Riding The School Bus

The school bus rules might be the first piece of homework your child brings home, and the school bus might be the first mode of public transportation he or she takes alone. It's important that rules be followed for everyone's safety, and for the sanity of the bus driver.

• Do discuss procedures and rules to be followed on the bus with your child.
• Drive the bus route with your child and point out landmarks along the way.
• You can also help your child memorize the number or letter that identifies the bus he or she will take if you can get it before school starts.

Now what do you do if your child does miss the school bus?

• Let him or her walk if that's possible and just be late for school.
• Let your child stay home, but don't let it be fun - no TV, no friends home after school.
• Drive your child to school noting the time it takes; a child might do chores for that amount of time after school.
• Or maybe just call a cab and let your child pay for it out of allowance money.

I suspect it won't happen again if you let the natural consequences occur.

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