Should kids show respect for adults on buses?

[pigget74]

THe way that we have done it is--if an elderly, pregnant, or mom with small child enters the bus, DH or I and DS (who just turned 12 and is already 5'7") get up and offer their seats. I have let DD when she was younger and weighed less sit in my lap. I do not let DD give up her seat b/c she can't reach the overhead bar. Now that I have a younger one --DH or I will have a seat at all times for him. IF there aren't any seats we will not ride.

 

[beattyfamily]

Yes, children should show respect for others everywhere, not just on buses....

but, IMHO, it really depends on their age when it comes to the issue of seats on a bus.

When my kids were young enough to sit on my lap, they did to be nice and make room for more people (probably between 1 and 6?).

When my kids got to a certain age, where they couldn't sit on my lap any longer BUT are still too young for it to be safe for them to stand, they got their own seat (probably between 6 and 12).

Once they are old enough to safely stand, they will then be expected to give their seat up to an old person or a pregnant woman.

Just because they're kids doesn't mean they don't deserve a seat; we all pay big bucks to be on vacation at WDW; if I choose to keep them in seats for safey reasons, that doesn't mean my children don't hae respect for their elders.

 

[MSSANDRA]

The term children in pretty broad. We put DS on our lap till he was about 9, even though it got heavy. After that he would sit till about 12 when I would allow him to stand. All three of us would give up our seeat to someone pregnant , elderly , or holding a small child. I would not expect my child to give up his seat just becasue someone was an addult but I doubt that he at 14 would ever sit if there was a female with out a seat. Netiher would him dad. Always remember there are exceptions. DH was back issues and though he looks like a strong healthy 40 somthing, sometimes after a day of walking his back hurts too much to stand for anyone to have a seat. DS has some balance issues that you can not see but if you are standing beside him on the bus, its pretty much a sure thing he will bump into you.I really do not like him to stand but he will not sit if others need his seat. Yes, we expect him to show respect to everyone regardless of age but not to give up his seat with out a reason. We too have no problem waiting for another bus evern if we are tired!

Ms Sandra

 

[bicker]

That's a really good point: If you want a seat on a bus, whether you're 6, 12, 24, 48 or 96 years old -- whether you're healthy, pregnant, disabled, injured or aged -- wait for a bus which has room. That's as much a matter of respect as anything else.

 

[DisneyPRPrincess]

1- I would NEVER have my children stand on a bus. Too much of a risk with the bus moving at high speeds and other adults not RESPECTING a childs space. Which is very limited and has them in direct contact with heavy bags that are flung from side to side (the majority of time in thier faces.)

2- I personally show my child that as they get older, they should offer thier seat to an elderly, handicapped, or pregnant woman...also I would offer the seat to an adult carrying a small child.

 

[disneyjunkie]

I'm not so sure I agree with the "it's unsafe for kids to stand on the bus" crowd. Under 5 maybe, but over 5.

The WDW buses are pretty much the same type of buses that are used here. (NYC transit) Kids here stand on crowded buses(and trains) everyday during rush hour.

Most of our students (over 1 million) do not ride school buses to school. The city provides them with metro cards so that they can use the city buses and trains.

Since I see kids 5-18 do this day in and day out, I'm not convinced it's a safety issue. If it was, I sure people would not be allowed to stand on buses. (charter and DME buses)

I don't have any stats to back this up. I'm just going by what I've experienced in NYC for the last 38 years.

I think parents should what they feel is right, and not worry about what others may think.

 

[mickeyfan2]

I agree with you. Children need to learn respect from their parents. Sadly once the parent's dont teach it repect disappears from society.

 

[bicker]

That's really one of the things that always had me wondering regarding this issue. If anyone should stand, it should be the adults! When we encountered crowded busses during our trips with the kids, I would stand -- the kids would sit.

 

[crisi]

That's a really good point: If you want a seat on a bus, whether you're 6, 12, 24, 48 or 96 years old -- whether you're healthy, pregnant, disabled, injured or aged -- wait for a bus which has room. That's as much a matter of respect as anything else.

Yep....its really hard to teach your kids to respect concepts like turns and what being first in line means when they have to give up the benefits of being first because some healthy adult wants their seat. Respect my kids and the fact that our family was in line first, don't expect them to respect you because you are a grown up. We don't teach our kids to discriminate - they treat all human beings with the same respect - no matter what their age or race. Now that does extend to "evaluating an individual and offering to help" Elderly - yep, I'd give up my seat. But not because you are 28 and tired.

 

[DisneyPRPrincess]

I live walking distance to everything....shopping, schools, etc. I rarely take public transportation, since hubby likes to drive to Yonkers or NJ to go to the mall or to the movies. When I need to get around we normally take cabs. But I will explain one incident we had with injury...

My son was 5 years old. We decided on a whim to go to the World of Disney store and see the Rockefeller tree one weekend. The weather was unseasonably mild outdoors. So we decided to save the $20 cab fee and take the bus so we can get extra goodies at the Disney store. Getting there we had seats. But on the return we were all standing. The bus was very crowded with weekend shoppers and tourists. My son was standing next to a family who were definitely tourist from another country. They didnt speak English. The teenage son had one of those professional looking cameras over his shoulder. The bus was moving along when some dumb yellow cabbie cut in front of the bus. He had to stop short. Everyone was jerked around for the sudden stuff. I held on to my DD who was 3 tightly so she wouldn't fall. I look down at my son and I hear tourist son saying "I sorry" to my son and my son is bleeding from his nose. Turns out when the bus jerked the camera hit him square on the nose. Luckily for us it was superficial, nothing was broken. It was only after my daughter almost fell and my son was bleeding that two adults in thier early twenties got up and offered the kids the seat.

Ever since then I take cabs when buses are full. Not to mention I avoid midtown on the weekends during Christmas! And as for Disney, if my kids cant get a seat on the bus we dont get on it. And for the adults who think that I am raising disrespectful kids, so be it. They can walk all Disney for 12 plus hours and stand on lines??? You can stand a little longer to get to your resort.

 

[snowy76]

I'm not so sure I agree with the "it's unsafe for kids to stand on the bus" crowd. Under 5 maybe, but over 5.

The WDW buses are pretty much the same type of buses that are used here. (NYC transit) Kids here stand on crowded buses(and trains) everyday during rush hour.

By and large though, I would think most of those buses are travelling more slowly (being that they move through city traffic) than a WDW bus? I think of the way some of the resort buses fly down the highway and I still shudder!

My DS12 kept offering his seat to younger kids on our last trip. We were quite proud of him for having the thoughtfulness to do so. The downside was that, being 12, he thought he was being a grown up by not having to hold on. He wanted to prove how good his balance was. The moment the driver started using the brake he flew into my DH, who was luckily not a total stranger. He got the "look of death" from DH and held on the rest of the way.

BTW, even at 12 he had to basically dangle from the overhead bar. This was one of the buses with the seats that run along most of the length of the bus rather than having seats that are perpendicular to the windows -- not many bars at hip level to grab onto.

 

[tripplanner]

I would never expect children to stand to allow an adult to sit on a bus. It's just not safe. I have witnessed kids trying to stand on these buses, basically get thrown around because there simply is no good handhold for a kid. I do, however; expect adults to show respect by giving up their seats for the elderly, pregnant women, or small children.

 

[Allison]

I don't equate common manners and respect to a child giving up their seat after a long day at Disney World to an able-bodied adult. My children are very respectful of other people-all people.

I give up my seat to children when I see them struggling to stand on the bus rather than expect them to give up a seat to a 39 year old woman.

 

[java]

It depends on the age of the child. My older 2 (12 and 9 now) have offered their seats to younger children, older adults or pregnant women or someone holding a baby.
I think I have more of an issue when I see a young adult -twenties or so and they are sitting while a pregnant lady is standing-or an older person is standing.
This is why we avoid the bus at all costs. Last trip my ds got up to give his seat to an older woman and another teen jumped into it! Until my ds told him he got up for the woman.... and then she didn't want the seat and my son was standing and the other kid had his seat.

 

[allisonswonderland]

I do not have kids yet - but it irks me when there is a family with 2 small kids taking up 4 seats and a mom with a little one gets on and I have to give up my seat when a parent could easily put the child on their lap and allow for more room. I fully intend to do that especially when my kids are small- I do not think small children however should stand on the bus so adults should sit, but I think parents should sits the little guys on their laps to make more room- ACtually I was on a bus in May where the bus was so crowded and the driver would not leave because there was standing room and there were ppl waiting but all of the ppl had little kids and it was a very dangerous situation - honestly it was really bad-

 

[Kellyscrapbooks]

I don't make my kids stand on busses, I will hold them on my lap if appropriate, but they are getting bigger and almost too big for that. My husband always gives up his seat to the disabled, the elderly and children. Children should always be given a seat. I myself can't reach the straps from overhead (I'm not quite 5' tall) so I know that they certainly can't.

 

[krissylynne]

I appreciate everyones answers and respect them all. I have learned several things. I totally see the safety issue. With us our daughter is a small 7 year old so we have been able to sweep her up to our laps, and of course we have given up our seats also. I have also seen where someone puts thier bags in place of a seat and will refuse to move it, or claim they dont speak english. For the most part it seems to go good. But then there are those times when you see things that make you wonder if the people are being taught values. I am not just speaking of the bus, it could be anywhere that there may be seating. I have seen in front of the Crystal Palace an elderly couple using walkers to get around, looking like they were about to fall over, looking for a space to sit down by the benches and people just stared at them like they had ten heads. Not even adults would get up. I think that if we, ourselves and our children, show respect then they too will get respect. Needless to say, I went to the CM and told them about the couple. They inturn came and asked them their names, and gabe them a table immediately. Way to go CM's!



Krissylynne

 

[bicker]

I wonder where this idea that children were safe sitting on their parent's lap came from. I just did a pretty comprehensive search and couldn't find anything indicating that that was safe. Could someone please explain why they'd risk their child that way?

 

[noodleknitter]

Yep....its really hard to teach your kids to respect concepts like turns and what being first in line means when they have to give up the benefits of being first because some healthy adult wants their seat.

I can't imagine a child not knowing what "being first in line means!" It is genetic! Kids are born self-centered.

I do agree, however, on teaching them to evaluate situations. It is a good lesson to learn. Compassion and empathy are dying virtues in our society, but all it takes is the example of a parent.

 

[krissylynne]

I think that many might view it ias safer to have their child sit in their lap instead of standing up in the aisle. No, it might not be safe. I think the only way for any bus transportation would be totally safe would be to have seat belts. I do not see that happenning.