Do your kids walk to school, catch a ride with you, or ride the bus? to and from? Also curious on their ages?

I have a friend with a 7th grader and she has driven him to and from school every day since Kindergarten. She has a daughter at a different school that she drives to and from as well. It seems like it takes about 2 hours out of her day, if you total it up. I don't quite understand her logic about it but I really do try... it keeps her from getting a job, honestly seems to stress her out, she really has some anxiety about the bus... she's from California though. LOL. Local joke.

Busing is 'free' here and my kids (ages 10 and 13) have learned more about self-confidence, independence, and patience from riding the bus. Youngest just LOVES riding the bus and sometimes will even go so far as to get upset if I suggest he have a ride to school in the morning!

Here's what we do... 10yo has a 20 minute bus ride and 13yo has a 40 minute bus ride. I pick them up once a week or so. 13yo does get a ride in with dad in the morning because it buys him 30 minutes (6:30 pick up w/ bus) and it is a good time for him to spend with his dad since they get so little time together, sigh.


What does your family do? No flames, ok? Everyone has to do whatever works best for their family...

We live in a no bus area. Yes we have buses for some of the kids but most of the kids live within walking distance to all the schools,. grade, middle and high........ I think the School Boards walking distance is a bit far. Some of the kids walk a mile or so for school. My last son at home walks about 1/4 of a mile to catch the bus.He is now 17. I do not take him, I have to be at school way before he does, so he just walks. I think most of the parents take the kids to school.

I think it is good for kids to walk to school , if it is not that far. I think riding the bus is great for kids also, it keeps them healthy and with their friends also helps them to make more friends, along with independence. Yes there are bus horror stories but there is also horror stories with everything in life.

I think it depends on what works for each family, and what parents are willing to let go.

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When my oldest was in gade/middle school she took the bus. Once she reached High School, I often would give her a ride, mostly on the days that I subbed at the High School. Sometimes, her grandmother would give her a ride (we all live near each other). Once she got her license the problem was solved. My youngest daughter took the bus for the first few years she was in school. We started having problems when she entered 5th grade and moved up to the middle school. They all ride on the same bus as the High School Students and the younger students had trouble finding/keeping seats on the bus. Now, her grandmother takes her and her cousin most days, although she does often take the bus home after school. We only live about a half mile from the school, so its only a 10 minute ride. I work at the local High School and the kids often do get teased about riding the *loser cruiser*. I feel bad, because not all parents are in a position to take their kids to school everyday.

I work at my son's school. He still takes the bus to and from except on very bad weather days. He says he likes to socialize on the bus.

DD catches the bus at 7:15 - she has a 5 minutes ride. DS catches the bus at 7:45 - he has a 5 mintue ride. We live a few minutes from the school.

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My kids are seniors in HS, they like taking the bus even though it means that they have to get up an our earlier than if DH drove them. They also say it's their social time with friends.

DD rides the bus 9 miles to her high school and DS rides 6 miles to his middle school. Both schools have activity buses for after school sports, clubs, whatever. The high school leaves at two different times and the middle has one time they leave. Also during the summer they have a bus for sports conditioning and band and stuff.

DS is in Kindergarten and he takes the bus every day, he loves it and we have an awesome bus driver! Occasionally if there's a delay I have to drive DD to preschool before he goes and then I have to drive him to school because he misses the bus and he HATES it!

I think riding the bus is a great experience and a place where you meet kids who live near you and you can learn to deal with situations that you wouldn't have in school. I say that because we have a good bus though, a friend has a TERRIBLE bus driver and out of control kids so if I had that I might change my attutude.

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If you live in the city limits you have to pay to ride the bus. Don't know the exact price but it's close to a few hundred a year. They also don't drop the kids off at their house there are "bus stops" around town. So some kids still end up walking several blocks.


My kids are in 1st and 4th grade. When it's nice out they walk home pretty much everyday and sometimes walk to school. When it's cold, rainy or way to hot I'll pick them up. We're only about 6 blocks or so from the school so it's not to bad. They're usually walking with a big group of kids for over half the way.

We were always too close to get a bus, in elementary it was only a few blocks, but I would walk them to school and in middle and high school (just under a mile and a half, but no bus) I would drive them. Most kids did take the bus however and there were VERY few and far between walkers. It was safer to drive them. It all depends on where you live and your neighborhood, there isn't a blanket rule.

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Wow, thanks for giving me a place to vent about this!! WE have moved 3 times in 2 years. In AZ I had to drive the kids, but with the weather always beautiful, didn't mind a bit. My girls went to 2 different elementary schools (one was bullied, so we changed her school when she was suspended for defending herself) but round trip drive from home, schools, and back, was only about 15 minutes. In Idaho, we lived in the mountains, tons of snow, thank goodness they got a bus, occasionally I would pick them up or take them, and now in Kansas, I HAVE to pick up/take them everyday, not even an option for a bus!! I hate it. Told my DH I am not moving to an area that doesn't offer busing if it is cold there!! (Does that make sense?!)

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I have driven my two kids (8.5 and 6.5) since preschool and will do so until they drive themselves. We are currently in a school of choice so we don't have a bus option. Once we move to middle school and high school though, we are within walking distance (according to the schools) but there are too many major roads to cross and it's not biggie to simply drop them off. I too am from CA and even if we were in a bus area, I would still drive them. I remember the bus...shudder...and I hear stories from other parents whose kids DO take the bus and there is a lot of bullying. Some things never change I guess...

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Ok....Here goes

I have always driven my kids to school, and picked them up......They have the option to ride the bus where we live, but I do not allow it. They sit 3 to seat, sometimes with people still standing, we have had so many fights on the buses it's ridiculous, with people who aren't in the fight getting hurt because of the crowding....Buses are never on time, and the Special Ed bus runs at a completely different time, then the other two buses the kids would have to take....I like taking them to school, and I really love picking them up, I get to touch base with their teachers daily! I know about things before they become problems, and I get to hear about things that are fantaastic that may be forgotten by conference time. My kids right now are split between two schools, and it takes about 2 hours total out of my day (dropping off and picking up) I wouldn't change it for the world! But in all honesty the biggest reason I do it, is because when I was a kid, I never saw my parents until dinner time, and then for just a few minutes, I do it because they know I am there!

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I live within eye sight of the elementary school, I have a 4th grader and one starting school next year. I watch them til the end of the road where then their watched by 2 crossing guards and the business owners <really small town> to help them cross the street to get to school. my teen walks to and from unless it's pouring rain or snowing then I'll pick him up, his school is 4-5 blocks away. no options for busing, most schools i think have the 1 mile radius for walkers

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My son walked k-5, gramma walked him until 4th when he had a fit, but he walked right by my work so i would see him walk by. He's a senior now and has ridden the bus since then. he gets picked up at 7 for about a 15 minute ride. sometimes i'll pick him up from school if we need to be somewhere.He's always liked the bus

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I always drove my kids up until November of last year. They went to a private school and a bus was not an option. Now they go to a public school and ride the bus. Their school is less than 5 miles away. I like them riding the bus. Their school at the elementary level has many incentives to behave on the bus. The bus driver picks 5 kids each month, and they get to leave class for about 20 minutes on one Friday a month to play board games with the bus drivers. My son got to do that this month and he loved it.

They also got a pencil given out to each child that stayed sitting forward during their entire bus ride, it was a goal that was set one week for the kids.

Each bus driver also had a time where at school all the kids on their bus and also the school administration sat down and talked about bus rules and gave the kids a chance to talk and ask questions. They also have assigned seats at all age levels on their buses.

I do walk my daughter out every morning and wait with her for the bus, she is 12. She catches it at the corner, 2 houses away. My sons bus picks him up in front of our house. He watches out the window, and when she passes our house, to go down the street and turnaround he walks out and then she picks him up.

So far I have been really happy with them taking the bus and how the schools are really proactive in trying to prevent problems.

All 3 of my kids ride the bus. My oldest, who's a jr this year, sometimes will get rides with friends to & from school.
Last year when my youngest was in kindy I drove her to & from school. They only went 1/2 days and had NO supervision for the kids waiting OUTSIDE the school waiting to be left in. I was the only adult there and sometimes we would be standing outside for a good 15 mins before a teacher would open the doors. The kids stood outside no matter what the weather. If it was bad out we would sit in the car until someone opened the door for the kids.
This year she rides with her older brother who watches out for her but this is his last year at Elementary school. Next year I'll have 3 kids in 3 different schools.
Dh says the youngest can continue to ride the bus but I'm not sure if I want my "baby" on the bus without one of her siblings there to watch over her. I'm a bit over protective

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I live in CA and there are no buses for our school unless your child is in special ed. Many people choose to drive their children because they have to cross busy streets or live a mile or more away. On the end of my street there is a convicted child molester so many people don't want their children walking by his house. So if this mother feels better driving her children that is up to her. My 11 year old dd walks with two of her friends. The child molester is on the other end of our street so she does not have to come close to his house. My 12 year old son does not want to walk with girls (in a few years he will be glad to lol) so I drive him. We are only a few blocks away and he should really walk, but I enjoy talking to the other mothers while I wait for him to get out.

I have to drive dd back and forth to school. She's not able to be bussed (we miss the distance by less than 1/4 mile). No sidewalks for her to walk. I spend one hour every day taking her back and forth. It's really annoying.

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I drove my daughter til she was in the 4th grade. She went to a school that was out of district, so they didn't offer the bus. I drove my son for K, but he is riding the bus this year. Both kids get on the bus in front of the house, and it's less than a few miles to the school.

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We've done both and I think its on a case by case basis. My kids would ride an hour in the morning and the afternoon, so we compromise and I take them in the mornins so they can sleep later, and they ride the bus in the afternoon. I used to drive both ways but my gas budget couldn't take it, and it's a pain to get my little one up from nap to go get them, but quite honestly i miss the time right after school when they tell me all about their day, For some reason after an hour bus ride they don't feel like talking as much as they used to when I picked them up and I've got to drag the info out of them Plus my kindergartener has learned some colorful language too. I feel bad for bus drivers ... I wish they had aides on the buses because it's a big enough job just driving that big ol' thing without having to discipline kids too so things get sometimes a little rowdy on the bus, I think.

DS1 drives to school since he got his license and car at the beginning of his junior year. Before that he took the bus. DS2 takes the bus nearly every day. I have driven both of them on occasion when they had a project or a gift or snack or something to bring in, or when they were running late and had missed the bus. Personally, I can't stand it that so many parents drive their kids to school everyday. It creates such a traffic jam near/at the school and creates a safety hazard, imo. I feel bad that the principal is out there everyday directing the parent car traffic.

Slightly off-topic, but do other people pay for bus transportation? We do. I think that has contributed to the parent bus situation.

cj/

ETA: DS1 goes to a private high school that is in town. The town has to provide bus transportation to town residents who opt to attend private schools for the same fee that they charge the kids who attend the public school. However, they put all the private/parochial school kids on the same bus and it takes forever to get to/from school because they stop at so many schools. DS1 was frequently late - not his fault, but didn't go over well with the Dean. His HS is pretty strict.

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We don't pay for bus transportation. If my dd could go on the bus she would. We have no choice but to drive her. Along with hundreds of others.

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The "Loser Cruiser"??? Sad. Do people realize that if every high school kid would stop driving their car to school and take school bus transportation and parents would stop going out of their way to take their kids to school and let their kids ride the school bus that so much gas would be saved?? Not to say about pollution caused by all the extra vehicles on the road (and wrecks). Our local high schools parking lots are packed with every teen driver's car. The roads going to the schools are clogged every morning because parents are dropping off their kids or kids are driving their cars trying to get in the parking lots. IMO, it's gotten totally out of hand.

Our taxes in Virginia pay for these school buses to pick up these kids.

So many of the people on these boards complain about our environment, gas emissions, pollution, etc. How about letting your child ride the bus -- that would help! (that is, if your area has buses to bus your children).

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My kids ride the bus, I HATE HATE HATE driving them in if I don't have to. They've been late pretty much every time I do because by the time they came home from the bus stop after missing it, we simply could not make it from point A to point B before the cutoff time. Last time, I tried getting them to go to the school from the back of the parking lot, only to have them escorted back saying they couldnt' do that without a parent (and they were at the front of the school at the time). The traffic is what takes so much time, I can get to the road the school is on with plenty of time but then we sit there waiting on the turn light and for the traffic in the school lot to allow us to turn in, then sit and wait for cars to unload and the traffic guy to let cars in and out (since they've re-routed the parking lot so that cars going both directions are using the same one-way strip of road)

ETA I forgot to mention that when I turn onto the road the school is on I'm usually sitting at the very end of it, and have to wait until those ahead of me either get into the tiny turn lane to go into the school or manage to get by those waiting to continue on that road.. I end up pulling as close to the yellow line as possible so I'm not blocking more people from getting by.

Cuthie, my 2 youngest boys are 10 and 13 and also enjoy riding the bus. It's a socialization thing. We live 2 miles from the 5th grader's elementary school, and about 4.5 miles from the 8th grader's middle school. My oldest ds, now on his 2nd tour of duty in Iraq was also a bus rider. All three were car riders in kindergarten, because around here they are not allowed to ride the bus until 1st grade.

we live on top of a mountain, and the bus will not come up to pick up students. The students have to walk to the bottom of the mountain..there are bear, bob cats, wild turkeys, and snakes on this route..Plus,, in the winter, it is icy and very dark. I will not allow my son to walk the mountain road. I drive him. It is expensive, but what can I do ? Some parents drive the kids to the bottom of the mountain and sit in the car, but to me it is just easier to drive him on to the 3 miles to school.

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Oldest has always rode the bus- hers is a special needs bus though - it picks her up at the house. My 10 yr old either rides her bike or I drive her to school. We aren't in the bus pickup zone. On most of the days I drive her- she walks home if the weather is nice.

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We live 2 blocks from school, so no bus, but I do drive her to and from everyday. Mainly because she has so much to carry, her back pack weighs a ton and alot of times she has sports equipment to carry. Plus it is pretty cold here in the mornings in winter, wind chills in the teens alot. We live in a small town, so all the kids ride the same buses pre-k through 12th grade.

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I posted before but I wanted to add....I did not always enjoy driving my kids, gee it was cold, or I was tired, etc. but now that they are grown, I have no regrets. I have a tight lasting relationship with each of them that was forged through the mundane tasks of life. Each trip could bring special talks, an unexpected trip to a coffee shop or McDonalds (depending on their age, lol), revealed secrets, tears, or laughter. It was those little things done daily that at the time might have seemed tiresome, that in the end were important ways that were ways to show love, perseverance, selflessness.

I'm glad I rocked them to sleep, hugged them when they cried, went to every game, or play or special day. They are memories that I treasure. Was it easy? No, but worth every minute.

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DS, 16 1/2, either walks, rides with friends or I take him when it's cold. He walks home or a friend brings him home. He only has his permit so he can't drive himself. DS, 13, walks everyday both ways. We only live about 5 houses from the school so it's not far at all.

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I take and pick up my child every day and I like it. First, he's in elementary school and only children in our neighborhood go to this elementary school, so buses aren't even an option. Secondly, I had a bad experience on a bus when I was in junior high, so I will choose not to have my child ride the bus. Thankfully, we've had that option. When I can't pick him up, my dad lives close enough that he can.

The good thing is that we all have a choice. I'm happy that those of you who choose to send your children on the buses have that option just as I have the option to drive my child.

FYI - we also make it a point to arrive early because I don't like the traffic jams either.

Kim

My teenage children have to ride the bus to school. My kids are subject to witnessing such illegal activity as drugs, smoking and have to listen to crude and nasty language while on their 15 minute ride home. We have complained no less than three times, the offenders have been suspended from the bus for a short time and let back on to continue above activity. Wish I could provide them with a ride home.

I drive mine to and form school EVERY day. They are in charter school and busing is limited. My son tried the bus in 1st grade and vomited all over. That was the end of the bus for him. He is now in 6th grade and just started taking the bus on field trips. My daughter would ride it if I would let her. She is in 1st grade. Maybe next year when they are in different schools she will get to ride the bus.

In elementary, I drove them both ways. But then we moved to a new neighborhood and school district and they begged to ride the bus!! They rode it until they started driving, and loved it. It was a social occasion!!

My DH never rode a school bus. I only rode a school bus during high school and had the worst experience (kids smoking, bus driver like Otto from the Simpsons). So, when it came time for first DD to ride the bus, we decided to keep her in a private school for Kindergarten so we could driver her to and from school. We switched her to public school for first grade where she started riding the bus. How lucky for us that we have the best bus driver in the district! She really takes care of the kids, knows them all by name, has assigned seats, doesn't tolerate talking, etc. When DS started school for Pre-K, we had no qualms in letting him ride the bus. It's been an outstanding experience for us. I wouldn't dream of driving my kids to school. And, like CJ, I can't stand when parents drive their kids to school. I see one family drive by every morning on their way to taking the kids to school when we are waiting for the bus, and I think to myself - what a waste of time and gas. Not to mention the irritation it causes the school at drop off.

My kids, (11 & 8) ride the bus nearly everyday. There are exceptions...dentist appointments, waking up late, school activity where a parent needs to be there from the beginning of school anyway, etc.

When my DD was in 1st grade, there was an issue with the bus driver, and that driver didn't last long. When parents phone in to the bus depot, they listen. All of the bus drivers are parents within the district, so it makes it nice that we can count on each other in that way.

Each of the grade levels on our route has a different bus: k-5, 6-9 and 10-12 so that helps with the things the kids may be learning.

I do agree that when I pick the kids up after school, the headache is awful...I have seen many accidents in the parking lot. Parents (in general) are not paying attention and should be.

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We have NO sidewalks in town, so every child is on a bus route. The primary and elementary schools in our town really try to discourage parents from dropping off/picking up - so many parents' cars, and not enough spaces in the parking lots.

When I do pick up my kids, it's a hassle, but I am glad for the extra time - lots of times I get to hear more about the school day than I would have if I waited until they got home on the bus -- by then, their school day seems like a distant memory! LOL.

When I don't pick them up, and let them take the bus home, they get to unwind and socialize w/friends. That seems like a good thing for now (the school-aged kids are still not in middle school), since the school day is very structured, and there isn't a lot of down time.

My son is grown and out of the house. When he was growing up he walked or rode his bike to elementary and walked to middle school.
When he was in high school we had moved so he walked a good half a mile or so to the city bus stop and took the bus. When my work schedule allowed it I would either give a ride or pick him up but I felt it was important for both his physical health as well as his social development to walk at least one way with his friends and the other kids.

I must add that there were no dangerous roads or neighborhoods for him to cross or walk through that would have made a huge difference.

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We live 1/2 mile away from school so arent't eligible for bussing (have to live over 2 miles). However my city is only 5 square miles with 5 elementary schools so not many non special needs kids ride the bus. We have school choice but if I put my children into a school further away we would have to leave the house before 7 and go half way to school to get the bus which takes an hour for some reason. Right now I dont have a car so we walk at 8am to get there at 8:15. I do have a neighbor that will give dd a ride in bad weather and I walk the girls in nice weather. Honestly if I walk down my hill to the bus stop and wait for the public transportation bus we might as well walk all the way to school. We have sidewalks, a crossing guard for the one big street etc. My dd is 7 in second grade so I will not allow her to walk to/from school alone yet. When I pick dd up we are home within 15 minutes of leaving but in nice weather often stay at the playground for a while. I have never lived far enough away from school to be eligible for school bussing so field trips was a special treat for me on the bus. The school is k-8 and if we are here for high school dd will take regular public transportation bus to/from school about 2 miles away. At today's prices it would cost $40 a month for a bus pass for an adult but I think the school has a half price pass so $20 per month $200 per school year.