from a little white store-maybe i didnr know my adress-he had to park the bus at the place he leaves it and drive me home in his personal car. what a mess!

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

That is NOT being a helicopter mom. Yes, I would think because your son is older, he would ask, but it's possible he didn't. However, by now I think you probably would have got a call (unless this just happened five minutes ago), if he was sent to the wrong place.

You can always call the school and make sure he got there and explain why. They really should let you know the bus numbers. How else will they know what bus to get on at the end of the day?

I'm sure my son did not ask, because that's just not like him and because if it didn't cross my mind that there would be 2 buses, it wouldn't have crossed him. I kind of hoped that when he got on the bus driver would say "John Doe School?" or something and if he said "Mary Smith High" my kid would have said "ooops, wrong bus". The bus driver said something (I could see his lips moving) but what, I don't know.

Today's orientation day, and they were very specific that it was all about teaching new middle schoolers important skills like -- how to open the lockers, how to find your classes, how to purchase lunch, and how to get back on the right bus, at least I assume the last one was on the list. So, I figured they'd help him out with getting back on the right bus. No? (now heads off to work, worrying about whole new thing and laughing at herself).

 

[golfgal]

Even as an adult if I were waiting at the stop with him it wouldn't have occurred to me to ask if it was the right bus or not because you would just assume it was. Does he have a cell phone? I would probably call the school too--or I might have gotten in my car and followed the bus just to make sure it was the right one.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

So, we got a flyer in the mail with a list of bus stops and numbers. I called the school and asked if we needed to sign up and they said no, just go to the one closest to your house (they're about a mile apart, but one happens to be 1/4 block from my front door) on the first day. Start times are staggered, so I figured the high school bus would have been long gone at 7:10.

He's 11, and he's got a cell phone, so he can always call me and/or grandma, if he ends up in the wrong place.

 

[golfgal]

So, we got a flyer in the mail with a list of bus stops and numbers. I called the school and asked if we needed to sign up and they said no, just go to the one closest to your house (they're about a mile apart, but one happens to be 1/4 block from my front door) on the first day. Start times are staggered, so I figured the high school bus would have been long gone at 7:10.

He's 11, and he's got a cell phone, so he can always call me and/or grandma, if he ends up in the wrong place.

I would call him to make sure he made it to the right school. If he is at the wrong school he may not know what to do about it.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

What does "raising a snowflake" mean? I have heard of helicopter parenting, but what is a snowflake?

Dawn

A snowflake is the extremely delicate or sensitive child of a helicopter parent.

This child is so much more important than any other child and anything which could in the slightest upset the child in any way or cause any potential damage to self-esteem or mental well-being has to be avoided by anyone the snowflake comes in contact with.

 

[DawnM]

Ah, I see. Thanks.

Dawn

A snowflake is the extremely delicate or sensitive child of a helicopter parent.

This child is so much more important than any other child and anything which could in the slightest upset the child in any way or cause any potential damage to self-esteem or mental well-being has to be avoided by anyone the snowflake comes in contact with.

 

[Liberty Belle]

I'm sure my son did not ask, because that's just not like him and because if it didn't cross my mind that there would be 2 buses, it wouldn't have crossed him. I kind of hoped that when he got on the bus driver would say "John Doe School?" or something and if he said "Mary Smith High" my kid would have said "ooops, wrong bus". The bus driver said something (I could see his lips moving) but what, I don't know.

Today's orientation day, and they were very specific that it was all about teaching new middle schoolers important skills like -- how to open the lockers, how to find your classes, how to purchase lunch, and how to get back on the right bus, at least I assume the last one was on the list. So, I figured they'd help him out with getting back on the right bus. No? (now heads off to work, worrying about whole new thing and laughing at herself).

Well, they should, yes. I mean, I always get in trouble when I assume things, so I'd call to double check. They won't mind you calling.

 

[okeydokey]

If you haven't heard at this point, I would assume he's OK. I would be a bit concerned too.

 

[mjkacmom]

I would call him to make sure he made it to the right school. If he is at the wrong school he may not know what to do about it.

I wouldn't call, because he might get in trouble if his phone rings. My dd once forgot to turn off her phone, and I sent a text at the end of the day (figuring she'd get it after school when she turned her phone on), and she got detention.

OP, worst case scenario is he ends up at the wrong school. The school will get him to the right school. He'll be fine.

 

[golfgal]

I wouldn't call, because he might get in trouble if his phone rings. My dd once forgot to turn off her phone, and I sent a text at the end of the day (figuring she'd get it after school when she turned her phone on), and she got detention.

OP, worst case scenario is he ends up at the wrong school. The school will get him to the right school. He'll be fine.

For a back to school orientation day???

 

[java]

Ah reminds me of what happened here 3 years ago at the high school orientation- Only FRESHMEN going that day. 3 of them waited at the bus stop- a bus pulled up they got on- Only problem was that it was for a DIFFERENT high school!! They were moritfied! Schools are about 15 miles apart. They didn't realize they were on the wrong bus until it pulled into the wrong high school. Yes we can laugh about it because it was all fine and they eventually got to the right school.
I'm sure if he wasn't in school by now they would have called to see where he was. Hope he has a great day! My high school junior started school today too!

 

[Kae]

Around here we get a postcard with the bus number & pick up time on it. We do have a MS bus & HS bus. which is new for us because we used to have one bus only, go to the k-6 school & transfer to a bus that would take you to MS or HS.

And if my DS would have gotten on a bus & then another one came I too would be wondering

Kae

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

Checking back in to hear if you've heard anything. I'd have had second thoughts, too, when the second bus came. I don't think my kids would have thought to ask the bus driver, either -- just assumed it was the right one.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

So, I've calmed down because I've had some more thoughts.

1) Is that my child is clearly not a high schooler. He might be mistaken for an elementary schooler, but he's 11 so there's no way that a high school bus driver wouldn't question it if a much younger kid got on his empty bus (e.g. no crowd of students to distract him) on the first day of school. So there's now way it was a high school bus.

Therefore it must have been either an elementary school or a middle school bus, which means that even if it was the wrong school, wherever they dropped him off there were people who know 11 year olds well and would help him figure out what to do.

2) My kid has a lot of common sense. This is the same kid who, when he was 3 and got too far ahead of me in public and I said to him "what would you do if you lost mommy?" (thinking it would scare him a little) replied, "I'd go outside and put my hand out for a taxi. When one stopped I'd say "My Grandmother lives at 123 4th St, right off Great Big Avenue. She has lots of money. Please take me to her." If he can figure that out at 3, he can figure out to call mom. He didn't, so he must have gotten to the right school.

3) This school "on boards" about 350 sixth graders a year. They've been doing it for at least 30 years. Given the fact that other people are saying "I wouldn't have asked the bus number", I'm guessing he is not the first child to get on a bus that might have been the wrong one. Therefore they must have some kind of procedure in place, whether it's asking the kids when they get on the bus what school they're headed to, or calling parents when they end up at the wrong school.

So, I have decided that he's safely there and I should stop worrying.