what do you think if 10 years old girl and 8 years old boy get the bus and go home after school?

[kamanmama]

Hi All, my children are 10 years old and 8 years old. Every day I finish my part time work at 12:30, and wait their school to finish until 3:15. My girl is year 6 now, so she can off school by herself and pick up her brother in year 4 as well. everyday I just wait them in bus stop at 3:30. I wait outside 3 hours everyday after finish my part time job. if I back home and come back to their school, it take 1hour and half. That’s why I wait outside. Recently, I see many year 6 students, they take the bus by themselves. I just think can I do the same? I will give my girl a mobile, ask her to call me when they nearly get off the bus, and will pick them up at the bus stop at my home town. Is it sounds alright? Is do so, do I need to prepare anything for them? Like zip oyster card? Or they can just get in the bus by themselves?

Even if it meant only having one hour at home surely it would be better to go home and come out again? I know when my two were little there were lots of times because of juggling my I would just be home for half hour or whatever, do a few bits, or eat something, then go back out again? If you have a bus pass and it’s not costing extra, I’d just do this. An hour at home isn’t great but it’s time to have lunch and put washing in etc.

I would consider asking if the school need any volunteers. It would be much nicer for you to be indoors helping the children. Or is there a shop nearby that might want someone to do a few hours a day?

You know your children. If you believe your children capable to undertake the journey, then ensure they know how to travel safely and responsibly 🫶

I find it odd that people are suggesting the OP asks if she could do volunteer work at the school or even ask if a fellow parent needs a cleaner to fill the time - yet my suggestion of asking if another parent would be happy to collect and accompany the child along with their own was dismissed as "taking the piss".
What a strange world some people live in.
Finding someone to collect children from school and deliver them home (ie being a babysitter for half an hour) is a perfectly normal thing to do.
@kamanmama have you asked if anyone can do that for you?

In our school 10yr olds can go home alone, with parental permission but under 10's need someone over 16 to collect. So depends on the school policy.

I personally wouldn't feel comfortable having my 10yr old be responsible for my 8yr old, and they're sensible kids. But each to their own, you know the journey & your children.

Normal for 10 and 11-year-olds to travel by bus on their own in London. Maybe not the 8-year-old, though.

Its a hard one to call, as we don't know the area.
I've a 10 yo girl, while she's well behaved and as much as I trust her. It's other people.
I'd be wery, if there was an accident, other people misbehaving on public transport. With the evenings getting darker and colder now also.
If one of the kids was upset or unwell after school, it's a long journey on the bus without mam.
For your sanity, as a previous poster suggested, explain to the school and ask if you could volunteer in the school for the hour. The time will pass quickly and you'll be involved your kids school.
I hope it works out well whetever you decide, and be proud of yourself, a working mum is one of the hardest job in the world.

I have a 10 and 8 year old and wouldn'tt do this. What happens if something goes wrong. Far too much stress for your 10 year old. Why do you live so far from school?

@honestlyseriously the OP lives in London. Travelling 20 minutes on a bus to get to and from school (even primary) is totally normal. Loads of Londoners live nowhere near the school their children get allocated (parental choice is often a joke).

thanks everyone. i will try to all the way i can do. see how they go on bus, even they do very well, i think they only do this one or two times a week.

Are you kidding?

It depends completely on the area and also the nature of the children. How sensible is the 8yo?
My son is 8 and he would be fine I think but some 8yo are still a handful which might be too hard for your eldest to deal with.
If the area is safe and its like a town to town bus, and both your children are sensible well behaved NT kids I do not see why this would be a problem.

I wouldn't let my 10yo on a bus alone, especially looking after an 8yo. The world is a scary place now, there's no way I'd allow this.

you say about they will only do this once or twice a week well thats all it takes for something bad to happen no way would i allow this

Nope, not extreme for me and my family.
The world is rife with child traffickers and child abusers.
I will not leave my kids at risk of this happening to them. My job is to protect as well as guide them. We are quite child led parenting so they have enough time growing into their own person.
I would not expect my soon to be 10yr old to be responsible for his soon to be 6 year old sibling

At our school kids are allowed to go home alone from the summer term of yr5. That means for some kids they'll be going on the bus at 10yo. As long as it's a straightforward journey at a busy time it I don't think it's unsafe.
Having a sibling to look after too, totally different kettle of fish.

My DC’s school asked parents to get their 10 and 11-year olds to come to school by themselves, and that would include by bus for some. It was so that kids could prepare for secondary school, when they might have long and complicated journeys by bus, tube or train, as well as walking.

well just because the school suggests it doesn’t mean to say its the right thing to do you can teach kids to be responsible but also keeping them safe comes first when they are ready to travel on there own with there friends they will tell you i believe in safety in number’s and not rushing them to grow up to quick just give them reassurance and they will grow into contented able children xx

I think the older child is too young to be responsible for their younger sibling. Why not offer to volunteer at their school. You could listen to readers, help in early years or even offer to tidy the library. The school would love the help, you could become involved in the life of the school and no more waiting outside.

Well I'd do it for free! It's not like I'd be going out of my way in order to do it as I'd be on the bus anyway. Not everything is about money!

I think if the subling dynamics are good this would be fine. I was 7 in the very early 70s having to be responsible for my 6 year old brother (12 months age gap) on a mile and a half walk home from school and it involved crossing 2 busy roads ( one with a lollipop lady). My parents both worked full time so we'd get home and I'd have to peel the potatoes for dinner and make a snack for us both. He was a nightmare- probably he is/was on the spectrum - I remember once some older boys throwing him over a hedge! Fun times.

Our local school would not allow a year6 to pick up their year4 sibling from class, any one picking children up from classroom door has be 16 or over.