How old does a child have to be to wait for a school bus alone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can't you just walk him to the stop?

I have a second younger child whose preschool starts at 9. I am not even sure what time the bus comes but I know it would be about 40 min earlier than when we need to be out the door.

So the family walks to the bus stop at 8:15, your 6 year old gets into the bus, and then you and your youngest walk back home and go to preschool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can't you just walk him to the stop?

I have a second younger child whose preschool starts at 9. I am not even sure what time the bus comes but I know it would be about 40 min earlier than when we need to be out the door.

So the family walks to the bus stop at 8:15, your 6 year old gets into the bus, and then you and your youngest walk back home and go to preschool.

OP finds this solution far to inconvenient for her. Poor kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Yes. They allowed their 6 year old to walk home from a park unsupervised and they got called out for breaking the supervision laws in their state (which they did in fact break because a 10 yr old can not supervise a 6 year old). So I have limited sympathy for them. I think these were the same folks who gave their kids those stupid "my kids are free range kids" cards to carry around- ugh.

They didn't break MD law, which was why the parents were never charged. The supervision law applies to when they are inside, not outside and not when walking outside.

Also children this same age are allowed according to MCPS to walk to school on their own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry if this has already been mentioned.


On the morning of Friday, May 25, 1979, six-year-old Etan Patz left his SoHo apartment by himself for the first time. He was to walk two blocks to catch the school bus, and he wore a blue captain hat, a blue shirt, blue jeans, and blue sneakers that day. He never reached the bus stop. When he did not come home when school ended, his mother called the police.

An intense search began that evening, using nearly 100 police officers and a team of bloodhounds. The search continued for weeks. At first, detectives considered the Patzs as possible suspects, but they quickly determined the parents had no involvement. A massive search involving neighbors and police covered the city with missing child posters featuring Patz's face, but resulted in few leads. Patz's father, Stan Patz, a professional photographer, used a collection of photographs he had taken of his son in the effort to find the missing boy. His photos of Etan were printed on countless missing child posters and milk cartons, and they were projected on screens in Times Square.

You had to go back to 1979 to find a case of this. Abductions by strangers are _extremely_ rare:
http://news.discovery.com/human/psychology/stranger-child-abductions-actually-very-rare-130514.htm

Your child is more likely to be killed by their parents at home than be abducted by a stranger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Yes. They allowed their 6 year old to walk home from a park unsupervised and they got called out for breaking the supervision laws in their state (which they did in fact break because a 10 yr old can not supervise a 6 year old). So I have limited sympathy for them. I think these were the same folks who gave their kids those stupid "my kids are free range kids" cards to carry around- ugh.

They didn't break MD law, which was why the parents were never charged. The supervision law applies to when they are inside, not outside and not when walking outside.

Also children this same age are allowed according to MCPS to walk to school on their own.

Well then I guess they are legally allowed to let their 3 year old to walk alone to preschool too...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can't you just walk him to the stop?

I have a second younger child whose preschool starts at 9. I am not even sure what time the bus comes but I know it would be about 40 min earlier than when we need to be out the door.

So the family walks to the bus stop at 8:15, your 6 year old gets into the bus, and then you and your youngest walk back home and go to preschool.

OP finds this solution far to inconvenient for her. Poor kids.

Um, so OP is suppose to rework her morning routine to cater to the whims of a 6 year old who wants (not needs) to ride the bus? Trying to get two kids out the door to catch a bus and then get the second kid ready for school and out the door a second time is a huge hassle and adds more drama than I would want in my morning. If I had to, I'd do it, and it would be fine...but to choose to make my morning more difficult because Johnny decides the bus is cooler than the car? Nope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Yes. They allowed their 6 year old to walk home from a park unsupervised and they got called out for breaking the supervision laws in their state (which they did in fact break because a 10 yr old can not supervise a 6 year old). So I have limited sympathy for them. I think these were the same folks who gave their kids those stupid "my kids are free range kids" cards to carry around- ugh.

They didn't break MD law, which was why the parents were never charged. The supervision law applies to when they are inside, not outside and not when walking outside.

Also children this same age are allowed according to MCPS to walk to school on their own.

Well then I guess they are legally allowed to let their 3 year old to walk alone to preschool too...

Huh?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People she doesn't feel like doing what she would need to do to accompany her kid to the bus stop!!! Why is that so hard to understand? It would disrupt her routine, which isn't worth it to her. Whatever. Fair enough.

OP here. Thank you. If my child's school start time changed or something else changed, I would change our routine. Our routine is fine the way it is. We live in a neighborhood with large yards and it would be a pain in the ass to walk past the 4 houses plus yards to get to the end of our cul de sac. The bus stop is just out of my vision from our window. I don't want to wake up my elementary school earlier just so he can hang out with his friends for 15 min on the bus ride to school.

Can you see if one of the neighbor kids or moms will pick him up on the way to the stop?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Yes. They allowed their 6 year old to walk home from a park unsupervised and they got called out for breaking the supervision laws in their state (which they did in fact break because a 10 yr old can not supervise a 6 year old). So I have limited sympathy for them. I think these were the same folks who gave their kids those stupid "my kids are free range kids" cards to carry around- ugh.

They didn't break MD law, which was why the parents were never charged. The supervision law applies to when they are inside, not outside and not when walking outside.

Also children this same age are allowed according to MCPS to walk to school on their own.

Well then I guess they are legally allowed to let their 3 year old to walk alone to preschool too...

Huh?

Suppose this was a 3 year old and a 6 year old walking home alone from that park. Is there a law on the books saying that is illegal? Serious question..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Who are the adults who are calling CPS? I would think that most people would mind their own business unless a child was truly in danger. This idea that neighbors run around reporting judgement that differs from their own is troubling. Who does that?

Have you heard of this case?

http://www.wjla.com/articles/2015/03/silver-spring-parents-charged-with-child-neglect-for-allowing-kids-to-walk-home-alone-112094.html

Yes. They allowed their 6 year old to walk home from a park unsupervised and they got called out for breaking the supervision laws in their state (which they did in fact break because a 10 yr old can not supervise a 6 year old). So I have limited sympathy for them. I think these were the same folks who gave their kids those stupid "my kids are free range kids" cards to carry around- ugh.

If I give my 16 year old a card that says "my child is a free spirit and can drive as fast as he wants to" does that mean that he can go 65 in a 25mph zone. Nope. You can't allow your kids to break the law. But you can work to change a law that you do not agree with.

They did not break the law, because the law does not say that.

Here is what the law says:

A person who is charged with the care of a child under the age of 8 years may not allow the child to be locked or confined in a dwelling, building, enclosure, or motor vehicle while the person charged is absent and the dwelling, building, enclosure, or motor vehicle is out of the sight of the person charged unless the person charged provides a reliable person at least 13 years old to remain with the child to protect the child.

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmStatutesText.aspx?article=gfl§ion=5-801&ext=html&session=2015RS&tab=subject5

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can't you just walk him to the stop?

I have a second younger child whose preschool starts at 9. I am not even sure what time the bus comes but I know it would be about 40 min earlier than when we need to be out the door.

So the family walks to the bus stop at 8:15, your 6 year old gets into the bus, and then you and your youngest walk back home and go to preschool.

OP finds this solution far to inconvenient for her. Poor kids.

Poor kids? Really? OP should do what she thinks is right that works for her, just as you should do what you think is right that works for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Suppose this was a 3 year old and a 6 year old walking home alone from that park. Is there a law on the books saying that is illegal? Serious question..

It's not explicitly illegal in Maryland, if it's walking outside:

"CPS officials have said they are guided in part by a state law that says children younger than 8 must be left with a reliable person who is at least 13. The law addresses children locked or confined in a building, dwelling, motor vehicle or other enclosed space, but does not mention children outdoors on a walk."

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/decision-in-free-range-case-does-not-end-debate-about-parenting-and-safety/2015/03/02/5a919454-c04d-11e4-ad5c-3b8ce89f1b89_story.html

However a general child neglect charge could be brought against the parents if warranted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Suppose this was a 3 year old and a 6 year old walking home alone from that park. Is there a law on the books saying that is illegal? Serious question..

It's not explicitly illegal in Maryland, if it's walking outside:

"CPS officials have said they are guided in part by a state law that says children younger than 8 must be left with a reliable person who is at least 13. The law addresses children locked or confined in a building, dwelling, motor vehicle or other enclosed space, but does not mention children outdoors on a walk."

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/decision-in-free-range-case-does-not-end-debate-about-parenting-and-safety/2015/03/02/5a919454-c04d-11e4-ad5c-3b8ce89f1b89_story.html

However a general child neglect charge could be brought against the parents if warranted.

So these parents absolutely could have been in legal hot water, they are just lucky that the charges were dropped. Hopefully that was a wake up call for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Suppose this was a 3 year old and a 6 year old walking home alone from that park. Is there a law on the books saying that is illegal? Serious question..

It's not explicitly illegal in Maryland, if it's walking outside:

"CPS officials have said they are guided in part by a state law that says children younger than 8 must be left with a reliable person who is at least 13. The law addresses children locked or confined in a building, dwelling, motor vehicle or other enclosed space, but does not mention children outdoors on a walk."

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/decision-in-free-range-case-does-not-end-debate-about-parenting-and-safety/2015/03/02/5a919454-c04d-11e4-ad5c-3b8ce89f1b89_story.html

However a general child neglect charge could be brought against the parents if warranted.

So these parents absolutely could have been in legal hot water, they are just lucky that the charges were dropped. Hopefully that was a wake up call for them.

The parents are in legal hot water. The charges were not dropped. The finding was "unsubstantiated child neglect" (whatever that is). Nonetheless, what they did is not illegal, because the law does not say anything about walking.

Would I do what they did? Probably not. Does that mean that they did a bad thing? Hell, no. They know their own kids better than I do, or you do, or CPS does. If they say that their kids are capable of walking home by themselves, I see no reason to doubt them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can't you just walk him to the stop?

I have a second younger child whose preschool starts at 9. I am not even sure what time the bus comes but I know it would be about 40 min earlier than when we need to be out the door.

So the family walks to the bus stop at 8:15, your 6 year old gets into the bus, and then you and your youngest walk back home and go to preschool.

OP finds this solution far to inconvenient for her. Poor kids.

Um, so OP is suppose to rework her morning routine to cater to the whims of a 6 year old who wants (not needs) to ride the bus? Trying to get two kids out the door to catch a bus and then get the second kid ready for school and out the door a second time is a huge hassle and adds more drama than I would want in my morning. If I had to, I'd do it, and it would be fine...but to choose to make my morning more difficult because Johnny decides the bus is cooler than the car? Nope.

You never do anything that's difficult or inconvenient because your kids wants to do something? Riding the school bus is a big deal for little kids. It's where their friends are. And it's not an unreasonable request or an unreasonable accommodation. I did it when my kids were little. I took the preschooler in the stroller, we waved goodbye to his big brother, then we went home, got in the car and went on our way to daycare/work. Now my younger one is a patrol who helps at the kiss and ride line. He needs to be at the school before the bus can get him there. It's a pain for me, and I had to rework my morning schedule to get him there but I do it, every day, because he really wanted to be a patrol. My oldest wants to play football, it requires me skipping my favorite gym class to get him to practice. I do it because it's what parents DO.