How did you teach your kids to use public transport?

[XmasLollipopViolet]

Obviously this is aimed more at those with children who use trains etc regularly. But I have a problem.

I've been on trains before with my parents, but I've got to get summer work experience and I'm probably going to have to commute to Manchester for it. I've never been on a train alone in my life (I'm 19!). I'm visually impaired too so quite worried about it. How did you teach your kids what to do etc? I need help!

We've taken our children on buses and trains (once or twice a year) and always make the point of showing them how tickets work, how to queue, how to stand on escalators etc.

When my older kids went to senior school, I took them to the bus stop for the first few days and made sure they were able to ask for their destination.

See. buses I can do, as long as I know the route, trains...I know what to do in theory...not in practice though!

If you're really worried, it might be worth finding out if you can get some assistance, particularly for your first trip. There's information here: www.nationalrail.co.uk/passenger_services/disabled_passengers/ about assistance for people with disabilities. With a visual impairment, I imagine you would qualify??

You've made me think, though. We use the train a reasonable amount and I'm going to start talking DD through what we are actually doing!

Oooh, glad I've helped someone lol! Yeah, I think I can get assistance so will look into it when the time comes.

lollipop,

In my experience, on trains, they always announce the atation they are about to arrive at over the loudspeaker. If you know the station before the one you want to get off at, you can be well prepared. They also announce the arriving trains in the station.

Buses are harder because you have to look out for your destination. You can always ask the driver to tell you when you get there though.

I have no idea how I would have felt about my children taking public transport alone had they been visually impaired.

However, for children without SN, I think that the best way to teach them to use public transport is (a) by using it with them yourself, from a very young age, and getting them to participate in the journey eg planning routes, buying tickets, looking at maps, getting the children to be responsible for getting off at the right stop. And then, when they are 10/11, getting them to use public transport on their own.

My DSSs (11 and 13) are at home alone this morning and are going to take the metro (direct line) from our flat to a restaurant near DP's work at lunchtime - their reward for managing the journey on their own (and sorting out their holiday laundry this am on their own) is a pizza lunch.

hi LollypopV.
I had a house mate at college who was a VIP. he walked to college alone having been accompanied for the first few days while he learnt the route.
Would you be able to do your work experience commute with some one for a practice run or two sometime before the summer.
In my own past, the summer before I started high school, I went to a sports course at that school, 2 buses away. the 1st day mum came with me,having chosen my bus stops for me to give easy connections with minimal road crossing. the 2nd she came on the first bus and waited till I was on the 2nd, the 3rd day I was own my own.....