Hi, I've been lurking for a while and the advise I've seen given has been very supportive. I hope you can put my mind at ease.
My youngest DD is moving from MS to SS in September. Because of the distance she will be using home to school transport. The problem I am having is putting her on a bus with an escort she will have never met and my DD not really understanding where she is going and why I am sticking her on a bus with a complete stranger for about an hours journey.
DD will be 7 in July, she has severe GDD, severe learning difficulties and no speech as well as other problems. If you imagine putting a 2year old on a bus full of strangers and telling them they are off to a new school then that is what it would be like for my DD.
She does start her transition to SS next term where she will obviously meet her new teachers but she won't be meeting her escort or be going on the bus, which is something else she has never done. I cant wait for her to start her new school and feel she is going to benefit tremendously by moving there but the transport side is really scarring me because I know due to DD lack of understanding she is going to confused and scared when I put her on that bus and there is going to be huge amount of tears, from both of us to be honest.
So if anyone has any tips that they can share that will put DD and me at ease I would be very grateful. I have thought about getting her a new school bag and when she goes for her visits to SS then to only use that bag and use her old one for MS then hopefully she will associate each bag for different schools but then she obviously has the added problem of a 6 week holiday break and I doubt she will realise that because she has her new school bag, yes you are going with strangers but they will take you to your new school.
Any advice or even happy stories from people who have been there, done that would be very welcome.