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Secondary education

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Original poster

Would like to walk DD (11) to the bus stop on her 1st morning at secondary school

13 replies

mynaughtylittlesister · 04/09/2011 22:43

DD3 starts secondary school tomorrow in another town. She is my youngest, her other 2 sisters go to the local secondary school which is a stones throw from our home. I never had a problem letting them walk alone on the 1st day, just think its because DD3 is going to the next town, on a bus.

I understand its not the "cool" thing for Mum to be there, so I have offered to stand on the otherside of the road at a bus stop and pretend to wait for a bus just in case she has any problems. DD still is insistent that I remain at home.

She will have no friends on the bus to start off with - they will be picked up along the way. She does not get her bus pass until she gets to school and I am so worried that the bus driver will say - "no pass, no travel!" (TBH that is highly unlikely - just my mind working overtime! lol)

I guess I should be grateful she is confident and happy enough to do this for herself - but oh boy is it tough for her poor old Mum! x

OP posts:
LoopyLoopsPussInBoots · 04/09/2011 22:45

Don't do it.

tethersend · 04/09/2011 22:46

Awww... FWIW, I am 33 and still remember going to catch the bus to the next town to start secondary school. I remember because I was on my own and felt really grown up- scared, but grown up!

Let her go Smile

upahill · 04/09/2011 22:47

Yeah I know it isn't easy.
When my eldest went (he is going into year 11 this time) I took all the photographs for the first day as usual and then stood half way down the drive.
Even then I got 'mummmmmmm!!!!'

Original poster
mynaughtylittlesister · 04/09/2011 22:48

Loopy, don't worry I wont - am desperate to but will def stay at home unless she has a change of heart at the last minute! Grin

OP posts:
Talker2010 · 04/09/2011 23:06

It is hard, when my daughter started secondary she had never previously been on a bus (get us) and suddenly was going to have to catch 2 ... one into town then one from town to school

We practised a couple of times during the summer break

But I would never have gone to the bus stop with her

MrsCornish · 04/09/2011 23:27

ds wants me to go with him. he'd be really pissed off if i said no. am i bad?

ChippingIn · 04/09/2011 23:30

Did she or you want her to go to this school or could she not get into the same one as her sisters?

I would go, she's only 11, it's the first time. Sometimes we have to do unpopular things - but I wouldn't expect a kiss Grin

lostinwales · 04/09/2011 23:36

It's so tough! I am wavering about tomorrow, DS1 who is SN is off to big school on the bus tomorrow, I am wavering between waiting at the bus stop at 8am and then getting on the bus to give a Stern Look at the known trouble makers to what I know I will do which is let him out of the front door and then sneak out to the car to watch leave him to it. I keep trying to remember a phrase I heard once which is a bit pants You have to give them roots and wings, told you it was pants .

lostinwales · 04/09/2011 23:39

Oh well nearly all of my strike outs worked, bloody iPhone, still two out if three ain't bad, there may have been some Wine in my pre school prep.

Original poster
mynaughtylittlesister · 04/09/2011 23:42

Chipping - she passed for Grammar (its the nearest Grammar school), my other 2DD's just go to the local Secondary.

Lost - its so hard!

OP posts:
Original poster
mynaughtylittlesister · 05/09/2011 08:13

Well, at the last minute she did ask me to walk with her and stand on the other side of the road. There were 2 other Mums there too. (but they were standing with their DC!)
My heart went in my mouth when the ordinary bus came by and for a horrible moment I thought she may get on it and I had to really stop myself yelling "noooooo". She didn't thou, waited a couple of mins when her Sch bus turned up - thankfully it had the right letter on it!

One of the mothers did talk rather loudly at her DC, "concentrate, make sure you get on the right bus home etc" Poor DC just looked down! She then collared a bigger child and said - "you will make sure he gets on the right bus coming home won't you!"

Hopefully I didn't embarrass my DD and it was just what she needed to help her 1st day start smoothly.

OP posts:
lostinwales · 05/09/2011 08:17

Well I'm a cool mum this morning, I let DS1 out of the front door and he mooched to the bus stop on his own. (and then I snuck outside and watched from the car but I don't think he saw me Blush). No other new children at his stop so I don't know what anyone else did.

CarrotsAreNotTheOnlyVegetables · 05/09/2011 11:28

Well done for getting through mynaughtylittlesister!

You did the right thing - you let your DD decide and stuck to what was agreed so she was not embarassed. Well done for your restraint! Smile

DD is starting tomorrow, her school is in walking distance so I asked her if she wanted me to walk with her and she said yes. Would have been perfectly happy if she had wanted to go alone, just wanted to do what she is comfortable with.

Only year 7s in today, she will be walking in the rest of the time with her mates next door who are in yr 9.

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