Should my 4 year old ride a bus to preschool?

Question

My son just got eligble for special services of speech, development, etc within a wonderul integrated pre-school starting in September for 4 mornings a week. I do work part time during those very hours so it would be helpful if he could ride the bus. The bus is just for pre-schoolers, has a monitor in addtion to the bus driver and would take him right to our house where my babysitter would be waiting. However, I am a bit nervous of my son riding on a bus at such a young age. I haven't made any decisions yet but am interested in seeing perhaps what other parents have done. Thanks!

Answer 1

This is a very scarey subject for all parents.  My son is four and will be starting Kindergarten  in the fall and I am also worried about him riding the bus.  I still don't know whether I will let him or not.  Since your child will be riding a special centers bus I would probably check with the center to see what there record looks like.  Wrecks, tickets and especially for any incidents of children being left onboard.  Ask them what there system is for making sure that no child is left on the bus.  They may also have a security system installed that allows the inside of the bus to be monitored.

Answer 2

no, kids might pick on him alot. because i was that age and rode the bus and i got picked on alot.

Answer 3

i have worked with early childhood kids and they all rode the bus some from the age of 3.  there will be an aide i would assume as well as everything else.  the bus will get only the kids in the program as well.  i know it is hard to let your little one go off on their own with people you don't really know.  just remember those people are doing their jobs and wouldn't do it unless they have the love of the job and passed back ground checks.  it is also better for the children to be dropped off by the bus rather than their parent.  it helps with separation anxiety

Answer 4

As a preschool teacher for children with special needs, many of the kids in my class ride the bus to school.  I think there are a few factors to consider.  One...how long is the ride?  If it's 30 min or so, I think that's okay, but some of my kids are on the bus for nearly an hour and it can cause problems.  I've never had kids get hurt or injured or anything like that and from my experience, the drivers are all safe and pretty good.  Not all of the divers are great and some are kind of bad, but I have never felt like the kids were in danger or anything like that.  You may also want to look into how many kids are on the bus...if it's a smaller number, that's a little easier for the kids and the driver.  Finally, if his classmates are riding, he may want to ride as well.  He may want to sit by one of his friends, etc.  Most busses will allow the parent to ride with the child, so you may want to do this the first time to get a feel for the length of the ride, the number of children, and the general atmosphere and vibe on the bus.  Overall, though, I would say most kids really like the bus and that it is a safe way to transport kids to the classroom and back home or to daycare.  One thing to keep in mind is that it may be a bit easier for your son to separate from you by taking a bus...if you take him to school, it can be hard for the child (and the parent!) to say goodbye.  The bus sort of eliminates that struggle.  I know it's seems odd to place preschool children on busses, and I'm always surprised by how willingly parents put them on the bus...I don't think there is a wrong decision here...whatever you chose will be just fine.  Also, know that once the bus is in place, it doesn't stop you at all from transporting him yourself on 'special' days.  You can still always bring him to school or pick him up.  Just let the bus folks and the classroom know.  Good luck!

Answer 5

If he is ready and of course you are too, then let him try it for a few days. If it dosn't work out then find other arrangements. If the bus is only for preschoolers then most on the bus should be around the same age, so he should be alright.

Answer 6

How comfortable is he with this? Does he want to ride the bus? You have to learn to let go of your fears, or he'll be afraid, children pick up on that stuff quickly.

Answer 7

My second child rode the bus to preschool at three, we only had one car at the time so I did not have much of a choice. The first two weeks he cried, which he probably would have done at drop off, but after that it was fine. He thought it was great to ride the bus to school, just like his big brother. You will most likely have to put him on the bus when he starts kindergarten so why not start now.

Answer 8

My son rode the bus when he was 3.. that is when he started Prep. He loved it. He thought he was a big kid and thought it was cool that he got to ride on a bus. I think it was a good experience for him. I was nervous at first, but they had seat belts, a monitor and dropped him off and picked him up right in front of our house. They would only let him off when I came outside and they could see that it was me and that I was there. I would say.. give it a try!!

Answer 9

No, he's too young to ride in a bus. He'll star crying if you leave him alone and if you aren't there.

Answer 10

Yes! let your son ride the bus!

I drive school buses, but not pre-school routes.

But I can tell you that most districts have very qualified, very supportive drivers and helpers who make riding the bus a very positive experience.

Riding the bus is safer than walking or being driven by you. Mostly you see the number 300% safer, but that really means just 3 times safer. But consider that in my state, Ohio, there has not been a death on a school bus for over twenty years!

Riding the bus is more affordable and Eco-friendly. Where I am, gas is $3.18 a gallon. And buses are free.

Also, kids like riding the bus. Sure, he might be scared at first, but once he's used to it (after a week or so) he will be "BMOschoolbus."

Occasionally I hear or read about people who have had bad experiences on the school bus, but it is pretty rare.

I say let him Ride!

Answer 11

My son has been riding the bus for a yr now through the school district. It has been very safe they pick up/dropoff only to me or Dh at the door. There is a monitor and driver on a bus and only 16 kids.

I was really scared at first too. What you are feelign is perfectly normal.