What is up with the parents hanging at the bus stop?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools are community-based, our community is our neighborhood, I don’t understand what the problem is with wanting to socialize with your community members or neighbors. What I think is there a lot of uptight people here who self impose social rules that make zero sense. If do you want your kid to go to the bus stop on their own, then do it if you want to go and say hello do that.

Exactly. So much angst over bus stop routines.

NINE pages of angst.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it is bizarre. Also, these kids aren't learning basic things like how to walk down the street by themselves. Just another example of parents putting their own experience of being a parent above the needs of their children.

Agree. The bus stop shouldn’t be an opportunity for parents to socialize. It ruins the social dynamic of the kids. Bus stops are a great place for kids to be social with other kids they may not necessarily be friends with or socialize with at school, and talk candidly with each other. I have great memories of hanging out at the bus stop as a child from as early as kindergarten. Parents were never there. It was a blast. Even in bad weather, or buses running late, we had each other and made the best of it. Once in a blue moon, if it was a down pour, someone’s mom in a minivan might show up and we would all pile in. But this was a rare occurrence even for bad weather. Help your child dress appropriately and any weather shouldn’t be an issue. It is ok for them for be uncomfortable for a short time.

+1

It is amazing how these parents feel their socialization at the bus stop is more important than their own kid's independence and social skills.

YES TO THIS!!!!!!

+1

Agree. I remember reading an article about how shocked kids are when they watch old movies and shows.

Ralph is and Randy can walk to school without their mom? It is cold. Why aren’t they driven to school or idle in a minivan? There is snow on the ground. School should be cancelled.

Elliott can stay home sick alone? He and his friends can bike without a parent?

I can’t remember them all, but it was hilarious and eye opening how clingy we are to our kids.

I read that article and just tried to find it. ET would have never gotten home with helicopter parents. He would be dead. LOL!!!

I get that some parents rationalize some bonding time, but at a kid's bus stop? Really? How often are your kids without you when they are not in school. It seems like never for the kids in my neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Similar to this week's chatter about possibly postponing Halloween. Who the hell does that? Go out for an hour and come home, NBD.

[Anonymous]

OP, I think the parents just always being around their kids has just become so common now, people think they are being bad parents when they aren't. It is strange. This area is much much worse than the few other locations we have lived. A mom was arrested for letting her kids go to the park alone. Look it up. It was insane and many people on DCUM thought she should be. I had just moved her the year before and was shook. There is no way, I am letting my kids walk to the bus stop or park alone if it means I will have some lunatic dialing 911.

[Anonymous]

I don't trust other people with my kids. My instincts have been right about two moms and their daughters.
The one woman who was a free range mom and I would not leave my DS in her care.because she had a personality disorder. Her daughter is now turning tricks in Florida.

Another was a really going on about her daughter is so independent, how she lives alone with a male caretaker in Europe while Mom is working. Well, the male caretaker sexually abused the girl. Later when the DD was moved to this prestigious private girls school last word rhymes with Harms, she could not stop extolling the virtues of the lovely school. But her daughter got into a lot of trouble because she was taking money from boys for sexual acts.

Nope. Sorry. I have one DD and I do not think free range parenting is about the betterment of children. It is all about the convenience for parents. Not delegation of duties rather dereliction of duties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it is bizarre. Also, these kids aren't learning basic things like how to walk down the street by themselves. Just another example of parents putting their own experience of being a parent above the needs of their children.

Agree. The bus stop shouldn’t be an opportunity for parents to socialize. It ruins the social dynamic of the kids. Bus stops are a great place for kids to be social with other kids they may not necessarily be friends with or socialize with at school, and talk candidly with each other. I have great memories of hanging out at the bus stop as a child from as early as kindergarten. Parents were never there. It was a blast. Even in bad weather, or buses running late, we had each other and made the best of it. Once in a blue moon, if it was a down pour, someone’s mom in a minivan might show up and we would all pile in. But this was a rare occurrence even for bad weather. Help your child dress appropriately and any weather shouldn’t be an issue. It is ok for them for be uncomfortable for a short time.

+1

It is amazing how these parents feel their socialization at the bus stop is more important than their own kid's independence and social skills.

YES TO THIS!!!!!!

+1

Agree. I remember reading an article about how shocked kids are when they watch old movies and shows.

Ralph is and Randy can walk to school without their mom? It is cold. Why aren’t they driven to school or idle in a minivan? There is snow on the ground. School should be cancelled.

Elliott can stay home sick alone? He and his friends can bike without a parent?

I can’t remember them all, but it was hilarious and eye opening how clingy we are to our kids.

I read that article and just tried to find it. ET would have never gotten home with helicopter parents. He would be dead. LOL!!!

I get that some parents rationalize some bonding time, but at a kid's bus stop? Really? How often are your kids without you when they are not in school. It seems like never for the kids in my neighborhood.

We watched ET recently. I forgot they left drew barrymore home by herself, too. She was like 4. LOL!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our stop has 30 kids, most of them second grade or younger, so yeah, there's a lot of parents. Several of us do work from home and we do chat in the morning. Life is busy, this is time we know we'll be able to chat. It's nice.

Once my kid hits 4th grade or so I think she'll walk on her own. It's only about 8 townhouses away, and we can see the stop from our house. She does walk home by herself after school (with a small group who come home on the bus and walk this way).

An average child without issues should be able to do this in first grade. 8 townhouses and you can see the stop from your house, and she might be able to do it when she's 10?!? Jesus.

[Anonymous]

Oh boy. I walked with my son to the bus stop until he could drive because it was some of the only time we had together as he got older and busier. He is now a freshman in college abroad. He lives in an apartment with classmates, makes his own meals, got his phone set up, has traveled alone to several other countries all without speaking the language. Raising kids is not as simple as "you do this and that is the result" it is all variable and every family does what works for them or makes them happy. I did the same with my daughter who now drives and there are days I only see her for 30 minutes a day, I am glad we had those mornings together and so is she. How insecure do you have to be to criticize something like this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We live in a very busy urban neighborhood. Commuters cut through on our street, don't stop at stop signs, and fly around corners while trying to race to work on time, delivery drivers double park and block crosswalks, etc., etc. Complete disregard for those who actually live here. My 3rd grader doesn't walk anywhere on his own yet. No way. When out walking, I have close calls with drivers on a pretty regular basis. So, I walk my kid because of careless drivers. If some ridiculous, "free range" parent wants to criticize, feel free but it isn't going to stop me from walking him.

THIS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our stop has 30 kids, most of them second grade or younger, so yeah, there's a lot of parents. Several of us do work from home and we do chat in the morning. Life is busy, this is time we know we'll be able to chat. It's nice.

Once my kid hits 4th grade or so I think she'll walk on her own. It's only about 8 townhouses away, and we can see the stop from our house. She does walk home by herself after school (with a small group who come home on the bus and walk this way).

An average child without issues should be able to do this in first grade. 8 townhouses and you can see the stop from your house, and she might be able to do it when she's 10?!? Jesus.

We lived in a straight line from the bus stop when my kids were little. I could see them get off the bus and walk home. People would actually intercept them and bring them to their houses rather than let them walk home -- like THAT'S safe????

The patrols are pathetic, too. There is no point with all those parents around. When I was a kid the patrol was in charge. Now they just wear a belt.

[Anonymous]

OP, mind your own judgmental business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our stop has 30 kids, most of them second grade or younger, so yeah, there's a lot of parents. Several of us do work from home and we do chat in the morning. Life is busy, this is time we know we'll be able to chat. It's nice.

Once my kid hits 4th grade or so I think she'll walk on her own. It's only about 8 townhouses away, and we can see the stop from our house. She does walk home by herself after school (with a small group who come home on the bus and walk this way).

An average child without issues should be able to do this in first grade. 8 townhouses and you can see the stop from your house, and she might be able to do it when she's 10?!? Jesus.

I think it is like Munchausenq disorder. Parents need their kids to be dependent on them for a feeling of better mothering. Instead of parenting and teaching them to be productive confident people in society. It is debilitating.

[Anonymous]

Yes all of you are helicopter parents. The '70s '80s and '90s no parent did this. You are far too involved in your child's life. Let them walk to the bus stop alone, next thing you know you're sitting next to your kid at his first job interview. You parents are crazy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes all of you are helicopter parents. The '70s '80s and '90s no parent did this. You are far too involved in your child's life. Let them walk to the bus stop alone, next thing you know you're sitting next to your kid at his first job interview. You parents are crazy!

You dug up a 5 year old thread to say this? Get a life

[Anonymous]

This was typical in Annapolis. Nice way to meet neighbors