I don't know what to do. We had dd all set to take the bus to and from kindergarten in the fall, but we just received notice they will no longer offer bussing at her school. I only have enough seats for 6 in my mini van and I will need 9 we can figure out getting her there in the morning but I have no idea what we will do to get her home at noon. It is 1.2 miles and along a busy street (50mph) and across a river to walk. It takes us 30-40 min to walk it with her little legs. I am so frustrated. No neighbors have kindergarteners and the few stay at home moms near by have a minimum of three of their own kids to manage. I really don't want to pay an assistant EVERY day so I can pick her up.

Anyone had a similar issue and have a creative solution?

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I wonder if any other providers in your area will be transporting their DCK's from kindergarten. If there are, maybe someone has an extra seat in the vehicle. I'd offer to pay a transportation fee, but it would probably be cheaper than an assistant.

Just a thought.

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Is there an afterschool program? Could dd stay until a family member gets done with work, or until you get done? I know it's not ideal, but maybe an option?

I am having a similar situation- it's likely the bus stop will be so far from my house that there is no way I can walk all the kids down each day (I live in New England, so weather is a concern). I may have to pay for the before school option, but it is fairly cheap, it's just not an expense I would like to pay since a closer bus stop would be a free solution.

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That's a good idea. When I was just a stay at home mom and not doing childcare, a parent called me as I lived close to her childcare provider. She paid me a small fee to drop her child off everyday after school. That was preschool.

OP, you might ask for addresses at school (if they give them out) of anyone that passes your house and meet with that parent. Let the principal know why you want the address. When I did childcare during the summer, our principal let me put an ad in the school newsletter.

A similar idea might be to advertise for someone to bring her home. I say this because I am a grandma and retired and I've been out walking and see children walking to school alone. I would feel much better if I were the parent if someone were walking with them or driving them. I thought of the walking aspect for my own exercise. On rainy days I could drive. Do you know of any retired people that might want to do it maybe? I wish I lived near you. I'd do it!

Laurel

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I had this problem and I hired someone to take my DD to and from school. It was an added expense but worth every penny so I could have DD home safely. Her school does offer before and after care. I just didn't want here there such long hours. Do you have any neighbors with older kids that can walk on the way home from school? Any neighbors who have children also in the school? You can pay them or barter some something?

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I am going to have a similar issue in the fall for my son for preschool. I don't know what to do. There is no bus. It is only a 5 minute drive, takes no more than 15 minutes to drive there, bring him in, and get home. However when my daughter was in the same preschool I had to bring all the dcks with me, so I'd buckle them in, drive there, get them all out, take them all in the school to bring her to her class, get them all buckled back in, go home and quickly give them a nap. Then wake them up from nap, buckle them back in, get them out and go in to get my daughter, buckle the kids back in and go home.

So a 15 minute thing ended up being a 45 minute ordeal every day, because since it took us so long to get in and out then we hit traffic!

Toward the end of the year her teacher offered to walk her out for me, we just had to wait for everyone else to leave. This was a gigantic help!

However, I do not want to go through all that again. I do not know anyone else going to the school, I do not know who his teacher will be or if she will be willing to help out (can't blame her if she doesn't).

Not sure what we will do yet! We will probably end up going to a different school. This one (we love it, our other 2 went there and we really want our son to go there) is 5 days a week for 2 hours. We will probably end up at a place where we can do 2 or 3 days

Anyway, I feel your pain!

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Why does it change your need of 6 seats to needing 9 now if its just your DD?

Do you have other DCK's that will need a ride to school as well?

Sorry...I might be reading wrong but that part confused me.

Maybe you could ask a DCP (if they have kids in the same school) if they would provide transportation for your DD in the afternoon or all together if possible. You could just pay the parent or give credit towards their child care invoice.

If they just cancelled bus services for the whole school, I bet there is ALOT of parents wanting to connect to deal with the issue.

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A couple of years ago our district canceled the bus service for those of us living just inside the mile marker from the school. We had always had bus service previously.

As our road is not appropriate for walkers (no sidewalks or even a shoulder) faster speed limit, etc. we had our road declared a "child safety zone" Because of this (and the fact we had the media interview us and show people how bad the road was - the reporter was on camera and semi-trucks were blasting by her ) we were able to recieve funding and bus service was restored.

Just thinking that if you came together with other parents you might be able to change things.

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Also wanted to add, that I told DH and others in no uncertain terms that I could NOT do transporting to and from each day. That I was WORKING too and not a SAHM who had time to do the school run. One neighbor mentioned something about paying me to play bus driver, the I said fine but they'd need to pay my assistant as well since I couldn't leave the dck's

I honestly think that until I flipped out about it, everyone else had a "play care will do it" attitude.

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I think your best bet is going to be team up with another parent. You could offer to pay or even perhaps barter some child care if you could find someone. The only issue with that is if that child is not going to school for some reason you will have to figure something out last minute.

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I don't transport dcks, the mini van is my family vehicle. I don't take school age.

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Oh, okay....gotcha.

I was confused as to why adding one more (your DD) would go from needing 6 to 9 seats.

But I get it now.

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Your story gives me hope Dh penned a letter to the principal/school board etc. He didn't end up sending it the media, he was afraid if the bus isnt restored then we had inadvertently alerted the general public to a bunch of unattended children walking at specific time...

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This is the tricky part. I have tons of awesome neighbors to get her to school. Even a few sweet high schoolers I have considered offering to pay, to drop her off in the morning. But because of the half day, I can't figure out how to get her home.

Whoever suggested asking for addresses...I think I might get a phone list of the other kindergarten parents and see if one of them can bring her home.

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This may sound crazy, but what about a taxi? If you arranged for every day with a certain taxi service maybe they'd give you a deal? In our city we have Kidz Kab, which is designed for transporting children, but I'm sure most cities don't.

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I would start asking around. I had this same issue and I was able to find someone before school started to help take him back.

I had no issues with drop off. it was pick up.

I started asking everyone how they were doing it and told them my situation. Was able to have one of his sporting friends parents help out for about 1/2 the year and then I was able to have my older son pick him up the rest. It all worked out thank goodness.

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I don't think her number of kids changed. Sounds like her van seats 6 and she has 9 kids. So even if she wanted to transport them she can not.

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