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

[Anonymous]

I would personally walk a 6 year old to/from the bus stop, even a half a block away. Older I would most likely stand at a window wear I could watch him coming/going.

[Anonymous]

^where

[Anonymous]

I think 6 is a bit young. I'd probably wait until 8. I admit I've never gotten over that 1980s movie with Judd Hirsch and kate nelligan, Without A Trace.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think 6 is a bit young. I'd probably wait until 8. I admit I've never gotten over that 1980s movie with Judd Hirsch and kate nelligan, Without A Trace.

Seriously, stuff like that gives you nightmares. A lot probably depends on the neighborhood, if there are friends at the bus stop, if it's still dark outside when he goes to the stop, and especially if I can SEE the stop from a window etc.

I let my kids walk half block to their friend's house when they were 6 (I watched them from our front yard) so maybe...but it depends.

[Anonymous]

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.

Right.

On the other hand, next year, when the child is in first grade, he will be allowed to walk by himself (if OP allows him), and then there will be no disrupted routine.

[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.

I would never let a child that young do that. Not for many years.

"Many" years? To walk half a block & wait for a school bus?? How many???

When I was in kindergarten I walked the 4 blocks to school by myself, as did all my classmates. It seems like a 6 year old should be perfectly capable of walking a half block to get on the bus.

[Anonymous]

Dear GOD OP. Get up BEFORE your children and shower. That way you can walk you child to the bus stop. It's safer. Why the hell would you risk it. If you simply won't get up earlier, then just keep your routine as is. I honestly would report a family for letting a 6 year old go to the bus stop alone. So many things can happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dear GOD OP. Get up BEFORE your children and shower. That way you can walk you child to the bus stop. It's safer. Why the hell would you risk it. If you simply won't get up earlier, then just keep your routine as is. I honestly would report a family for letting a 6 year old go to the bus stop alone. So many things can happen.

Stunt your own kids by helipoctoring if you want but please the rest of us reasonable parents' kids alone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dear GOD OP. Get up BEFORE your children and shower. That way you can walk you child to the bus stop. It's safer. Why the hell would you risk it. If you simply won't get up earlier, then just keep your routine as is. I honestly would report a family for letting a 6 year old go to the bus stop alone. So many things can happen.

I like waking up around 7:30. I usually have a cup of coffee and am making breakfast before kids wake up. Kids wake up on their own around 7:45. I shower while kids eat. Our routine works well for our family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dear GOD OP. Get up BEFORE your children and shower. That way you can walk you child to the bus stop. It's safer. Why the hell would you risk it. If you simply won't get up earlier, then just keep your routine as is. I honestly would report a family for letting a 6 year old go to the bus stop alone. So many things can happen.

Stunt your own kids by helipoctoring if you want but please the rest of us reasonable parents' kids alone.

You would report a family instead of, oh, I don't know TALKING to them? Do you care about the kid or about being right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dear GOD OP. Get up BEFORE your children and shower. That way you can walk you child to the bus stop. It's safer. Why the hell would you risk it. If you simply won't get up earlier, then just keep your routine as is. I honestly would report a family for letting a 6 year old go to the bus stop alone. So many things can happen.

By reporting parents for letting a 6-year-old walk HALF A BLOCK to the school bus stop in his own neighborhood, you'd further endangering kids who are actually being neglected & abused by unnecessarily diluting already strained CPS resources.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son just turned 6 and is currently in kindergarten. Currently I drive him to school every morning at kiss n ride. DS WANTS to take the bus in the morning. Just wondering if it is ok for him to walk half a block to the bus stop. I am not sure if I would even feel comfortable with it but I am wondering if there is some age cut off. We are in Fairfax County.

It isn't an age cut off. Kindergarteners need an adult at the bus stop for pick up and drop off. Next year, it will be fine. Why can't you walk to the bus stop with him?

Because she is lazy

OP here. I drive my kid to school everyday. In those 40 min, I would be showering and getting myself and younger child ready for preschool. If my kid can't go to the bus stop alone, I am going to continue to drive him at 8:40.

I am not a helicopter parent, but no way would I even let my second grader wait alone at the bus stop. So, if it is more important to you to sleep in and shower later instead of showering early, then you need to keep driving him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dear GOD OP. Get up BEFORE your children and shower. That way you can walk you child to the bus stop. It's safer. Why the hell would you risk it. If you simply won't get up earlier, then just keep your routine as is. I honestly would report a family for letting a 6 year old go to the bus stop alone. So many things can happen.

By reporting parents for letting a 6-year-old walk HALF A BLOCK to the school bus stop in his own neighborhood, you'd further endangering kids who are actually being neglected & abused by unnecessarily diluting already strained CPS resources.

This. Stay away from my kid and my parenting choices. Let CPS do their JOB instead of following up on complaints by busybodies. FFS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son just turned 6 and is currently in kindergarten. Currently I drive him to school every morning at kiss n ride. DS WANTS to take the bus in the morning. Just wondering if it is ok for him to walk half a block to the bus stop. I am not sure if I would even feel comfortable with it but I am wondering if there is some age cut off. We are in Fairfax County.

It isn't an age cut off. Kindergarteners need an adult at the bus stop for pick up and drop off. Next year, it will be fine. Why can't you walk to the bus stop with him?

Because she is lazy

OP here. I drive my kid to school everyday. In those 40 min, I would be showering and getting myself and younger child ready for preschool. If my kid can't go to the bus stop alone, I am going to continue to drive him at 8:40.

I am not a helicopter parent, but no way would I even let my second grader wait alone at the bus stop. So, if it is more important to you to sleep in and shower later instead of showering early, then you need to keep driving him.

OMG...the kid is a far greater risk riding in a car!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dear GOD OP. Get up BEFORE your children and shower. That way you can walk you child to the bus stop. It's safer. Why the hell would you risk it. If you simply won't get up earlier, then just keep your routine as is. I honestly would report a family for letting a 6 year old go to the bus stop alone. So many things can happen.

By reporting parents for letting a 6-year-old walk HALF A BLOCK to the school bus stop in his own neighborhood, you'd further endangering kids who are actually being neglected & abused by unnecessarily diluting already strained CPS resources.

This. Stay away from my kid and my parenting choices. Let CPS do their JOB instead of following up on complaints by busybodies. FFS.

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