Daycare Not In School Bus Zone. Alternative Options?

[Unregistered]

Hi! I run a home daycare in Minnesota that is 10 blocks from the elementary school. I am outside the bus zone.

I am curious if anyone has ingenious alternatives to work around this? I want to be a great provider to school-aged children but I don't want to have parents worry about their kids walking almost a mile to and from school each day. I try to target having at least 8 kids in my care.

[hwichlaz]

how far down the street can you see? I had a bus stop that was several blocks away, but I could see the bus stop so I'd have everyone play in the front yard so I could keep one eye on my walking kids. Then hopefully by winter they'll be really used to the walk.

[Ariana]

The providers here walk to and from the school to drop off and pick up, even in the dead of winter! No idea how they manage it but they don't seem to mind.

[Unregistered]

Can't see far. We are on the end of a cul-de-sac and can only see the houses across the street at the end of the T in the road.

My concern about walking with the school-aged kids during winter is that I'll have two infants.

[amberrose3dg]

Why is there no bus for your school? Are you too close or too far? Maybe you could call and see if you have several kids that need picked up if they be willing to do it. If not can you transport them?

[Jupadia]

I'll be starting walks to and back from school in September. I hsve mostly kids under 4 years eceppt my own who's starting school. I'll have any where from 5 to 6 kids with up to 2 being under 2 years. I bought a quad stroller to use. Made a weather sheild for it and will be going out unless it's a snow day. We are inside of the no bus zone so I can't get him bused even though the bus passes by my house and even stops at the stop sign in front if it (across the street though).
I would recommend investing in a stroller for your daycare use and make it part of your program to pick up drop off kids, if your looking at filling your spots with SA kids.

[Ariana]

Can't see far. We are on the end of a cul-de-sac and can only see the houses across the street at the end of the T in the road.

My concern about walking with the school-aged kids during winter is that I'll have two infants.

Yeah they all have infants too, its nuts! I do not provide before and after school care to the school near my house for this very reason. The cut off is 800metres so I just miss it but it is a really far walk with a bunch of kids and babies. My neighbour has to bring her kids and pick them up every day. Luckily the Catholic school is farther away so there is a bus and that is where my kids go and I offer care for that school.

I see the providers mostly with wagons and strollers in the summer and sleds in the winter.

[Cat Herder]

Most high schools have an Early Childhood Education class. I would try emailing the instructor to post a job opening for a responsible junior or senior to walk them.

[Blackcat31]

Why is there no bus for your school? Are you too close or too far? Maybe you could call and see if you have several kids that need picked up if they be willing to do it. If not can you transport them?

In MN if you live within a certain distance from the school you do not get bus services.

Busing is a privilege and not a right. I've seen many parents and child care providers call and demand the bus stop for them.

Most the time the bus dept simply explains that busing to your HOME is each family's option but busing to daycare is not their concern since child doesn't live at daycare. Too complicated to figure out every year and kind of not their responsibility.

Elementary kids are expected to walk .5 mile and kids in 6th grad and up are 1 mile. Outside those those parameters, the bus will stop. As long as it is the child's resident/home.

[hwichlaz]

Daycare kids ride buses to daycare here AND having daycare in another district qualifies you for inter district transfer because continuity of care is important <3

[midaycare]

I'm thinking you walk or don't take school aged kids. I have a very long driveway, one-tenth of a mile. In winter, which lasts forever here, it's generally icy and covered with a few feet of snow. I am lazy and choose not to take before and after school kids because there is no way I'm dressing 6 kids 2 additional times to the 3 we already go outside and then waiting in the freezing cold for buses that are notoriously 20 minutes late. :dislike: But...everyone has their price. Mine is just much, much higher than $5 an hour for that bag of crapola.

[Unregistered]

Do you have any private school busing services in your area. We have private vans that pick up school age kids and deliver them places. There is a price of course. Parents would have to pay for it or find other alternatives.

[CityGarden]

I'm thinking you walk or don't take school aged kids.

This was my same thought.... either you walk/drive each day to pick them up or you don't take SA children.

You can either get a stroller with weather shield if needed or get/use a van to transport the children. Keep poor weather in mind ---- and plan accordingly. Personally I do not like mixing SA with my 2-5 year old group their needs are just different.