Do you drive your kids to the bus stop?

[highland145]

I walked to school when i was a kid, probably a good mile to school from my apartment. Now I drive my kid to a school that is five minutes away. Why? Because I can. I prefer knowing where my kid is these days. I've read too many stories about girls getting kidnapped not even a few blocks from home. Why risk it?

So is the crime more prevalent or do we just hear about it more because of the media/internet?

 

[sswingle]

I had to walk a mile to get to the bus stop.

 

[Linflas]

So is the crime more prevalent or do we just hear about it more because of the media/internet?

I'll take hear about it more nationwide because of 24x7 media of all kinds for the win.

 

[Numenorean]

Well sometimes my parents/grandparents would. Like when it was -10° we could wait for the bus in the car with the heater on. Still cold as hell on the damn bus though.

 

[kranky]

yeah i have a hard time beliveing at 5 you walked 1/2mile without parents or supervision. i think you are stretching the truth there...

I walked a 1/2 mile to school starting in kindergarten. No parents, but there were always other kids going the same way, and crossing guards at the corners. There were houses lining both sides of the streets the entire way so there wasn't any place on the route where you were out of sight. From kindergarten through high school you walked. No buses.

So I have no trouble believing his claim.

 

[rasczak]

So is the crime more prevalent or do we just hear about it more because of the media/internet?

Probably just hear about it more due to the media/internet. Still though, I'd rather do what I'm supposed to do (watch my kid make sure they're safe from harm) than pose any risk by letting them go on their own while still young. I'll revisit that issue when they turn 16 and start driving.

 

[preslove]

I'll take hear about it more nationwide because of 24x7 media of all kinds for the win.

I read a ton of newspapers from the 1930s for my undergraduate thesis, and there were many stories of random stuff, like little kids bashing the heads of their friends in for fun, or other antisocial behavior. Thing is, these stories were at the back of a newspaper, not blaring from 30 different news outlets. Considering how paranoid everyone is about molesters, I'd say our kids are in much less danger now.

 

[PingSpike]

I remember I stayed over at my buddies once and his parents did this. However, his driveway was at least a mile long and it gets cold as hell in the winter. I see a fair number of people doing this on my way to work though, although it looks like they mostly have one or two parents watching the whole gang of them rather than the 55 cars parked at the end of the street scenario the OP is describing...there's no need or excuse for that.

 

[OutHouse]

Do any of you do this? Or can you explain to me why you would want to?

sometimes. the bus stop is about half a mile from the house. if its snowing or really cold outside we will take them and wait for the bus.

 

[nageov3t]

I've never lived anywhere where taking a school bus was predominant other than the short bus.

we moved around a bunch, but I think the longest walk I ever had to grammar school was 6 blocks; shortest was 3. junior high was a 1 mile walk, but I'd usually meet up with my friends 2 blocks away from my house and we'd walk together. ditto on the walk back home... nearly all junior high drama occurred on the primary walking path that everyone from my side of town took to get there.

I went to high school in the city. had to take a train there... I'd occasionally take the bus to the train station, but most days, it was a lot easier for my mom to drop me off on her way to work. it wasn't out of her way and it shaved off an hour from my commute thanks to all the stops that the bus would make. coming home, I'd either hitch a ride with her back, take the bus, or take a cab if I had the money (it was 5 miles between our house and the train station)



the town where I used to leave was so ridic, though. the town was 0.8 square miles and the school was in the dead center. and yet, every single morning, there'd be a line of cars surrounding the school with parents dropping their kids off.

 

[Linflas]

I read a ton of newspapers from the 1930s for my undergraduate thesis, and there were many stories of random stuff, like little kids bashing the heads of their friends in for fun, or other antisocial behavior. Thing is, these stories were at the back of a newspaper, not blaring from 30 different news outlets. Considering how paranoid everyone is about molesters, I'd say our kids are in much less danger now.

Just curious since you actually studied this did your research show that the stories were restricted to the newpapers of the affected communities absent some outside factor like fame such as the Lindbergh baby kidnapping for example?

 

[ShockwaveVT]

pedobears are on the prowl that time of day... only thing I could think of. When my kids were younger it was quite a good distance to the bus stop. If it was raining I would drive them the 100 yards cause the schools AC was on constantly until like october 1st. So if the kids were soaked they would freeze.

but now they are old enough to know how to use pepper spray and our new house is 50 feet from the bus stop.

Interesting that you describe 300 feet as "quite a good distance". That's like 1-2 blocks, it's not very far at all.


The kids in my neighborhood almost all walk to the bus stop. There's usually 1-2 parents who drive and/or walk over to keep an eye on the younger kids. The older kids are usually unsupervised and wind up playing football in the street. (The same bus stop is used at different times for elementary and middle school)

 

[Deeko]

On my drive to work, its a long road with offices along the left, and apartment/condo complexes on the right. The busses stop at literally every complex. Every kid's parents walk out and wait for the bus with them - naturally having to give them hugs before they get on, making it take forever.

I mean...come on, parents. Its literally right out the driveway of your complex.

 

[Number1]

I used to walk a mile to and from school, uphill both ways and when I was not walking, I waited for the bus with the other kids, no parents involved.

This nonsense of waiting for the bus with you kids is for the paranoids.

 

[Bibble]

OP, what you are describing does sound rather strange. When I was in high school I was in a carpool that dropped us off at the bus stop every morning, but it was 1.5 miles away, not 3 blocks like you are witnessing (also, how do you know where these kids live?).

I did, however, walk home most days.

 

[highland145]

Probably just hear about it more due to the media/internet. Still though, I'd rather do what I'm supposed to do (watch my kid make sure they're safe from harm) than pose any risk by letting them go on their own while still young. I'll revisit that issue when they turn 16 and start driving.

Not disagreeing with you at all. I'd probably be right there myself if I weren't already driving him the 15 min.

 

[highland145]

I used to walk a mile to and from school, uphill both ways and when I was not walking, I waited for the bus with the other kids, no parents involved.

This nonsense of waiting for the bus with you kids is for the paranoids.

You forgot the 3' of snow and the rabid wolves.

 

[LTC8K6]

They are starting to require a parent or guardian at the bus stop.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Downfall of our society, kids are turning into a bunch of pussies.

The downfall of our society is people whining about how they percieve everyone to be a bunch of pussies.

 

[dainthomas]

I believe my mom dropped me off a few times in kindergarten (this was in a large suburb of Seattle). The rest of the time I walked, biked, or bussed it all the way through high school.

This country would be better off if parents were more worried about their kids being fat and lazy and less about imaginary boogeymen.

 

[BoomerD]

Oh fuck yes...this happens all the time in my subdivision. Mind you, the farthest the kids have to walk is two blocks...but the parents drive their precious little angels to the bus stop...it's worse in the winter when it might rain. The corner where the school bus stops is choked with cars, along the curb, double-parked, blocking the road, etc.

 

[rudeguy]

They are starting to require a parent or guardian at the bus stop.

One per kid? Isn't that a bit out there?

I only rode the bus when I was in kindergarten and first grade but I do remember there being a parent or two at the bus stop. When it rained we had umbrellas and when it snowed we had snowball fights. No need for a chauffeur.

And I know they live on my street because I see their parents turning around and heading back down my street after the bus leaves. There is no outlet on my street, so they aren't taking a shortcut.

 

[nanette1985]

They are starting to require a parent or guardian at the bus stop.

My grandkids' schools require this.

 

[zinfamous]

No...but I'm willing to drive your kids to the bus stop.

:sneaky:

 

[waggy]

They are starting to require a parent or guardian at the bus stop.

yeah my kids school makes a adult there for k-3 i believe. BUT there just has to be a adult.

IF you have a kid in Kindergarden a parent has to be there for pickup and drop off.

though if its a nice day i'm out with my son (he is 4) so he can see his mom (she drives the bus) and get a hug.