B/A school best practices

[Fireyesblue]

I have 2 Ft kiddos this fall and their older sibling for B/A school care. Fortunatley, I am on a major bus route for all the schools and they drop off literally in front of my house. Any tips on this in terms of pickup and dropoff? The kids are all over 2. Do you think I have to get them all dressed to stand on my front porch? I know you cant leave them unattended, but i am just wondering if there are other ways around this given its just in front of my house. Lol Looking for tips and best practices from those with a similar set up...thx!

[Suzie_Homemaker]

I would get all dressed for weather and be at the end of the drive. I know cars not meant to pass a stopped bus but they do. Here, our school board requires all children Grade 2 and younger as accompanied by an adult at the stop for pick up and drop off. If no adult is standing at the stop itself, they will not let the child off.

It only takes two seconds of attention on littles to miss the bus and it only takes two seconds of attention on student walking up the drive for a little to be hurt. Don't risk it. There are no best practices for attention on two totally separate areas of little inside home and student arriving at end of drive. The only option is to dress the children and be outside.

[Lee-Bee]

How old are the bus kids?

[babydom]

I don't dress my kids. When I had a kindergartener I had to meet the child off at the bus so I put all the kids in the wagon with a big blanket and just their hats on in the garage with the door open and I walked down the driveway to get the child. The other yr the school kids were all in gr 1 or older so then u don't have to be at the bus to meet them. So the kids just stayed in the house and when I heard the bus I opened my front door and stepped out onto my front porch and watched them walk up my driveway. Bus always stopped on the same side of my driveway so the kids never had to cross the Rd. Never any problem.

[Lee-Bee]

It depends on many variables (that we don't know of). Age of the bus kids, the street you live on, distance from your street to your front door, do you have a large window with clear view of the bus.

I used to work for a family with 4 kids. They lived on a very short, small one way street. Since the bus fully blocked the road there was no chance of a car passing the bus and no oncoming traffic. Also, the front of house was only about 15feet from the street (no front yards). I was able to read on the couch with the other kids and wave to the driver when they stopped. the driver could ensure I was home and the bus child would come running in. In this situation it was perfectly fine to not be outside on the street waiting. But, in most cases I think you'd likely have to be outside.

What ever you do, make sure all parents of your daycare are aware of what is going on.

[Fireyesblue]

Thanks everyone!
I just have one family and all 3 of the kids belong to them. Mom, lives just a few houses down from me. The b/a will be in JK so definitely, will be out to get him. Then I will have my own 2 year old, plus their 3 year old and 1 year old. It's the 1 year old, I am trying to coordinate more so. The bus is about 7-10ft from our garage. The wagon in the garage is a good idea. I can put both toddlers in the wagon - its a double, I am just at a loss for the 12m old so I guess I had wishful thinking there was an easier way around this. I am already dreading winter LOL

Babydom: I like how you worked your system!

[babydom]

Thank u! Do u have a stroller? Or kids chairs? Two can go in the wagon and one in the stroller. Or the 2 and 1 yr old in the wagon and the 3yr old in a little chair. Some times I'd line up all the little kid chairs and they'd all sit there in the garage with the door open and watched for the bus. Do what works best for u. Getting all three toddlers dressed in the winter to walk 7 feet and wait 5 mins sounds so not worth it unless u stay out after to play. Totally use the garage. Just throw on their hats and blankets. Wait till the last second. The kids were never in the garage longer then 2-4mins as I waited just as the bus came good luck

[Fireyesblue]

Thanks babydom! I do have a stroller and the wagon and tons of little kids chairs. So, I can have the baby in the stroller and both toddlers in chairs or wagon. My daughter LOVES watching all the school busses out the window and in front of the house and waves, so I am sure we can swing this. I feel much better knowing I have a system in place. Now, let's hope they don't change the route!

[babydom]

Awesome. That's good! That's the reason I don't do school age kids anymore. The bus changed and there's no way I was going out with 5 babies/toddlers twice daily in the very cold or rain. Lol.

[Kellybelly83]

I've had to do this kind of planning before too haha! I was very fortunate that the bus driver offered to buckle and unbuckle my dh boy for me. So I just had to get him to the bus. If they stop in front of your house, you could carry the young one with you in the warmer months, and in the winter either utilize a playpen with a monitor, or a stroller like another poster suggested. When it's not too cold out you should plan your outside play time around the bus schedule.

I'm finally at the stage where I have all 4+ so I drive them all to school and the 4 year old comes with me everywhere. It's a different set of struggles haha... Younger kids need to be watched so closely, older kids have attitude

I hope your system works seamlessly for you when school starts!