Two different B&A

Me again ! Good thing I've got this site :)

So I am currently advertising for a spot for Sept. I have 2 interviews scheduled for this week ... thing is none of them would be a GREAT match but I cant be to choosy in my area. So I have agreed to meet with them and see which family would work out best. One is a 4 going 5 year old B&A... which I would not really mind cause I am already going to be doing bus stop for my own child. The problem is they are not attending the same school so I would be waiting on 2 buses. I've never done this before so I intend to call the schools to see what time would the buses pick up and drop off. What else should I consider ? Could this be a problem ? I'm not sure. I will have 3-4 other children to take to the stop with us which is only at the end of my driveway and by then they will all be 18 months and over.

Anything you can think of ... please let me know.

I have 2 different before and after 15 minutes apart :( for me its very hard cause of the weather I have 4 to take with me and the bus is across the street but when its raining that 15 minutes feels like an hour....so I guess it depends on how much time you will be spending waiting and if your willing to do that in all weather conditions......I dont plan on taking my b&a kid next year I personal feel its not worth the hassle :)

You are best to call the bus company not the schools. Especially for September, the schools won't know anything yet. It's very possible the bus company's won't know anything until august either. But they may be able to give you an idea of what's happening this year. If it's too long of a space then you may find yourself walking home and back again. Think of the cold winter days, rainy days, windy days. Yuck!

I'm very lucky to have 2 stops for 2 diferent school right outside my front door. (country livin') I get to know the drivers early so they look for my head to pop out the door and they let the little ones off the bus for me. I don't have to drag anyone outside in poor weather.

Lots to consider when you're doing 2 different bus runs. Also consider half days, early release etc. That's going to mess up your nap time! If it's 2 different school boards (catholic and public) then they will always do different pd days, early release etc.

Call the bus company's before you have the interview so you have a better idea of what you're dealing with.

I would find it highly unlikely that even the bus company will be able to tell you what time to expect the bus for September. They arent even at the stage of planning that yet. If the bus stops at the bottom of your driveway as you said, then I dont see that it would be that difficult to work into your day even with the other little ones. You wouldnt have to walk anywhere with the younger kids and if it is raining then I would be inclined to co-ordinate afternoon snack or a brief period of colouring or tray play so the kids can sit in highchairs and be entertained safely while you grab the other kid off the bus...that is unless you have a rediculously long driveway ;-)

And also, locations of bus stops change yearly depending on the locations of the kids getting on and the route it is taking so thats something else to consider. What time the bus will be at and the location of the bus stop are things that WILL NOT be 100% confirmed until the first week of school, so I wouldnt plan anything around those factors, simply plan as though you either have to load them into a minivan or walk to the stop and see if this is realistically feasable for you.

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Originally Posted by bright sparks

...that is unless you have a rediculously long driveway ;-)

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I do have a ridiculously long driveway ;) We are on a farm. The bus will stop right in front of my house but ... it's probably 500m away.

I don't expect them to have the schedules out but I could just compare with this year ...

As a parent I wouldnt' want my child out that long to run from stop to stop - not because of the weather as much as the required sitting time. It really cuts into the day in terms of playtime for a child to be "busy" doing a morning bus run which can be an hour from start to dress to drop off to home again and undressed for play meaning instead of running around they are sitting in a wagon/stroller/car. Then they come home and have circle time, snack, etc. - sounds like a great day except they are not moving around enough doing their own things so that would really turn me off. To extend the time to do a second trip or add on to the first trip makes it even harder to meet the needs of everyone for morning naps, longer afternoon naps etc. But that is just me and glad I no longer do the bus runs. It is a lot of work and turmoil in the daycare routine for the little amount of money you get for it. Even a younger child two days a week pays more than a b/a child with less hassle.

If both stops will be on your property then you might just want to consider setting up a play area closer to the end of the driveway maybe even a small gated area and then the other kids could run around and play in there while waiting for the bus and then give the bus child a bit of playtime when they arrive since they will have been sitting on the bus for up to half an hour or more. That way it works for bus times a well as the rest of the days you can still walk to the play area and back to the house for playtimes.

You might also be able to put some kind of a sign on the play area or at least somewhere in the play area that would be seen by people driving by so they know a daycare is located there.

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Originally Posted by playfelt

If both stops will be on your property then you might just want to consider setting up a play area closer to the end of the driveway maybe even a small gated area and then the other kids could run around and play in there while waiting for the bus and then give the bus child a bit of playtime when they arrive since they will have been sitting on the bus for up to half an hour or more. That way it works for bus times a well as the rest of the days you can still walk to the play area and back to the house for playtimes.

You might also be able to put some kind of a sign on the play area or at least somewhere in the play area that would be seen by people driving by so they know a daycare is located there.

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I LOVE this idea!

Yup great suggestions ladies, thanks ! More I think about it, I find myself a lot less interested in B&A. Unless ALL my kids where B&A's...

I'm with Mommylove, it's not worth it. The school is across the road from my house (I could spit on it if I wanted) and I find it too much of a hassle. How many days left in the school year? The bonus though is it forces you to go outside everyday and I find it makes you start your time outside maybe earlier then you would have.

One thing in addition to all the great points brought up here, is that you should think about what you will do when your own school aged child is home sick for the day. Unless your husband can stay with your child, you will have to drag him/her out to do the bus run for the B&A child even with a fever, etc. This is one of the biggest things that stops me from doing it. I do bus run for my own son, but if I keep him home, he can stay and rest and I don't have to go out. Also, there were some very cold days this year when I just kept him home rather than exposing all the kids to the extreme cold...would've been harder with paying B&A kids.

All great advices ...thanks all ! Really I think the money is not worth the hassle. I think my decision is made but maybe I wont even have to tell them. Maybe they wont pick me after all. They are visiting other daycares.