Where I live, kids in public kindergarten can ride the bus to school. We have the option of having the special ed transportation for the girls, too. Do you think we should allow them to ride the mainstream bus or use the special ed transportation? The girls will be just turning five when kindergarten starts, so they're young for kindergarten anyways. How many parents of NT kids would let a just turned five year old ride on a regular school bus? All of last year, I only saw one kindergarten age kid come to my son's bus stop, and this was not until the end of the school year (so, presumably, the girls was around six) and she cried the whole time while waiting (didn't want to do it) and my son and his buddy were instructed to 'look after her'
I think it would be a good learning experience for them, but at the same time, it kind of scares me to think of them wandering the rows of bus seats looking for a free seat. I remember when my son first road the bus (at six, first grade), he had this encounter with a mean older kid who wouldn't let him sit where he chose to sit. My son could handle it ok, but I'm not sure if the girls would really understand that sort of behavior.
What would you do? Do you think most parents of just-turned-five year old kids (special needs or not) would let them on a bus with regular elementery school aged kids? My son will be on the same bus, but he's only seven (and their brother), so although he can help guide them, he really can't pull rank on them if they start misbehaving.
I would have them take the special ed tranportation. Personally I think taking the regular school bus at age 5 is too young. I know we don't want to have our kids be different by riding the special ed transportation, but at this age I woudn't care. Good luck. I hope your girls love Kindergarten.
My son is going to Kindergarten this year too. We have the option of the spec. ed bus for him, but that bus would also included spec. ed. kids of all ages because he is no longer in preschool.
My daughter is in second grade, and I still won't let her ride the regular bus because of the older kids.
So, this year, I will be taking both of my kids to school (they will be going to the same school this year) and picking them up. Maybe I am overprotective, but I am not comfortable with them riding a bus with kids ranging in age from Kindergarten to the fifth grade with no adult supervision other than the bus driver, who is supposed to be driving.
Our little guy also has the option of Special Ed bus or regular bus. One picks him up at our door, the other is 8 houses away. Our school has a kindergarten information day the week before school actually starts where the kids will learn what the school bus is all about before they have to ride it for the first time. This is for all kids not just special ed ones.I vote strongly for mainstream bus! Based on how you've described the girls I can't see any reason why they wouldn't take a regular bus, since they are going to be mainstreamed in your local school.
Where we live, all kids are bussed. Parents can choose to drive them if they wish, but bussing is free and available to all. C took "special transportation" for the 2 years he was in SpEd preschool, which was required since kids have to be in kindy to take the regular bus. However, last year for kindergarten he took the regular bus with his brother. The district asked if we needed special transportation and I was said no way. It was nobrainer decision for us.
You've got two of them. They'll sit together. They are well behaved. You can talk to the transportation department and the bus driver and make sure they know to keep a special eye out for the girls. I'm guessing that they'll be fine!
Taking the bus is a big step in independence for them. And the bus is a feeding ground for social interaction. (Good and bad I might add - I think every inappropriate word my kids come home with is picked up on the bus!) C loves the bus.
And the bus had changed ALOT since we were kids. Our bus driver runs a tight ship. Kids sit in their seats and play and talk quietly. It's not like when I was a kid and everyone was yelling and switching seats and throwing paper balls at each other and facing backward on the seat talking over it. Safety is taken VERY seriously, moreso than when we were kids. The bus driver CANNOT move the bus until every little butt is firmly planted in a little seat, facing forward.
Go for it!
Yeah, I was real nervous sending my son on the bus at the beginning of last year - I thought he'd get lost of something, lol! Turns out he ended up really liked riding the bus, the few encounters with mean, older kids excepted. There were some fifth grade girls that looked after the little first graders at the stop like mother hens :)
I'm just not so sure if 5.0 is really to young for ANY kid to be on a school bus, special needs or not. I'm not so much concerned with stigma or anything with the special ed bus, but I'm finding out that the girls often do better than I expect them to in a given situation (like summer camp this summer) and that they get a lot of lessons in self sufficiency this way.
I don't want to expect more from them than one would expect of a typical kid.
My oldest son rode the regular bus with no problems. He was with the rest of the neighborhood kids whom he knew. He was also able to tell me if there were any problems. The driver of the route actually reserved the first several seats for the Kindergartners. As the year went on, the kids started to venture toward the back of the bus.
My youngest son rode the special ed bus. At the end of Kindergarten, his teacher asked me what I thought about him riding the regular bus with his older brother. Because of his language delays, I'm keeping him on the special ed bus. I just don't think he's ready, even with help from his older brother.
ETA: I think your girls would do well on the regular bus with their big brother.
Fred,
You have to go with your gut on this one, but what is the harm in trying the regular bus? If is doesn't work out, you can either request an aide to accompany them on the bus, or request the special transportation. I don't think it is an all or nothing decision. Please note that I may have a biased view because my kids have also been bussed to and from day camp starting at age 3, so we're bus veterans here.
Just to share, on the first day of school last year, when the bus pulled over to pick up the kids are our stop, there were a trail of cars pulled over too, kind of like a funeral procession. At first I couldn't figure out what the cars were doing but then realized that it was a car train of worried moms (many clutching tissues and craning their necks trying to see into the bus) following the bus to school to make sure their little folk go off ok and didn't get lost. If you want to stalk the bus for a few days to make sure it is going well you would not be the first! Our school also has "bus orientation" for kindergartners. 2 days before school started the bus did the route and picked up all the kindergarten kids, and their parents, and took us all to school. We took a tour, the kids met their teachers, the kids attended a "bus safety instruction" and the bus took us all home.
Funny story, Kristy :) I wanted to 'spy' on my son, too - but his mom wouldn't let me.
I guess the things I'm worried about is that their communication skills are not up to par (in the event that they got lost of something, I'm not sure how well they'd understand the situation), but from what I've seen, the kids are herded along pretty well - no real opportunity to get lost. I also think that they reserve the first row of seats for kindergarten kids.
I could send them to 'bus orientation', but unless it was presented at a very, very basic level, I'm not sure the girls would follow (language issues). I mean, they will be five, but their language comprehension is probably still like that of a typical four year old. And there's always the possibility of a meltdown - I wouldn't be worried about anything sensory, but if the bus driver had to get stern with them for misbehavior of some kind it could get out of hand, unless they knew what they were doing - my girls will yell back if yelled at, for instance, and can be very loud when upset.
Gosh, I'm not sure I'm ready for this!!!
Holy crap Kristy - "bus orientation"! That's great.
Anthony took the special ed bus last year to pre-school. It was a regular school bus (not a short bus) with an aide. There weren't many kids on the bus and all the kids were pre-school kids going to the same school. He absolutely loved taking the bus and got on the first time without a problem.
Fred - this is a tough call. Will they let you switch which bus they ride after school starts. If so, I would say pick the regular bus with big bro. Even though the girls may not know if the kids are picking on them, he'll know and can relate that to you. If it's too much for them or they are getting picked on, you can change to the special ed bus.
The social exposure on the regular bus may be great for the girls. Especially since they're asking more questions - they may strike up some conversations with their classmates. This may lead to more positive social interaction at school and spill over to play dates, friendships, etc.
mamajot, right now, I still don't think that they could really have a "conversation" with a same aged peer, though they could probably engage in some imaganitive play with another kid their age.
I think I'll let mom make the call on this one. I general, she worries less than I do!
School had no trans for my daughter for 3 months. I had to fight just to get a school bus to pick up and drop off my daughter. Then they told me that they wanted my daughter to ride special bus. I was ok with it.We have bus orientation here as well - although it is done in the spring. I think it would be much better a week before school!
We are sending ds on the mainstream bus. However, he will be with his best friends (the twins) and I figure with the three of them together, most of the older kids won't mess with them. I would guess they are more likely to pick on kids who are by themselves. I would think that would be the case with your girls as well.
Ds rode the special ed bus all last year for pre-school and the Head Start bus. So, he has a lot of experience riding a bus (the bus home was a "big" yellow bus even though it was a special needs bus).
That's the other thing - I would be isolating ds even further if I had him on the special ed bus. There is definitely a stigma for that. Something to consider...
But, you have to do what's comfortable for you. In our area from what I have heard, almost all the kindergarten kids take the bus. We live less than a mile from school, so I think the bus ride won't be all that long. And, I will be waiting out with him the whole time before the bus comes.
I think the bus ride is a good time to process what is going to happen before school and certainly good "downtime" after school - if that's what your child needs. My ds frequently asked the Head Start bus driver to drop him off last (this was an option sometimes) because he wanted more time on the bus. Obviously, that won't be happening this year - but I don't think he'll want that as he'll want to get off when the twins do (they live 3 houses down from us).
I agree that the bus may be a great place to practice social interaction. I've also been told that in our area, the kindergarteners all sit in front - for the very reason that the bus driver can keep a better eye on them and no one will be picking on them. Maybe that's the case where you live too!
I would say though, if you have concerns, I would drive them to school - if that's possible. I don't know if your wife would go along with that. But, if you don't feel the girls are ready for the mainstream bus, that's what I would do. Check out what the policies are and see if they can be added to the route later in the year if you are feeling more comfortable with them taking the bus. Some places won't let you do that.
Good luck with this decision! I think the girls will do fine - but you are the one who knows your area and the people involved. So, it's really your call!
Where is live 4 year old NT kids ride the bus for Pre-k in my town.. Last year my son was 3 and rode the special ed bus.. This year he is 4 and in spetember he is going to ride the big bus for pre-k.. I am scared but i will have to see how it goes.. I think it is worth a try and see how they like it..