Long bus ride | Imamother

amother

Sapphire

Tue, Apr 10 2018, 8:04 am

We are moving out of town in June so my third grade daughter will be switching schools. Right now, we live 4 blocks away from her school so she is on the bus for five minutes. Once we move, the school we will be sending her to is a 45 minute bus ride. This means that she will be leaving the house 45 minutes earlier than she does now, coming home 45 minutes later, which means waking up earlier, as well as still making time to eat breakfast before she gets on the bus. This is going to be a huge transition for her. Does anyone have any advice as to preparing her as well as dealing with a much longer day? I know kids commute to school all the time but my daughter is very sensitive and I just want to make it as easy an adjustment as possible.

STMommy

Tue, Apr 10 2018, 9:31 am

Hi,
my children have a 45 minute bus ride.
here are a few things that help.
1. they eat breakfast on the bus.
2. they bring things to do on the bus - paper and crayons, travel games, invisible ink books, reading material, etc.
3. they wind up napping on the bus ride home and I'm ok with that. you will have to adjust your whole evening routine anyway because of the later time your DD will be arriving home - it will throw off dinner, homework, everything. my kids do better with a little nap/rest on the bus home because of their late(r) bedtime till they finish their whole evening routine.

Tzutzie

Tue, Apr 10 2018, 9:49 am

Both my kids 3 and 4 travel 45 minutes to school.
Maybe they are still young, but they love the ride, they sit by the window and enjoy the veiw (nice view) it's mostly 30 minutes if pickup and 15 minutes to school. Then 4 yo gets dropped off at her school and 3 yo stays on the bus for another 7 minute drive to her school. My kids absolutely love it. If they tantrum and I tell them they'll miss the bus they get dressed (ha. Who am I kidding? They 'let' me dress them) in a jiffy.
She can make friends and use the time to socialize. Sending along something to play with is brilliant. She'll make friends easier. It might still he the best part of her day!
Most days I give my kids a light breakfast before getting on the bus. Like a yogurt, cornflakes with milk. (I used to give them rice cake and peanut butter but then I stopped cuz kids on her bus have allergies. So keep that in mind)
Other days I just give them something to snack on on the bus (depending on how early they wake up) like pretzels, a cupcake or other homemade pc of cake or a fruit they like. They ear breakfast as soon as they get to school. I always make sure they drank enough and use the bathroom before going to the bus (even thought they went when they woke up. But my kids are little. So it's extra important. Bh no accidents so far)
In the afternoon they are on the bus 15 minutes as we are first on - first off.
My friend's son is last on - last off. So he gets to nap on the bus. She says she likes that her son comes home rested.