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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Managing Drop Offs/Pick Ups And The Bus Stop
Baby Beluga 06:33 AM 06-07-2017
My own child starts Kindergarten in August and may need to occasionally ride the bus to/from school. I have NO experience with the bus.

The bus stop is 3 houses down from ours; as a Kindergartner an adult understandably has to be present at drop offs/pick ups. I plan to walk the DCK's to/from the bus stop to wait with DD.

What plans or rules do I need to have in place before this starts? No DCK drop offs/pick ups at the bus stop, etc? What walking ropes, walking aides would be helpful to have?

I want to have a plan and email it to parents prior to the school year starting.
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Jupadia 07:27 AM 06-07-2017
My own starts Jr. kindergarden (all day) in September.
I'm buying a quad stroller since we will have to walk to school for morning drop off and afternoon pickup. I have 5 or 6 kids max with him so the quad will work for me. The walk about 10 min each way at good speed longer if toddler is walking hence the stroller. I also have wrist straps that I already use for kids that can walk but don't always listen about staying close (just tie my end to stroller to keep hands free but keep it in reach in case child needs it shortened.
I will allow kids to be dropped off during walk but patents have to do it saftey. But the kids all get here before that time so I'm not worried.
I have had to change lunch /nap time to allow more clearence time between nap and pickup. I plan to write a quick letter to let parents know about the time periods we will be away and the drop off / pick up policy in this time.
Other then that I have nothing cause this is my oldest starting so it's a first for me.
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sammie 07:43 AM 06-07-2017
I do bus stop walks with up to 6 dck. I have a triple stroller. The three youngest ride and the other three walk holding the side of the stroller (all on the same side that is not near the street.) On occasion, a parent will drop off at the bus stop. I have been doing this for 5 years now and it works well.
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Meeko 09:43 AM 06-07-2017
Check your state regs on drop off and pick up at the bus stop. It wouldn't work in my state as parents must sign in and out on the log.

I also wouldn't want to deal with the kid who doesn't want Mommy to leave and has a hissy at the bus stop. Too much to deal with right by the side of the road.

I would let parents know what times you will be gone and say no drop off/pick up at those times. They can work around you.
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Pepperth 10:16 AM 06-07-2017
I had to do this all last year. Fortunately this year, the bus stop moved a block over to my driveway. Thanks goodness!!!

I made sure all the parents knew the time we walked to the bus stop. There were no drop offs or pickups during that 10 time. I ended up buying a 4 kid stroller and had the 2 oldest kids walk, while holding on to the stroller. I did have a few wrist straps, but never needed them. Once we got to the bus stop, he walkers would sit on the grass and we'd all sing until the bus arrived.

Most of the time, it worked really well, but the timing wasn't the greatest. It was at the tail end of naptime, so I had to adjust the beginning of naptime to account for it. Make sure parents know kids are going for this walk everyday rain, shine or snow and send appropriate clothing. Also you might want to create an emergency plan. Once, we had severe weather and the busses were delayed at the school due to a tornado warning. I had to send a family member to get my son from the bus stop because I had no idea what time the bus would get there and I didn't want the daycare children out in that kind of weather.
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Baby Beluga 08:16 AM 06-08-2017
All good suggestions, thank you!
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Snowmom 08:21 AM 06-08-2017
Call the bus company to see if they would be willing to move the stop to your driveway.

That's what I did 4 years ago when my kids started going to school. They've kept it the same since. I explained I am a home daycare and they were more than willing to accommodate me.
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Snowmom 08:22 AM 06-08-2017
Oh, and I don't allow drop offs during bus time. Since I need to split my attention in two different directions, I wasn't willing to add in transitions for new arrivals on top of that.
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DaycareDays126 10:07 AM 06-08-2017
Originally Posted by Snowmom:
Call the bus company to see if they would be willing to move the stop to your driveway.

That's what I did 4 years ago when my kids started going to school. They've kept it the same since. I explained I am a home daycare and they were more than willing to accommodate me.
I did this as well and they changed the stop from a block down the street with no problems!
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hwichlaz 10:58 AM 06-08-2017
When my dd was in kindy, the stop was at the corner 4 houses down. I talked to the bus driver about my situation. So, I stood in the middle of the street in front of my house with a baby monitor (it was the middle of our nap time) so that I could wave and make visual contact with the bus driver, and then she'd let Nadia off the bus. In the mornings she walked with the rest of the neighborhood kids and her high school aged brother. He'd wait for the bus with her (his school is closer and he has to walk to school) until the bus came, unless there was another parent from our street waiting with the kids.
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kendallina 11:13 AM 06-08-2017
I have to walk about 10 houses down to get my daughter off the bus -usually with 4-5 preschoolers. I allow pick ups from the bus stop, it hasn't been an issue. I live on a very quiet road and I'm on a dead end, so there's not much traffic and the bus can't come closer to the house. Honestly, 4:00-4:30pm is my FAVORITE pick up time! I wish all my kids would go home then...lol
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Tags:drop off area, drop off issues, drop off policy
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