Should I let my child take the bus???

Question

It will require him to ride it for 45 minutes in the morning and in the afternoon, to go on about a 5 minute car ride. This is the route, and it is what it is. He wants to ride it but it will make his day start out at the bus at 8:15 and he won't be home until 4:15, or, if we took our car, we could leave our house at 9 and be home by 3:30. I am going to let him ride it and see if he likes it and learn the procedure but isn't this an awfully long day for a Kindergartener? What do you think?

Answer 1

I took the bus at that age.It didn't kill me.

Answer 2

drive him

Answer 3

I would say take him to school in the morning, and let him take the bus home in the afternoon.  This way, you can be home and waiting for him when he gets home, and you can be sure he gets home okay!  

Answer 4

No, not a kindergartener.  A 5-minute car ride - isn't that at most a 15 minute walk? I'd walk him.

I'm sure he's asking to ride the bus because he thinks it will be fun, but this isn't a decision I would leave up to a 5-year-old.  

Answer 5

That's far too long for a kindergartener to be on a bus. If it's possible you should drive him yourself, or do a carpool with some of his friends' parents.

Answer 6

If you are comfortable with his safety then let him try - if it's too long of a day for him you'll know it soon enough. I would tell him to sit in the front of the bus if I were you.

Answer 7

Yeah a 45 minute ride for a k-gartener is a little long. If your able to id deff drive him

Answer 8

His day is longer than mines and im in middle school...if you just take him and pick him up you could save about an hour of time..

and on the bus 5th graders think they run stuff so they may be mean to your child..

Answer 9

let him try it and see what works best for both of you  

Answer 10

I drive my kids ..the buses are aweful violent ..you have pervert kids , bad mouth kids..bus drivers dont care

Answer 11

I had the same problem with my son when he went into Kindergarten. Only, he had to catch the bus at 7am..talk about early. We are used to it now, but it is way too early for him. So, I'm gonna say let him ride the bus...if my son can get up at 6:15, get the bus at 7am and get to school at 7:45...then anybody's kid can get the bus at 8:15. We have an 8pm bed time because of the early start and sometimes it gets moved to 7:30 if he's realy tired. Let him ride!!

Answer 12

He probably wants the thrill of being able to ride a bus. Let him do it for a week or so, and if he responds well in school and at home to the 45 min. ride (i.e. his routine and behavior isn't really affected by this long ride) and he wants to continue it then go for it. But most likely, he'll figure out for himself that he'd much rather take a 5 min. car ride with you then the 45 min. bus ride. But if you don't give him a chance to figure that out for himself (i.e. letting him go on the bus for a week) he'll forever bother you about not being able to ride the bus.

Answer 13

Let your child have some say in the matter.  If he likes riding the bus he may want to ride it for the social aspect.  It is a long ride, maybe have it do it a couple times a week to prepare him for when he does begin riding it daily.