Bus dropped off Kindergartners at bus stop when parent was not there

[Anonymous]

When my older daughter started K we were occasionally late to the bus stop (we have a lot of different family members doing pick up and I think each was late once in the first semester). The bus driver didn’t let her off, and would come back to our stop at the end of the route to see if we were there before taking her back to school. We have an awesome bus driver. But I also have a timid, rule-abiding kid who wouldn’t get off the bus if she didn’t see her person there at the stop. The one day I knew I wouldn’t make it and couldn’t reach a neighbor I called the school and had my kid released as a walker to a different friend I was able to reach by phone. Our office is really responsive, and I think the school is good at making sure the kids get on the right bus and/or do aftercare if that’s what they’re supposed to do. We have different schedules different days of the week and haven’t ever had a kid get on the bus when they should be going to aftercare. That’s the scariest scenario for me because they’d end up at home with no one there and both parents an hour away at work. Maybe we should give them keys just in case something like that happened. At least then they could get in the house and call us.

[Anonymous]

Practical question: if 10 kids get off at a stop and there are 10 parents waiting, is the bus driver really supposed to match each kid with a parent? This cannot work. I suspect that parents who are saying their bus driver waits are parents whose kids are the only ones at their stop or parents whose kids specifically say “Help, my mom isn’t here yet.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When my older daughter started K we were occasionally late to the bus stop (we have a lot of different family members doing pick up and I think each was late once in the first semester). The bus driver didn’t let her off, and would come back to our stop at the end of the route to see if we were there before taking her back to school. We have an awesome bus driver. But I also have a timid, rule-abiding kid who wouldn’t get off the bus if she didn’t see her person there at the stop. The one day I knew I wouldn’t make it and couldn’t reach a neighbor I called the school and had my kid released as a walker to a different friend I was able to reach by phone. Our office is really responsive, and I think the school is good at making sure the kids get on the right bus and/or do aftercare if that’s what they’re supposed to do. We have different schedules different days of the week and haven’t ever had a kid get on the bus when they should be going to aftercare. That’s the scariest scenario for me because they’d end up at home with no one there and both parents an hour away at work. Maybe we should give them keys just in case something like that happened. At least then they could get in the house and call us.

How does that work if the driver has a second route? Everyone else is late because you were not there on time and the driver had to circle back to your stop and then the school. And then was she supervised by the office at school until you got there? This was awesome for you but not so sure about the others involved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When my older daughter started K we were occasionally late to the bus stop (we have a lot of different family members doing pick up and I think each was late once in the first semester). The bus driver didn’t let her off, and would come back to our stop at the end of the route to see if we were there before taking her back to school. We have an awesome bus driver. But I also have a timid, rule-abiding kid who wouldn’t get off the bus if she didn’t see her person there at the stop. The one day I knew I wouldn’t make it and couldn’t reach a neighbor I called the school and had my kid released as a walker to a different friend I was able to reach by phone. Our office is really responsive, and I think the school is good at making sure the kids get on the right bus and/or do aftercare if that’s what they’re supposed to do. We have different schedules different days of the week and haven’t ever had a kid get on the bus when they should be going to aftercare. That’s the scariest scenario for me because they’d end up at home with no one there and both parents an hour away at work. Maybe we should give them keys just in case something like that happened. At least then they could get in the house and call us.

How does that work if the driver has a second route? Everyone else is late because you were not there on time and the driver had to circle back to your stop and then the school. And then was she supervised by the office at school until you got there? This was awesome for you but not so sure about the others involved.

We’ve always been at the stop when the bus circled back so didn’t pick her up at school. Only time we’ve had to pick her up at school is when she missed the bus altogether. We are a late start elementary so there’s no other school our driver has to get to after us. Our driver used to have 2 routes for our same school, and I think when she did she would circle back during the second route. The only reason there were two routes is because they couldn’t fit all the kids on one bus - it’s really the same neighborhood for both routes. Everything’s super close together and probably doesn’t add more than 1-2 minutes to the driver’s schedule. The whole route is probably within 2-3 miles of the school. My older daughter is now on a CES route that had to double back once because a kid was in the wrong place and yes, that day they were all super late getting home. It happens.

[Anonymous]

My Pre-K kid (age 4.5) who takes the bus could do it himself and honestly, I wish they would let him. It teaches independence and it's 2 blocks from our house on not busy streets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When my older daughter started K we were occasionally late to the bus stop (we have a lot of different family members doing pick up and I think each was late once in the first semester). The bus driver didn’t let her off, and would come back to our stop at the end of the route to see if we were there before taking her back to school. We have an awesome bus driver. But I also have a timid, rule-abiding kid who wouldn’t get off the bus if she didn’t see her person there at the stop. The one day I knew I wouldn’t make it and couldn’t reach a neighbor I called the school and had my kid released as a walker to a different friend I was able to reach by phone. Our office is really responsive, and I think the school is good at making sure the kids get on the right bus and/or do aftercare if that’s what they’re supposed to do. We have different schedules different days of the week and haven’t ever had a kid get on the bus when they should be going to aftercare. That’s the scariest scenario for me because they’d end up at home with no one there and both parents an hour away at work. Maybe we should give them keys just in case something like that happened. At least then they could get in the house and call us.

How does that work if the driver has a second route? Everyone else is late because you were not there on time and the driver had to circle back to your stop and then the school. And then was she supervised by the office at school until you got there? This was awesome for you but not so sure about the others involved.

We’ve always been at the stop when the bus circled back so didn’t pick her up at school. Only time we’ve had to pick her up at school is when she missed the bus altogether. We are a late start elementary so there’s no other school our driver has to get to after us. Our driver used to have 2 routes for our same school, and I think when she did she would circle back during the second route. The only reason there were two routes is because they couldn’t fit all the kids on one bus - it’s really the same neighborhood for both routes. Everything’s super close together and probably doesn’t add more than 1-2 minutes to the driver’s schedule. The whole route is probably within 2-3 miles of the school. My older daughter is now on a CES route that had to double back once because a kid was in the wrong place and yes, that day they were all super late getting home. It happens.

So you were only wasting the drivers time but clearly not feasible a widespread policy...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Practical question: if 10 kids get off at a stop and there are 10 parents waiting, is the bus driver really supposed to match each kid with a parent? This cannot work. I suspect that parents who are saying their bus driver waits are parents whose kids are the only ones at their stop or parents whose kids specifically say “Help, my mom isn’t here yet.”

You only match the Kindergartners. So 2 or 3?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’re mcps too. Last week a neighbor forgot about the half day, and the bus driver would not let the kindergartner and her second grade sibling off the bus until the parent was called and came for pick up.

What?? Why can't the second grader walk her and the sibling to her house. How stupid could an 8yr old be that they wouldn't know where their house is from the bus stop. Sorry, this is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m also in MCPS. I have a neighbor whose son accidentally got on the wrong bus as a first grader. When the bus entered our neighborhood, but deviated from our route, he decided that he’d better get off at the next stop and try to walk to his house. Unfortunately, he went in the wrong direction — away from his house. Luckily, when her son didn’t get off the bus, neighbor got in her car and headed to the school, and while driving there, she spotted her son walking along the sidewalk in our neighborhood. Understandably, neighbor was very upset that her son was allowed to get off a bus he’d never been on before (this wasn’t even at the beginning of the school year, when the driver may not know all the kids yet) without anyone there to meet him. She spoke with the bus depot and our principal and they basically felt that there was nothing that the driver could/should have done differently.

You need to do 2 things: make an arrangement with a neighbor at the bus stop that you will look out for each other’s kids, and teach your own kids that they need to speak up to the driver and get back on the bus if neither you nor your helpful neighbor is waiting there at the bus stop. The families at our bus stop have all become very friendly and we look out for each other. I have multiple people who I can text if I’m running late and I need someone to collect my kids and watch them for 5 minutes until I can get there, and they know I’d do the same for them.

That is scary..I would have had a panic attack if I were in that situation..After this, yes I think I will ask someone to text me..We have to drive 1/2 mile to the bus stop and most people usually sit in their cars and the kids get in (older kids) so we haven't formed any friendships, but sharing numbers wouldn't hurt..

Its a good thing the kids know the way home from bus stop since we often go for walks past the bus stop..

I also taught them a code word today after reading the article about a kid asking for a family code word when a guy tried to abduct her by saying her brother was in the hospital and to get in the vehicle..

And your crazy panic attack is exactly what is wrong with current parenting and putting crazy expectations on the school system instead of YOURSELF. Teaching a child what to do if you aren't at the bus stop, if you aren't home, if you get on the wrong bus, etc... (And no, it is not getting a cell phone to ES kids.). Parents spend so much time helicoptering little Johnny that they never teach how to be an independent little human being. Kids are so much more capable than you think. Give them some freaking breathing room to learn, fail, make mistakes, figure things, out, etc....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow. Crazy stuff in MC. Always have full ID info on your child, in case a kind person finds him/her.

Yes, please go get that FULL ID because kids ages 5 and older don't know their own name, the school they go to, their address, their parent's cell phone numbers.

I mean come on already. Parent your kids and stop treating them like toddlers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like you have the right back up plan in place. If you or the bus driver mess up. Your kids know how to get home. Walk the route with them a few times. How far is your house from the stop? Do they need to cross streets? Point out landmarks. If there is a neighbor you know, identify that house. That way if you weren't home and they walked home, they would know where to go.

This is called parenting vs helicoptering. Should have been done prior to school starting.

+1,000,000!!!!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

My 1st grader forgot he had an afterschool club, and there was no one at school to pick him up when he left. He was wandering the school athletic fields looking for me, until a neighbor spotted him, called me and I spoke to him and reminded him to go back in. I was initially irritated at the teacher and MCPS for letting him out when he has a school-run club indicated in his schedule, but at the end of the day, I don't think MCPS is required to check those things. So now, we discussed a bunch of scenarios of what to do in case things don't go to plan (find a teacher, he has my cell # memorized, etc.)

[Anonymous]

I hope y'all are getting these bus drivers Christmas presents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow. Crazy stuff in MC. Always have full ID info on your child, in case a kind person finds him/her.

Yes, please go get that FULL ID because kids ages 5 and older don't know their own name, the school they go to, their address, their parent's cell phone numbers.

I mean come on already. Parent your kids and stop treating them like toddlers.

I teach in a Title 1 school and there are plenty of kids who don't know their last names, the name of our school, their address or their parents' cell numbers. We have kids who are dropped off on the first day of school who don't know any of that info AND their parents haven't registered them yet. Yes, really. Some parents put their special ed kids on the bus with zero ID. Oh yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m also in MCPS. I have a neighbor whose son accidentally got on the wrong bus as a first grader. When the bus entered our neighborhood, but deviated from our route, he decided that he’d better get off at the next stop and try to walk to his house. Unfortunately, he went in the wrong direction — away from his house. Luckily, when her son didn’t get off the bus, neighbor got in her car and headed to the school, and while driving there, she spotted her son walking along the sidewalk in our neighborhood. Understandably, neighbor was very upset that her son was allowed to get off a bus he’d never been on before (this wasn’t even at the beginning of the school year, when the driver may not know all the kids yet) without anyone there to meet him. She spoke with the bus depot and our principal and they basically felt that there was nothing that the driver could/should have done differently.

You need to do 2 things: make an arrangement with a neighbor at the bus stop that you will look out for each other’s kids, and teach your own kids that they need to speak up to the driver and get back on the bus if neither you nor your helpful neighbor is waiting there at the bus stop. The families at our bus stop have all become very friendly and we look out for each other. I have multiple people who I can text if I’m running late and I need someone to collect my kids and watch them for 5 minutes until I can get there, and they know I’d do the same for them.

That is scary..I would have had a panic attack if I were in that situation..After this, yes I think I will ask someone to text me..We have to drive 1/2 mile to the bus stop and most people usually sit in their cars and the kids get in (older kids) so we haven't formed any friendships, but sharing numbers wouldn't hurt..

Its a good thing the kids know the way home from bus stop since we often go for walks past the bus stop..

I also taught them a code word today after reading the article about a kid asking for a family code word when a guy tried to abduct her by saying her brother was in the hospital and to get in the vehicle..

And your crazy panic attack is exactly what is wrong with current parenting and putting crazy expectations on the school system instead of YOURSELF. Teaching a child what to do if you aren't at the bus stop, if you aren't home, if you get on the wrong bus, etc... (And no, it is not getting a cell phone to ES kids.). Parents spend so much time helicoptering little Johnny that they never teach how to be an independent little human being. Kids are so much more capable than you think. Give them some freaking breathing room to learn, fail, make mistakes, figure things, out, etc....

Agree. The amount of parents here just pointing blame and not looking at themselves is astounding. How have you not played out variou scenarios with your kids before a situation occurs? Just terrible.