Helping Your Child Prepare for the School Bus
If your child will soon be taking the bus to school, they may feel a little nervous or concerned about travelling alone. By talking to your child about what to expect and getting them familiar with their new route, you can help to ease their nerves and make their journey more fun.
Here are a few tips from Cokethorpe School to help them prepare for taking the school bus…
Prepare
To help calm your child’s nerves – and possibly your own, find out exactly where the bus stop is located and pay it a visit. This will ensure that you know the route and the exact journey time.
A visit to the bus stop will also help your child to familiarise themselves with the area and feel more comfortable.
Safety
Take time to discuss safety rules with your child for travelling on a bus. Explain the importance of wearing a seatbelt, staying seated when the vehicle is in motion and talking quietly. It is also important that your child is aware of ‘stranger danger’ and knows about road safety, especially if they will be walking home from the bus stop.
Friends
Having a friend sit next to your child on the bus may help them to feel more relaxed. Speak to the teacher and see if they have organised a ‘travel buddy’ system. You may be able to find out in advance who they will be pared with, or arrange for your child to sit with a particular friend.
If your child does seem concerned about travelling to school without you, it is important to discuss their concerns and address each one individually. Let them know that there will always be an adult on board to look after them, and you can even arrange to collect them from the bus stop until they feel settled.