primary school kids on the bus

[bedfordmum40]

hello,

I want to send my kids to school on the bus they are 9&10 and its a ten minute journey on one bus direct from outside our home to the school gates.

my DH thinks this is a bad idea. AIBU?

How do they get to school now?

Are they used to taking the bus?

dropped off by car.

they are used to the bus and the train and have travelled by themselves before. they are quite mature for their age IMO.

I've been wondering whether my dds could start doing this next year -they are 8 and 9 now. They are used to buses but haven't been on one by themselves yet so i think i would practise the route with them first and then let them try without me. Sounds like yours would be fine if they have travelled alone before.

Lots of kids here do it as they start middle school at age 9 and many of them don't live within walking distance of the school.

as far as I can tell there is no legal issue with children of this age going on a bus.

I used to go on a bus with other children from four.
My eldest went on the bus from 7 with a friend’s child. No reason on earth not to let them start growing up as long as there’s not busy roads to cross.

my DS started to go on the bus to school a similar distance at age 10.
we are in central London. At first I walked him to the bus stop and then gradually drew back.

If they are mature and are travelling together should be ok. Can you ask them to call when they get to school?

you need to ask the schools permission. the school my DD goes to will not allow 10yr olds on the bus, they insisted that they get collected in person.

Yes I'd do this. Well, actually I did this.

It might be worth going with then the first couple of times, make sure they're on the school ,'home alone' register, and do have a convo about coping with the unexpected.

Pretty standard where I live, from 4/5.

Oh, I mean that dedicated school busses run to do it here. Not public busses.

You don't have to "ask the school's permission" if they're going to school by bus. Some schools are afraid of being blamed for any problems if they release children other than to a parent so try to create rules around children being picked up (inevitably by car, which actually puts all the other children comung out of school on foot at increased risk). Whether theyre taking a bus or walking is irrelevant there though.

My kids all took/ take a dedicated school bus from age 6, but public bus from age 10 (we're abroad and that's when kids change school and in rural areas have further to travel). DD was actually 9, nearly 10 due to her birthday making her very young for her year, when she started taking the public bus. School children who live more than 3km from school are given free bus passes here. Parents only pick children up in special circumstances (appointment straight after school, broken leg...) and picking children of any age up by car regularly is heavily discouraged.

9 and 10 on a route they've practiced without changes is fine and good skills / self reliance building. They'll be proud of themselves and more self confident as a result.

I think too young
But I’ll probably be in the minority.
8 is at too young.

far

My sister and I did this when we were 7 and 10. At the school end we had to cross the zebra crossing and go in through the school gates. Seemed fine to me, still does.

I expect they'd be fine
Maybe go on a test run with them