BTW there are other risks to standing around alone than just being kidnapped. I was really really young when I was first getting catcalls from men. Can you imagine? The fact that that even has to be on our radar is just disgusting. But... yep, there it is. There is also random groping, bullying, intimidating, generally being a dick, etc. Lots of possibilities that make me uncomfortable between "all's well" and "kidnapped."

I agree that the risk of driving is higher than the risk of waiting at a bus stop; however, for me, I would not be comfortable with doing that. I agree that setting up a pattern like that that a predator of whatever type might notice is not a great idea. Risks of a predator are low, why increase them? I'm confused as to why the child can't stay home until it's time to walk to the bus stop, when she could in theory walk with other kids who are also walking to the bus stop. Safety in numbers!

OP you seem like a reasonable person and I'm sure you'll figure out something that works for you.

I disagree that we only had frigid days, not weeks, however. We walk to school and I have a dog that needs walking multiple times a day; it was FRIGID for a long long time. Still, kids who are dressed appropriately and moving are fine.

On the flip side, I think our school's policy of not outdoor recess at 35 degrees is utterly ridiculous!

Anonymous wrote:Introduce yourself to the other families at your bus stop and make a bus stop contact list with everyone's phone numbers. Then you can ask if they will keep an eye out on your daughter while you take off. This way, you can leave as soon as one other family arrives. You might still be a bit late for preschool, but that's no big deal. You can also let the bus stop families know that in case the bus comes really late and they drive their child to school, it's ok for your daughter to hop into their car.

+1 I would not leave my child alone at a bus stop for 20 minutes in the morning.

How far away is the preschool? Can you drop at preschool and than drop off your older child at their school? If not, then I would do the above.

Introduce yourself to the other families at your bus stop and make a bus stop contact list with everyone's phone numbers. Then you can ask if they will keep an eye out on your daughter while you take off. This way, you can leave as soon as one other family arrives. You might still be a bit late for preschool, but that's no big deal. You can also let the bus stop families know that in case the bus comes really late and they drive their child to school, it's ok for your daughter to hop into their car.

Anonymous wrote: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.

People need to not call the police to report an 8-year-old standing at the school bus stop in the morning.

Notably, in Maryland, CPS has "clarified" that "Children playing outside or walking unsupervised does not meet the criteria for a CPS response absent specific information supporting the conclusion that the child has been harmed or is at substantial risk of harm if they continue to be unsupervised."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/state-seeks-to-clarify-views-about-young-children-walking-alone/2015/06/11/423ce72c-0b99-11e5-95fd-d580f1c5d44e_story.html

Anonymous wrote:

And its not that rare, there were at least a dozen kids who were held captive over the past 20 or so years. Fritzl family in Austria, Elizabeth Smart, the women in Cleveland, the list goes on and on and on and on and on, almost as boringly as you do.

How many kids died in car crashes in the world in the past 20 years or so? More than 650 children 12 and under were killed in crashes in 2011 alone in the US.

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.

Well you assume I'm someone who drives my kids a lot. I don't. We walk great distances instead of driving because we don't want to be fat and unhealthy like a lot of Americans we know who are unable to walk anywhere for all the time they spend in cars.

And its not that rare, there were at least a dozen kids who were held captive over the past 20 or so years. Fritzl family in Austria, Elizabeth Smart, the women in Cleveland, the list goes on and on and on and on and on, almost as boringly as you do.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would absolutely drop the kid off at preschool late. Are you paying for the preschool? All the more reason why they should be willing to accommodate you dropping the preschooler off late. At the very least, explain your situation to them - they will understand.

Preschool teacher here. I agree with this 100%. Getting older kids off to school safely should be the parent's priority; nothing we do in preschool is so important that it would warrant the need for a third grade sibling to stand at the bus stop alone for 20 minutes!!

Thank you. And the voice of reason arrives.

Anyone who considers leaving their kid out on a street corner for 20 mins every morning is asking for trouble.

Anonymous wrote:I would absolutely drop the kid off at preschool late. Are you paying for the preschool? All the more reason why they should be willing to accommodate you dropping the preschooler off late. At the very least, explain your situation to them - they will understand.

Preschool teacher here. I agree with this 100%. Getting older kids off to school safely should be the parent's priority; nothing we do in preschool is so important that it would warrant the need for a third grade sibling to stand at the bus stop alone for 20 minutes!!

I would absolutely drop the kid off at preschool late. Are you paying for the preschool? All the more reason why they should be willing to accommodate you dropping the preschooler off late. At the very least, explain your situation to them - they will understand.