No, our bus comes a half an hour earlier than when we would need to leave when driving. We can actually leave to walk about 15 minutes after the bus arrives and make it in time. We are the closest stop to the school and it picks up at our stop first and then heads away from school. Since we have flexibility in the AM, we drive.

We have a DC with lots of anxiety issues but he was excited to ride the bus, so we put him on from day 1 - worked beautifully as he got the routine down and there were no thoughts about alternatives. The K kids sit immediately behind the driver the bus patrols (older elementary school kids) are very serious about observing those rules, at the school the teachers and aides a very focused on getting the kids where they need to be (even if you think your child is impulsive or what not, they have seen it all, believe me). Don't create a precedent by driving them day 1 because you only defer the "pain", if such is to be.

OP, what time does your school start and what time will the bus come in? Our school starts at 8:40 and I know we have a few students on the farther end of the boundary. The bus picks them up at 7:20. So unless your kid is an early riser, it can be tough on a five year old.

Our son had before- and after-care when he started Kindergarten, and took the bus back and forth to school and had no real problems.

On his first day, we considered skipping the afternoon bus and picking him immediately after school to see how it went, but we stopped ourselves. I thought it was more important to let him get used to the taking the bus back to his after-care on day 1, and not confuse him by picking him up. He was fine and enjoyed riding the bus.
Several months later, he did miss his bus one afternoon because he was not paying attention or too slow and had to stay in the front office until picked up.

Bus. Bus. Bus. Bus. Bus.

Avoid the traffic nightmares, encourage some independence/confidence building and let your child make friends.

Bus.

I'd sure give the bus a try. Most bus routes for elementary schools are not that far.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. Never wanted my kids to deal with the social scene on the bus. We drop off on our way to work. No biggie.

Can you elaborate. I have no idea what this means for a bus full with elementary school kids.

Np here. There can be a lot of bullying an teasing on busses, plus the social drama of who sits where etc

My daughter rode the bus on her first day of kindergarten and has ever since. We are at a new school now and my son has been riding the bus since his first day or pre-K. He is the littlest one on the bus

Don't clog the roads in front of the school. I walk my kids to school and the worst drivers are the parents dropping off their kids; they're in a hurry so the hell with the rest of us!!

My kids would LOVE to take the bus. It's part of growing up.

Anonymous wrote:

so everyone takes the bus- even if they live across the street. A parent/guardian may walk the children to school, but the children cannot walk to school alone (with very few exceptions for the students whose houses abut the school and do not have to walk on any road to get to school.)

Wow what a waste. Parents seriously can't walk their kids such a short distance to the school?

Most do, but they have to be there to do it. The children cannot cross alone.

I will also comment that after a full day of K, my dd was exhausted and sometimes fell asleep on the drive home in our car. I was glad for K that she didn't have to take the bus at the end of an exhausting day.

We haven't because of food allergies. There seems to be no good way at all for dd to have her epipen with her and a reliable adult to administer if necessary. Even her allergist said that he does not consider the school bus a safe environment for children with food allergies.

We live a 1/2 mile from the school. She (we) will walk.

Yes, from day 1 (well, day 2 - he stayed home with a fever day 1)

No, DC is part of the 7am club.