Every spring at kindergarten registration, our school district hands out a flyer titled, "Kindergarten Orientation Riding the School Bus." I actually still have a copy of that flyer from when my son registered for kindergarten about two years ago. The flyer has some ideas and safety tips that can be used for more than just our school district.

As a parent, you can sit down with your child and talk about some of these things, especially if your child is feeling anxious about riding the bus for the first time.

First, our district says that if you're planning to have your child riding the bus, that it's best to have your child ride the bus on the first day. By doing this, your child will learn where the bus stop is, which bus the child rides, and this can start the process of building a positive relationship with the bus driver. Also, for the child, if they start riding the bus on the first day, they will meet the other kids at the bus stop and start the process of hopefully building some friendships.

As a parent, you can talk to your child about how to behave on the bus; oftentimes, good behavior will lead to a safer riding experience for all the students. You can explain to your child that when they are on the bus, they need to remain in their seat unless they are getting on or off the bus. Also, explain to your child that they need to be using quiet voices while riding the bus, because the bus driver can be distracted by yelling and loud noises. Follow this up by explaining that if the bus driver is distracted, this could cause an accident, and your child and the other students on the bus could get hurt.

If your child needs to cross the street while getting on or off the bus, explain to your child that they need to wait for the driver to signal that it is safe for them to cross; the bus driver has the best view if the traffic and the best control over the situation.

If your child still has concerns, you can take a walk with your child to the bus stop before the first day, and you can talk about any safety concerns that are applicable to the area that your particular bus stop is located at. You could also have your child practice lining up at the stop.

If, after that, your child still has reservations about riding the bus, you should probably call your school district's transportation office for further advice.

Learn more about this author, Lesley Aeschliman.
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