Those With Kindergarteners And Bus Stop

[thecrazyisout]

Hi there,

Do you all let the kinders walk to the bus stop with out you? I like how meeting them and dropping them off gets us away from the house more, but in MN, I don't think that will fly when the deep cold winter months are here.

What do you do?

[Meeko]

Hi there,

Do you all let the kinders walk to the bus stop with out you? I like how meeting them and dropping them off gets us away from the house more, but in MN, I don't think that will fly when the deep cold winter months are here.

What do you do?

I'm close enough to the bus stop that I can see them from the window. It's just a few feet away. In the morning, the kindies leave with the bigger kids. After kindergarten, the stop is so close, I can hear the bus arrive.

[Meeko]

Hi there,

Do you all let the kinders walk to the bus stop with out you? I like how meeting them and dropping them off gets us away from the house more, but in MN, I don't think that will fly when the deep cold winter months are here.

What do you do?

Our day care is in a culdesac. The back yard is up the main road (not a busy one) and the bus stop is right outside it. We put a gate there. So the kids just walk through the yard and through the gate. I can see them as they wait for the bus. In the mornings, the kindies go with the bigger kids. When the kindie bus drops off at lunch time, the driver watches the little ones go through the gate before he drives away and I watch through the window. The kids come in the back door.

Then when we play outside, we lock the gate to contain the littlest ones.

The school district used to have the bus stop further up the road, but they moved it to accomodate us which was great of them. Other parents liked the idea that I watch through the window as their kids are waiting for the bus. I yell if some kids think they can mess around!!

[Cat Herder]

I'd recommend checking your regs because they can vary greatly.

Here the DCK's must be "under direct supervision" at all times until 13 years old.

My monitor says that means I must stay with them all until they board the bus and be waiting there to meet them (even with the bus stop being my driveway ).

I stopped taking SA's, it would end up costing me my littles.

[bice99]

I am required by law to be at the bus stop for kindergarten drop off. Luckily, the bus driver was kind enough to switch which direction the bus comes past my house so the stop is at the bottom of my front steps.

[DBug]

Hi there,

Do you all let the kinders walk to the bus stop with out you? I like how meeting them and dropping them off gets us away from the house more, but in MN, I don't think that will fly when the deep cold winter months are here.

What do you do?

I go to the bus stop twice everyday for my own kids, with (usually) 5 dckids in tow. In previous years it was to keep an eye on the my older 2 because several kids at the stop would have roll-on-the-ground fist fights until the bus got there -- everyday! That doesn't fly with me, so I did it to keep an eye on my boys. This year my youngest is in junior kindergarten, so I have to be there otherwise the driver won't let her off the bus.

This is the third year I've done it with dc kids, and so I invested in a Choo Choo wagon for the majority of the year. For the 2 or 3 months of deep snow, I use a Pelican (I think?) sled. It's a "four-seater" sled, that really only holds 4 toddlers, but their legs have to be around the child in front of them. Which usually isn't an issue since they're all bundled up in snowsuits and can barely move anyway . The baby goes on my back in a backpack carrier (getting a new weather-shielded one from MEC tonight, yay!!).

It took awhile to find a system that works for us (in fact, I think I posted about it here the first year!). But it is doable

I live in a small town, but with the behaviour I've seen at the bus stop from kids whose parents aren't there with them (even some who are!), I wouldn't let SA dc kids go on their own anyway. There's just too much going on for me to be able to ensure their safety .

[Zoe]

I'm in MN too and I would be concerned about the ice situation in the winters. Call me paranoid (it's okay, I really am), but if the SA's are out of your sight and they slip or get hurt in any way you aren't able to see them. Granted, I only really worry about the kindergartners, not so much the older ones. Kindy's IMHO still can't really take care of themselves by themselves.

If it's possible for the bus to come in front of your house, that would be a better option, or else I'd suggest walking with them. I know we're allowed to not directly supervise them, but until they are slightly older, I'd say to keep an eye out.

[meganlavonnesmommy]

ABSOLUTELY walk them. 5 is way too young to walk without adult supervision. I still walk my 4th grader to school cause I think she is too young.
Check your state regs though, we cant let ANY of our DCK walk home alone, and our own children have to be 8 to walk unsupervised.

I walk my group of 4 dck and my two own kids 1/2 mile each way to one school, and then back home for bus pick up for my son. Then do it again in the afternoon. AND I only have 15 minutes to walk each way or I will miss the bus pick up, its in the opposite direction of the other school. Grrrrr.

Total walked each day is about a mile and half. It ****s. But I have no choice except to buy a larger vehicle, and we cant afford one right now.
If it is raining, we just all carry umbrellas, and the babies get a little wet, and I change them when we get home. I live in MD, so it does get cold here, so we will just bundle up and stay warm.

[Crazy8]

we still have half day kindy here and I only take PM kindy kids. Bus picks up at the house for each kindergartener so no going to bus stop. In the afternoon they are dropped off at the corner but I live on that corner so I just go stand on my front step and they get off the bus and walk across my lawn to me. I still consider that "direct supervision" too.

[melissa ann]

Our school district requires children kindy-2 grade have an adult at the bus stop. Driver will take child back to school if no one is there for them.