Last year, my son entered Kindergarten and began taking the bus. He was so excited about it, partially because I hyped it up and partially because he’s always loved buses. This summer, I realized how much I missed the bus, as well as how much I hated the hassle of figuring out when and who is going to drop him off and pick him up from camp. With school starting up again, I’m so glad to have the bus back in our lives. Here are a few of my favorite reasons for why we should all take advantage and put our kids on the bus this Fall.
1. You’re already paying for it, whether you choose to use it or not.
We all pay taxes, some of which go toward our school systems and paying our bus drivers. As the ever-frugal person that I am, if I’m paying for it anyway, I might as well use it!
2. You don’t have to wait in line to drop off/pick up your kid.
Come on, we all know that the drop off/pick up line is LONG, unless you time it right or are just lucky. The ABC show, “What Would You Do?” recently reported that the average American spends about 118 hours per year waiting in line. That’s crazy! When I used to drop my son off at preschool (which also happens to be his K-5 elementary school), I remember the lull in the line at about 8:05 a.m. Any earlier, you’re sitting in your idling car waiting for the door to open; any later, and you’re stuck with all the other parents trying to drop their kids off quickly before rushing off to work. Which brings me to my next point…
3. You can get to work on time.
Luckily, my son’s school begins early, at about 8:15 a.m., but many other elementary schools in the area don’t start until closer to 9:00 a.m. I like to start work by 8:30 a.m., so it’s amazing when my son’s bus comes at 7:20 a.m. Then, I have time to get my girls ready for their day, make a cup of coffee and a quick breakfast, drop them off at daycare, and still get to work on time. If I had to drop my son off at school for a 9 a.m. (or later) start, I couldn’t start work until at least 9:30 a.m. When you only get paid if you’re actively working like I do, that one hour each day can make a big difference in total pay for the week.
4. You are teaching your child independence and autonomy.
Learning how to have healthy separation between child and parent is paramount in my house. I have to admit, it’s been more difficult for my son to separate from me than the other way around. He’s a boy who has not always had the easiest time with transitions or new situations. He was that child who cried all day for the first few months of daycare/preschool. But today? As a new first grader, he let go of my hand and walked to the bus this morning all by himself.
He has learned to stand up for himself when he is pushed down (literally and figuratively). He attempts to solve his own issues with his friends first before needing the help of an adult. He is able to ask questions without fear for what the answer might be. I’m not saying that riding the bus created this little kid who is inquisitive and more social with friends than I thought he could be, but taking the bus is certainly helping him become a much more confident person separate from his parents.
5. You have the opportunity to make new friends and meet your neighbors at the bus stop.
I’m an introvert/socially awkward person, so making friends has always been a bit of a difficult experience for me. I’m not going to walk up to someone and introduce myself, but if they are right there, I’ll make conversation. Our bus stop is small, and since we were new to the neighborhood last year, it gave me a chance to chat with some of the other parents. It’s not like we are great friends, but it’s nice to have someone to talk with when you’re taking a walk around the neighborhood with your kids or you need to borrow that proverbial cup of sugar!
6. You don’t have to bundle up your younger kids, pile them into the car, and drive to the school to pick up your school-aged kid. Then, once you’re there, take them out of the car, stand in line, pick up your kid, then pile everyone back in your car, just to unbundle them all when you get home.
This reason is self-explanatory. I obviously have experience with this. It is not fun, especially in the winter. When you have infants. Twin infants.
My final reason is actually an idea from my 6-year-old son. When I asked him why he likes riding the bus, he replied:
7. “You get to spend more time with your friends.”
Since there were a few children from my son’s class who also rode his bus, he got to chat with them to and from school. More than once, when I asked him what he and his friends talked about, he actually said, “We did some of our homework!” That might be every parent’s dream scenario for a bus ride home. I know it was music to my ears! (And yes, I checked it when we got home!).
There you have it: Some of my top reasons for forcing letting my son take the bus to and from school each day.
What are your favorite reasons for letting your children ride the bus? If you have opted to drive your children, I’d love to know why it works better for you!
