Long story short, we live literally across the street from the cutoff for bussing to our middle school. It’s a trek, but doable in the warmer months. Over the winter, especially on dreary days, I made it a habit of picking her up from school. It’s an ordeal and not easy by any means. It involves inevitably getting stuck at a light for a few cycles, waiting in line, etc. She could walk faster. But I digress.
Now that it’s warmer, she’s been walking, but she hates it. She will text me, “Mom! Mom! I’m so hot/I’m so cold/I got my period/I have to poop/etc etc, please pick me up!” I don’t, I don’t even respond, but I’m tired of the texts and then the attitude once she gets home. Just ignore? Implement a punishment for annoyance and grouchiness? Is it summer yet? |
How close is the bus stop to you since you’re just a block from the cut off?
Can she take the bus? |
Start how you intend to finish. They can walk in the winter. It's not that bad around here in the winter.
And yep, I have a kid who walks about a mile home from middle school every day no matter the weather. Extreme pouring rain is my only exception. |
Tell her every time she asks, that buys her another week that you won’t pick her up or drop her off. |
Before middle school we made the distance cutoff, but not now. Everything changed after Covid and they assign seats, so no, we couldn’t even if we wanted her to. |
Then you really need to have her walk and tell her you can’t pick her up. I’m curious what school district you live in that still has assigned seats? |
I would just drive her if I could. I don’t believe walking a mile to school is a necessary part of education. |
most parents drive their kids to school through high school |
Do you work from home? If so, tell her you can't interrupt your work day any longer. If not, pick her up. |
How can you be zoned for the middle school but not zoned for busing? |
Do you think the people who live across the street from the school bus? One block from the school? Two? This is a weird question. |
You do realize there is a cutoff for bussing, right? We live across the street from the cutoff. |
MCPS has a 1.5 or 2 mile radius for walkers in middle school. We are walkers at about one mile from school. |
OP here. I think this is part of the problem, too. I do drive her in the AM. In the winter it was SO DARK and she has to traverse a really dangerous intersection where kids have been hit on more than one occasion. I think this is the problem. She just assumes I don’t mind doing it. |
Do you work from home? Can you pick her up occasionally? My son walks 75% of the time but I will pick him up if it’s super hot or he is especially tired or has to poop. I explained that it was a rare treat and he should choose wisely when he really really wants a ride. And there are days neither DH or I is at home and we just cannot get him.
Could she ride a bike? |