DS left his phone (bus ticket) at home. What would you do?

[HowToTeach]

Just had a message from his TA to say he left his phone at home, it has his bus ticket on it. I'm not sure what she is expecting me to do:
He can walk home (25 mins)

Take the bus and risk getting fined - as he has a pass and is a child this won't be the full amount if he goes to their offices in town within 5 days and presents his pass. We told him at the beginning of the school year we wouldn't pay fines for forgetting ticket, it would be his responsibility to go to the ticket office and pay the £5.

I could get the bus into town and wait 20 minutes to accompany him back BUT DD (in primary) would be stuck in the garden for at least 20 minutes until I get back as she doesn't have a key with her.

Should I just say thanks or ask the TA if I can speak to him to explain his options? (Has ASD and never forgotten before, so a new scenario for him!)

So in an emergency, you can’t get a message to your daughters primary school quickly? 🤔

There are various things you can do....or you could just have a problem with every suggestion and be the drama. 🙄

Poor kids.

Could he not log into his account on someone else's phone and show this on the bus. Either they accompany him when he gets in and it gets scanned or maybe he travels with a friend. Just an idea. It's what I'd get my daughter to do

If it was me & I was having to go out unexpectedly, I would leave a key with neighbour for DD & note on the door. You don't say how old DD is or how she is getting home. I'm not sure why school wouldn't be able to pass on a message to her if you rang them but you indicated this is not an option as I would leave a key somewhere & ask school to tell her.

But if your DS is capable of walking home then he should do that.

I think a 25 minute walk home is absolutely fine, we do the same twice a day with our 7 year old.

Hopefully it'll help him to remember tomorrow.

If you can't drop his phone off to him then I'd just tell the TA to tell him to walk home. My kids used to have a 30 min walk to school in secondary, was never a problem.

Can't he borrow the money for the fare from school and then pay it back next day? You can't leave your daughter on her own .

@Mummysatthebodyshop We can still see your edited post.

No, just because a child with autism goes to a mainstream school doesn’t necessarily mean he can get transport himself or will get a ‘normal job’. Why do you talk such rubbish?

Theres a massive shortage of more specialised school places meaning many kids end up in unsuitable educational settings so mainstream school doesn’t mean it’s the right school. The number of adults with autism in employment is also very low for a variety of reasons.

You seem pretty unsympathetic to your son, who has a disability and has only messed up the once. As most of us do from time to time. People have offered some good suggestions on how to help both kids but you seem totally interested din engaging with them. So good luck I guess.

If he is safe to walk that's the obvious solution. It is a bit of a lesson for him but isn't harmful or overly harsh.

Don't leave your daughter locked out without warning.

He has a disability, it's ok to help him if he makes a small mistake.

Just phone the bus company, explain and he should be able to just come home on the bus as normal. Surely this is the easiest option?

Help him out. Hide a key for daughter, or ask secondary school to lend him bus fare.

Or just tell him to get the bus like he did this morning, and you'll sort any fine out together.

If he normally tries and does his best why wouldn't you?

And it would be ok even without a disability tbh. My middle child forgot his PE kit today as he misread his 2 week timetable. We dropped it in for him because we all forget things sometimes.

Ok leaving DD on the doorstep isn’t an option so you can’t collect him. That means his options are…

1. He takes the bus home anyway and hopes they don’t check tickets, if they do, he apologises and pays the £5, or
2. He walks home.

A 25 minute walk home is absolutely fine IF the area is reasonably safe and he isn’t being hassled by bullies at school.

Getting the bus is also morally fine as you have actually paid for the journey.

So it just depends which scenario you think he would cope best with. I’d go for option 1, the bus, as he has asd and that’s familiar. But walking is fine too.

Just tell him to get the bus and pay the fine if he gets one.

I’d tell him to catch the bus as usual and if they want to fine him, deal with that afterwards. I wouldn’t make it into a big deal, if I were you.

My DS never takes his bus pass as it’s a school only bus and all the drivers know him and pick him up at the end of the drive and drop him home there too. Brilliant service. DS has Dyspraxia and easily loses things too.

A few options really:
Ask school to lend him the money for the bus and you’ll send it in the next day.
Son can start walking and you’ll walk to meet him half way.
Drop his phone off at school for him ( or ask a family/ friend/ neighbour to if you can’t).
Does he have a bank card? He could keep it in his bag for emergencies. That way if he forgets again, you can bank transfer him the bus fare. With contactless, he can simply hold it in front of the machine which will be nice and easy for him.
Now and again my dc will forget something in the morning ‘rush’ . If I am not at work I will drop it off for him at school.

What happened in the end?

Messaged the TA who was happy to chat to him about it. Gave him the option of walking home or taking the bus and potential fine. Asked her to let me know which he chose and if he chose bus (he did) could she run through with him what to say if they checked tickets. She did. They didn't!

Glad it all worked out for your DS. 🙂