How does/did your kindergartener get to school?

[Minnie824]

So, my DD will be starting kindergarten in the fall, and is supposed to ride the bus to school. She's actually pretty excited about that. DH & I are not. Maybe we're a little over protective, but to me, she's too young to be out 'on her own' with the bus. We have us or my parents around so there will always be someone there to drive her, which, as of now, we're planning on doing. I was just wondering how other kids this age get to school and your opinions of the bus at this age. Also, there are some kids on our block she knows, but no one she plays with....there are 4 loud obnoxious troublemaker boys starting next year as well.

 

[shirleyb]

I drove kids, but only because I was going by the school on my way to work.

I rode the bus as a kid and would let my kids do the same. Did you ride the bus as a child?

 

[disneymama73]

My dd's both took the bus. One is a kindergartener right now. They enjoy it.

 

[Minnie824]

Nope, I didn't ride the bus...my mom drove me all the time. I did once in awhile in high school, but that was it and worried then about finding the right bus to go on!

 

[CEDmom]

My DD is in 2nd grade and this is her 1st year riding the bus all of 2 miles. She went to a private kindergarten so we drove her and then last year she was in before/after care a few days a week so the bus was not an option.

I know our driver keeps the kindergarteners up front and they're met by an aid once they get to school. They're also walked to the bus in the afternoon.

Honestly, I don't blame you for being apprehensive. I was glad I didn't have to make that choice.

 

[Bob Slydell]

My son's in kindergarten this year -- he takes the bus everyday, even though we're only about 2 miles from the school. To him, that's one of the best parts of going to school.

 

[allison443]

All three of mine took the bus. They looked forward to it and enjoyed it. At the end of the day, an eighth grader came to the kindergarten classroom and took them to the correct bus. Never had a problem.

 

[mickeyboat]

I voted bus. I drove them to school and they took the bus to day care the first part of the year, until they begged me to let them ride both ways.

They did just fine. On the way to school, they rode with the rest of the school kids (1-5), and had to sit at the front of the bus with their seat belts on. No way the kid could make a mistake and get off at the wrong stop. Since the K program was half day, there was a special K bus for the way home. The bus driver was very attentive, and knew where the kids needed to go. It dropped the kids off in our babysitter's driveway, and she waited for them on the porch.

I was nervous at first about them riding the bus, but the school really has a great program for their bussers, and I am confident in it. Also, my girls rode togehter, so I felt better that they were able to look out for one another. Finally, we know a lot of kids in the neighborhood, who always look out for my girls.

This year, I have even let them ride the bus home on occasion, to their back-up day care, and to gymnastics. They are really doing fine.

Good luck to you.

Denae

 

[HSMndLKfan92]

My school was by where my dad works. He would get settled in, and then walk me to school. We just had to walk down the street.

 

[hlbtimes2]

Ours school is an all "walking" school. There are 400 students and they all live close enough to walk, they offer NO bus service. Dh works from home so he takes dd (3rd grade) and will take ds to K next year. Or we may let them walk together since dd will be in 4th grade at that point.

 

[Annette_VA]

My oldest is in K this year. He rides the bus and absolutely loves it - freaks if he's not the first one at the bus stop each day. He has his assigned seat right behind the bus driver.

 

[beattyfamily]

Both of my girls take the bus, even though school is only about 1 mile away, and they both started in Kindergarten, even though I'm a SAHM and could drive them.

I cried for each of my girls on their first day on the bus but I knew it was the best thing for them and it was tougher on me then them; They were both excited to take the bus.

IMHO, its part of childhood. I took the bus in kindergarten and so did my DH.

I was actually more worried about my younger DD eating her lunch at school this year as this is her first year going to school all day (1st grade). I thought for sure she'd starve cause she eats so slow and is so picky, but everything has worked out, thankfully.

 

[Karel]

Our local elementary is a walking district, so all my kids were walked to K by me or my husband.

My middle child took a school bus at 3 yo to another town for a developmental preschool and then from first to sixth grade. He never had a problem. Yes, it was nerve wracking at first but it soon became his favorite part of the day. His bus driver and aide were fantastic.

 

[1of6]

My kids take the bus. The second day of K (with my 2 oldest), I put them on the bus and then drove up to school. In our district there is no bus service for K on the first day. I helped them get where they were to go. It helped to see the school end so we could talk about it at home.

 

[Kae]

My kids also love the bus. They both know the bus #. At our school(& I think with most) the busses park at the same place in the AM & PM.

Kae

 

[cristit14]

We didn't have an option. It was either walk or drive. We don't live far enough from the school for a bus. With DD we walked, in our new house we drove for DS in K, it is almost 1 mile walk and I didn't want to do that with a 6 year old.

 

[CTPinkPrincess]

I voted bus. DD was 4 (turning 5 in Nov) when she started kindergarten in Sept. The bus was the most exciting thing for her.

A teacher meets the bus in the morning, and they are escorted to the correct bus in the afternoon (DD goes to full day kindergarten).

 

[Cinderella2004]

In kindergarten we drove her. The only reason we did was because she went from 4 2 1/2 hour days to 5 full days. We only have full day K here. If she were to take the bus it added 30-45 minutes to each end of her day. I just felt that was to long of a day for her.

She's in 3rd grade now and gets out of school at 2:30- the bus drops her off at 3:15. I still feel thats to long (considering the amount of homework she has each night...about an hour and a half). I feel like all we do is school related stuff. She loves the bus, I think it's her favorite part of school!

 

[dcgrumpy]

We walk, DS wants to move so he can take a bus. We live 40 feet too close to the school to get a bus. Next year he'll be on a bus.

 

[NMAmy]

DD went to half day kindergarten and went to daycare the rest of the day. Her daycare had a small bus that took the kids to school and picked them up again. At her school, the kindergarteners had their own entrance to the school that went directly into their classroom. They had monitors that escorted them from the drop off to their classroom.

I rode the bus from kindergarten on. My older sister cried when I got on it. She's 10 years older than me and she was just like a new mom about it--I was excited but I remember her bawling her eyes out.