Bus dilemma | Imamother

amother

Crimson

Mon, Sep 25 2017, 2:25 pm

Last year I was in a dilemma with my boys' transportation and to make a long story short I had a upk student and a pre1-a boy in the same school, but on different transportation. School is in a different neighborhood and due to the constricted streets almost no kids are picked up and almost all went on bus, except for the upk which went on a private van. I had a lot of issues with the timing of the van/bus so the menahel allowed me to let my kids stay mins after school was over and I picked them up. Its kind of on my way home, and for the older one child it meant waiting almost 30 mins, the younger one 10-20 mins until I would get there, my kids were happy and it just worked out so much better. But the menahel felt bad for them waiting so long.

This year, they both finish at the earlier time, and based on the bus schedule we were given initially I would be home in plenty of time to pick them up from the bus stop. The first few days there was a glitch in the schedule from the bus company and in rectifying the problem, now the bus is getting to my stop significantly earlier. In my brief conversation about my kids going on the bus with the menahel I initially told him that "we'd give it until after y"t" (my kids really want me to pick them up)--and he responded confidently that "It will work"--but that was before the bus was arriving almost 30 mins before the scheduled time. Usually SOMEONE is home (I have boarders) and I get home mamash 5-10 minutes later--10 if its raining. The bus stop is on my quiet corner and someone just has to cross them which there's usually a parent willing to do so. Shortly after y"t I will be having a baby so having them come home on the bus is a welcome part of my afternoon routine. My kids are pretty good and I generally trust them to be in a different part of the house without constant supervision, is it SO crazy for them to be home for those 5-10 mins in the off-chance someone is NOT home? I mean if they would be waiting at school for close to 30 mins they wouldn't necessarily have BETTER supervision.

33055

Mon, Sep 25 2017, 2:31 pm

amother wrote:

They are too young to be left alone. I wouldn't do it. There are adults at the school.

Can you straighten this out with the bus company or leave work earlier?

mha3484

Mon, Sep 25 2017, 2:32 pm

I am the least paranoid person you will meet and there is no way that I would be comfortable leaving kids that age alone.

amother

Crimson

Mon, Sep 25 2017, 2:36 pm

What's the bus company going to do? delay the bus coming for 1 parent? I really can't leave work any earlier. I don't think I could find someone or justify paying someone to watch my kids for literally 5 minutes--like a few times I would be parking my car and see the bus pull up. Today I must've just missed them as they walked inside while I was parking.

cnc

Mon, Sep 25 2017, 2:38 pm

Is that a four year old and a five year old? I wouldn't be comfortable having them home alone even for five minutes.

jewish613

Mon, Sep 25 2017, 2:39 pm

Is there a neighbor they can go to for those few minutes if no adults are home?

mha3484

Mon, Sep 25 2017, 2:47 pm

You said you have boarders. Can you pay one of them to be home at the same time every day?

amother

Crimson

Mon, Sep 25 2017, 2:49 pm

cnc wrote:

Is that a four year old and a five year old? I wouldn't be comfortable having them home alone even for five minutes.

5 and almost 7 Most of that 5 mins is just them going to the bathroom and getting a snack. There might be someone I can ask who told me she's there "most days" but I dont' know...

mha3484

Mon, Sep 25 2017, 3:18 pm

How can you guarantee that it will only be 5 minutes?

amother

Floralwhite

Mon, Sep 25 2017, 3:21 pm

If you can't arrange for consistent adult supervision at home continue picking them up from school like you did last year. It doesn't matter if it's inconvenient.

33055

Mon, Sep 25 2017, 3:24 pm

amother wrote:

You don't know any of these things until you ask. Perhaps it is not as big a deal as you think.
The director of transportation moved my daughter's stop because of similar logistics. I did go to the top.

I couldn't justify leaving my 5 and 6 year old children alone. You are trying to. There is no way I would do it even one day.

amother

Lilac

Mon, Sep 25 2017, 4:07 pm

Definitely ask about swapping the stops or something.

But I don't believe you "can't leave work earlier". You can leave 15 minutes earlier. You just say you must. You take a paycut if necessary, or you change jobs. It's only 5 minutes (so you do 15 to be sure) and you give it kids 30 minutes worth of life to enjoy each day not waiting at school

To me it's an absolute no brainer.

amother

Lilac

Mon, Sep 25 2017, 4:11 pm

And do not put this job on a daily basis on someone else. It will only lead to resentment. Once a month or so you have a meeting you can make an arrangement. But not every day.

Or you leave early 4 days a week and stay LATE on the 5th day to make it up, and then pay someone to be with your kids fir a couple of hours on that day only (if it is that sort of job).

33055

Mon, Sep 25 2017, 4:15 pm

amother wrote:

Why not pay someone to get the kids off the bus? Maybe there is another mother there. I agree not to put it in someone else.

amother

Lilac

Mon, Sep 25 2017, 4:23 pm

Because it's a 5 minute job so the pay is small , but the inconvenience of having to ALWAYS be there for someone else's kids is big.

Even of it's another mom. What if the mom's kids are off sick? Or she wants to take them to buy shoes? Or the dentist or whatever? For $5 she can't have her freedom.

Might work for a little while, but not long term IMHO.

animeme

Mon, Sep 25 2017, 4:56 pm

I don't know OP's job, but some jobs can't be left early. What if she teaches, and that's the end of her day? Or if there is a mandatory meeting from 3-4?

I vote, if possible, to try to get someone in the house for a full hour from a little before the kids' arrival until after. With a baby coming just after yom tov, it will be helpful to have someone to help the kids get settled or with homework or to hold the baby while OP deals with the kids. If not, maybe trade with a mother with an early job. You put her kids on the bus, she takes yours off.

21young

Mon, Sep 25 2017, 5:22 pm

I had this issue last year, I looked at the route and asked the school if they could switch my stop with another stop that also made sense based on the route, but would get my son home later. They had no problem with it, but not every school is so accommodating. Try your luck and see what they say.