You can certainly do it but I am willing to bet that someone will call in and report your child being alone. Now imagine how scared your child is going to be when the cops roll up and start questioning her.

You will be labeled by other parents as "that parent who just dumps her kid at the bus stop and drives off".

How does your DD feel about this? Is she ok with it because you made her be ok with it? She could very well be scared out of her mind but not tell you. If an incident happens and you have already told her there is no other option for her to get to school and she has to do this, then she might very well never tell you about the incident in fear that you will be mad.

Maybe the preschool you selected just isn't going to work this year or maybe you need to explain to them that your child will be late everyday.

Or maybe there is a bus stop along your route to the preschool that picks up at a better time for you. Why not look into the routes of the other buses?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We've had a few incidents at DDs bus stops involving sexual predators targeting children who were alone. Fortunately the kids all told an adult who contacted police, but no way would I let DD arrive more than 5 minutes before pick up.

A few incidents? You've had multiple incidents? Where do you live? How old is your child?

Not the pp, but in North Arlington, there have been a few incidents over the years of suspected child predators acting inappropriate at playgrounds and other places. It wouldn't be enough that I wouldn't drop my child off at the bus stop a few minutes early when other kids are starting to gather as well, but I don't think I'd drop my child off at the bus stop 20 minutes early every single day without anyone around to keep an eye on what's happening, thereby creating a pattern that might catch someone's eye.

+1. I let my 8 year old walk to friends' houses and such, but I would be nervous about creating a pattern. We live in Bethesda and have had several instances over the past several years of sexual predators approaching children, so they are out there and looking for unattended kids. I would take my preschooler late or drop my ES child at school in the way to/from preschool.

Schedule some appointments later one morning so you can put your toddler in a stroller and walk your third grader to the bus stop. Find out who rides the bus as you are walking there.

If there are some parents there, you can ask them to keep an eye out for your kid. As your child makes friends, she'll probably find a bus buddy and maybe you can work something out. Tell her to get some phone numbers for play dates, etc.

Hopefully waiting 20 min at the bus stop will just be temp. and by the time it gets cold, she'll have some other options.

I wouldn't do it.

Yes, what happened to Jaycee Dugard was rare, but there have been predators spotted in the area -- including one, I believe, who was following a 6th grader at Chevy Chase or North Chevy Chase Elementary on the first day of school this year.

It's just not a good pattern to establish. Any chance that there's a college student living nearby who would do this as a job for you?

Anonymous wrote:

MCPS had 1 two-hour delay for "extreme cold" (after Starr left - it was Bowers who made the call). But all other days were on time and NONE resulted in school closings. And the days when the temp was 20 or 25, school was in session. But I wouldn't want my kid to stand outside in 25-degree weather for 20 minutes.

Fairfax closed on at least the first "extreme cold" day. I think they then decided they were going to be in school all summer if they kept closing, so they started going to school on delays.

In the winter of 2013-2014 (Polar Vortex winter 1), MCPS didn't close or delay any (compared to Fairfax) and people complained all over DCUM about it.

Oh my. That was most of the winter, in my childhood.

No, do not do this. I echo all the pps who said have your child stay at home and walk over at the correct time. If you are OK with her staying alone outside for 20 minutes why can't she stay home alone?

I think it's fine. Get the kid a cell phone just in case.

I'm OP. Thank you so much again for various advices and comments. I wish I had know someone in my neighborhood. I am new to this area, so I am still overwhelmed to know other moms and dads. Hopefully I'd like to have an acquaintance I can rely on.

Anonymous wrote:OMG! What if the bus doesn't show?!

This would be my only real concern. It will show, but it can be really late, like 40min late. That happened once at our stop. I like the idea another PP had for a kajeet phone. I have been just looking at that.

OMG! What if the bus doesn't show?!

Don't.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, but there were weeks when it was so bitterly cold that we had delays/closures on some days for cold. It's not like it went from too frigid for school to balmy and comfortable to frigid again on a day-to-day basis. We had entire weeks where it was extremely cold outside, some of those days so severely that school was delayed. On a week like that, I wouldn't want my child hanging out for 20 minutes with no options for shelter/warm-up, even on the regular-schedule days.

We did not have WEEKS when it was too cold to stand outside and wait for the bus. We had DAYS. And on most of those days, there was no school.

MCPS had 1 two-hour delay for "extreme cold" (after Starr left - it was Bowers who made the call). But all other days were on time and NONE resulted in school closings. And the days when the temp was 20 or 25, school was in session. But I wouldn't want my kid to stand outside in 25-degree weather for 20 minutes.

Fairfax closed on at least the first "extreme cold" day. I think they then decided they were going to be in school all summer if they kept closing, so they started going to school on delays.

In the winter of 2013-2014 (Polar Vortex winter 1), MCPS didn't close or delay any (compared to Fairfax) and people complained all over DCUM about it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two words for you, OP

Jaycee Dugard

Do you know why we remember Jaycee Dugard? Because a case like hers is very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very rare.

Do you remember that kid who died in a car wreck last week? How about that other kid who died in a car wreck last week? And that other kid who died in a car wreck last week? And that other kid who died in a car wreck last week? No? Why not? Probably because it's a such a common occurrence. And yet, chances are that you put your kid in the car and drive places multiple times a week. That's where the real risk is, and you subject your child to it routinely.

+1000

20 years ago kids normally walked to school, including in the rain and the cold. Crime rates have dropped since then. 8 year olds can stand outside for 20 minutes.

Anonymous wrote:Can you ask a family at the bus stop if you can drop DD off at their house and she can just read at their house and walk to the bus stop with them. Our neighbors have done that with us and it worked well.

This is a good idea. it doesn't even have to be everyday - just on days when it is raining or frigid. Return the favor with a gift card or other small gift. I wouldn't be surprised if one of the parents offer this to you.

Otherwise - your daughter will survive waiting 20 minutes. If it is raining, packer her an extra pair of socks, but I am sure she will have rain boots and umbrella.

If it is very cold, she will also be fine as long as she is dressed appropriately.

Anonymous wrote:Drop kid off at school, then take preschooler to school. Preschooler can be late.

The preschool may have a different opinion about this.