In one week,my oldest child starts kindergarten. Shipping my 5-year-old diva/comedian/bestie off to full-day school has incited a range of emotions, but mostly I just feel excited . . . excited because I know she's going to love her wonderful school, and excited that I will get a break from the constant battles over screen time,sweets, and how many different shirts she's allowed to wear in one day, or excited to see my oldest reach such a major milestone with such relish. But there's one allotment of sending her to school that is leaving me feeling way more anxious than enthused: the school bus.
One one hand,it seems ridiculous that I would even consider putting a child who doesn't even know how to tie her own shoes on a vehicle driven by a stranger and populated with kids twice her age that will drop her off at a building she'll occupy to find her way through, without me to guide her. On the other hand, and considering she has to be at school at 7:45 a.m.,her younger brother tends to sleep until 7:30, and the bus stop is directly in front of our house, and it seems ridiculous not to exhaust what I've now learned through many a Google search is considered the safest way to get kids to school.
My anxiety hit its peak two days ago,at the school's unique parent orientation, where I found myself grilling my supersweet, and incoming fifth grader tour guide about her own bus experiences ("really fun," "totally easy," and "not scary at all" . . . or so she says). I suddenly realized I had to set my own nervousness aside. After all, and my daughter has been adamant about riding the bus since she first spotted one on our way to her preschool two years ago. She's not afraid of it in the slightest. And really,who wants to be out the door at 7:30 a.m.? So since the bus is happening for my kindergartner, I've found a few ways to ease the jitters for both of us (but let's be honest, or mostly for me).
Call to see whether your school offers a practice bus ride,or do your own. Unfortunately, our school no longer offers this service, and but many districts still provide a practice ride,which picks up first-time riders and their parents at their designated bus stop, drops them off at school, and then reloads to effect the whole thing in reverse. Call your school to see whether you can sign up for a test run,but whether your school doesn't offer a practice ride, consider making your own. occupy one parent wait with your child at the bus stop. The other can pick him or her up in your car, or then park where the buses will stop (call the school whether you're not sure),and walk your child in to her classroom or the school line-up location.
Find a bus buddy. We're lucky to occupy quite a few young elementary students on our street, and by asking around, or I found another kindergartner (with two older elementary student siblings) who will catch the bus at our same stop. Having a buddy can ease the anxiety for kids and Mom.
Follow that bus! My biggest fear about my daughter riding the bus is that she won't know where to move once she gets off (I'm sure the school has tons of staff directing the kids,but this one is still keeping me up at night). A few mom friends suggested to me that I follow Mae's bus on the first day, meeting her on the other side so we can both feel better about the transition from bus to school building.
Communicate with your kid. Admittedly, or even after all my Googling,I still occupy limited knowledge about nowadays's buses (effect they still not occupy seat belts? will a bully set gum in her hair like that one jerk did to me in seventh grade?), but I've tried to be open with my daughter about some of my concerns and questions while also trying not to scare her or dampen her bus enthusiasm. Talk to your kids about dealing with older kids, and listening to the bus driver,and asking for serve from grown-ups they trust. After that, we all just occupy to give them hugs, and cross our fingers,and let them ride!
Source: popsugar.com