*This is a collaborative post
Having to get the school bus for the first time can be a scary thought for both children and their parents. There may be anxiety around getting lost, issues happening along the way and dealing with the unexpected. Running through all of this ahead of time can make sure that your child is prepared and ready. To help you make sure that you’ve got all bases covered, we have teamed up with a prep school in London to share our top tips.
Find a Bus Buddy
As well as your child there may be other children that take the bus to school and having a buddy accompany them on their way can make the journey a little less scary. This is something that you can find out by speaking to their friends’ parents and arrange for beforehand.
Practice Run
You can also help by getting them familiar with the route. A few test runs and they will develop confidence. To help, look out for what you can see along the way. Any landmarks, street signs or anything memorable that can help. On the test run, you can teach them about how to tell when the bus will come and safety. As it’s a moving vehicle there are risks involved. They will need to stay seated until their stop arrives and use the handles/bars as they move around the bus.
Go with Them Until They Are Ready
While it may not be ideal, going with your child to school on the bus for a few days (or even a week if necessary) can help them to feel comfortable and give you some peace of mind. They will have a realistic idea of what to expect from their bus journey as they will be travelling at the same time of the day as they would every day.
