Swear words and lice. These are two things I've seen come off the bus. So how can you prepare your child so he or she doesn't come off the bus sounding like a long-shore man?

Riding the bus can be scary, eye-opening, and a lot of fun. Here a few ways to prepare your child (and yourself) for a year of happy bus riding.

1. If it's your child's first time riding the bus, call the school and see if they are offering tours of the buses. Many schools offer bus safety classes both before the school year starts and during the school year. Showing your child around the bus will make him or her more comfortable when the time comes to ride it without you.

2. Remind your child of the safest way to ride to the bus. Two feet on the floor, facing forward, and talking at conversational level. Remind them that yelling on the bus is strictly forbidden. Many students forget to keep their hands and other limbs inside the bus at all times - be sure your student is not one of those. Nothing is more traumatic than getting yelled at by the bus driver.

3. Remember all the things you learned on the bus? I learned some very colorful, and often very wrong, information the bus. Be sure you child feels comfortable asking questions or they may go through much of their adolescent life believe that babies come from gardens.

4. Don't forget that children will learn many things - if your child comes home with a swear word, don't panic! Simply explain that such words or concepts are not acceptable for young children.

5. Lice is another story. If your child comes home with an itchy head - find out immediately what the problem is. I do not know of any ways to avoid catching lice, but ridding them of the problem quickly will reduce the stress of the problem.

Unless your child is coming home with very harsh new ideas, don't pull your student off the bus. This is an important time that children develop and make new friends.

Learn more about this author, Lily E.
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