New entrants - end of day at school
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Topic: New entrants - end of day at school
Posted By: my2angels
Subject: New entrants - end of day at school
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 10:47am
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Im just wondering what happens at the end of the day in other schools for new entrants. At my neices school the new entrants cant go until the parents are there, in the room to pick them up and I know this is the same for a friends school but at our school the kids just come bowling out and if they cant see anyone there to pick them up they are suppose to go back into the classroom and tell the teacher or go to the office but from what I can see the teachers dont actually check the kids have been picked up so there is the chance they can go wondering I guess. I know that come 3pm the school has no responsibilty for the kids anymore but sometimes things happen, flat tyres, stuck in traffic etc.. so you can be late to pick them up and i just hate the thought that no one is actually keeping an eye on them.
Am I just being a paranoid over protective mum or is this a bit slack? what happens at your school? |
Replies:
Posted By: BugTeeny
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 11:07am
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I don't have any recent experience, but I always remember I wasn't allowed to leave the classroom until my older sister came to collect me.
I have three younger cousins - the youngest a new entrant 10 years ago. I'd pick her up from school a few days a week and she wasn't allowed to leave the classroom until I came to get her either. To me, it's a no-brainer that the little ones be looked after until they're collected. I don't think you're paranoid or over-protective  ------------- 
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Posted By: sweetpea
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 11:10am
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IMO this is a heap of crap we wailked home and today it is no more dangerous than a generation ago. Admittedily we had no busy roads to cross but come on. ------------- http://daisypath.com"> 
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Posted By: BugTeeny
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 11:17am
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We walked home, but only if we were collected by someone. And only for the first wee while.
I think once the kids are settled in at school, and have someone (another kid, parent, older sibling etc) to accompany them home, then it's fine. I certainly wouldn't want my 5 year old walking home by herself. I'd feel much happier if she was in a group/with a friend. -------------
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Posted By: Snappy
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 11:21am
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When Janaya was in NE the teacher would stand with all the kids until they had been picked up. I always remember the teacher not being too impressed when I turned up 15 mins late.
A year on, she now goes to the "stage" as its called. If your parent isnt there on pick up they are to walk there and wait, there is a teacher watching over all the kids until the parents pick them up. If by 3.15pm (school finishes at 2.50pm) noone has picked them up, the teacher takes them to the office and parents/guardians are called. ------------- Mummy to two beauties... Formerly Kaiz. |
Posted By: sweetpea
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 11:26am
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what a lot of bull they do these days. I really hate whats happening to kids these day with this. we walked to kindy on our own admittedily it was only up the raod and often my cousin picked me up on the way he lived in around the corner and up the street from me.
I would be absoltely livid about what the schools do these days. They have far better things to do then that. So at what age are they now saying its OK to walk home my yourself. I don't think this happens at any school down here but i could be wrong hmm i must ask my sil when i next see her. ------------- http://daisypath.com">
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Posted By: Mum_mum
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 11:38am
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I dont have a 5 year old yet lol but i do remember when i was at school. I went to a rural school and you couldnt really walk home on the main road so we got picked up. A teacher always stood out the front with us. There were only 43 pupils tho so it wasnt an issue with kids getting lost or walking off on there own.
Because of where we live, i would need to pick our kids up, but even if we didnt i would still want to walk with them to and from school until they were about 7. I think 5 is too young to be walking home by themselves unaccompanied by anyone. An older sibling or cousin or something would be fine but alone.. i dont think so. No offence to anyone but when you were at school, it was a while ago and things have changed, people are nastier, kids go missing and there are so many more built up areas now. unitl my child is aware fully of what is going on around them with traffic and stuff they wont be walking home by them selves. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
 Angel baby - May 2008
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Posted By: Katep
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 11:40am
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Each school will have their own policy. At the school I teach at, children go to different lines, based on how they go home- eg. bus (we have 3) and junior/senior walkers lines. We take a roll and then make sure they go to the right place.
My job is to cross the children across a road, if parents don;t turn up then basically I have to wait there, regarless of how long they take. Teachers time is precious, so late parents are frustraiting. One family live about 150meters from the school and she is of ten there 20-25 minutes late. 
5 yearolds often have a mind of their own and so easy to wonder off (even during class time they often wonder). So it really is to protect the school from accidents as really it is the schools responsibility until children have left the school grounds safely. Unfortionately it is a big scary world out there these days! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
Mum to the Gorgeous Leah! 7 months |
Posted By: my2angels
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 11:46am
Do you have kids yet? If not I wonder how you will feel when you do. There is no way I would let my children walk home from school at 5yrs old, the generation has changed from when we were little. I know I walked to and from school and we lived in a dodgy part of town but you just cant do that these days unless maybe you lived in a small town or are really close to the school. Im not even thinking about them walking home but more being left to wait with no one watching them. And what more important things do teacher have to do than take care and teach the kids? That is what they are there for after all. |
sweetpea wrote:Posted By: HoneybunsMa
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 12:46pm
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I don't remember what I did as a new entrant but i do remember that when I was standard four my little brother was made to come to my class until I had finished and we walked home together. I guess my older brother may have walked me home as he was two years older then me. Dps lil sister had to wait at her class until we came to pick her up. The teacher would ask who we were if she didn't know us and ask his sister as well ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 12:49pm
I agree my2angels. I would NOT let my 5yr old walk home!! we only live a 5-10 min walk away but still... I wasnt allowed to walk home from school by myself until my older sister had left primary ( i think i was 10). My nephew is very rarely allowed to walk home and he litterally lives across the road from school and the zebra crossing which is manned by a teacher/principal almost goes up his driveway!!. Im actually not too sure how it works with the NE in Bays school but from what i see all the kids tend to be picked up by an adult or older sibling every arvo. There has been a few times where my appointment has run late (i was 5 mins late twice) and i have been late to pick bay up but my sister and her SIL have 6yr olds there so they tend to make sure someone is there with Bay before they leave and i do the same with their kids. (obviously sometimes things happen as someone else mentioned and being late is out of your control). |
Posted By: T_Rex
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 1:29pm
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My older sister used to collect me from outside my class when I was 5/6 and we'd walk home across the golfcourse (it was a short walk through a small town). I remember one day her class got kept in and I waited and waited but she didn't come so I walked home by myself. Just as I reached home my mum came out the driveway in a panic having loaded the babies into the car because she'd been phoned by the school to say my older sister couldn't find me. She took me down to school to collect my older sister and there was a big hoohaa from all the teachers and a whole lot of other parents were looking for me too. Whoops! I was fine walking home, but obviously even then risks were there. Our school was on a riverbank for example, so its not just people that are dangerous.
So my point is, 5 is awfully young to be walking home from school by yourself, and it was 20-something years ago too. My kids will probably take a bus because we live rural. When I was older we moved schools and almost everyone caught buses home. The teachers would let us have some sports gear and supervise our play. Each bus did 2-3 runs, so the last bus didn't leave for nearly an hour after school. Anyone who was waiting to be picked up would just play with us till their parents showed. The parents knew they had to be their by the time the last bus left. It was the same in the morning - the first bus arrived nearly an hour before school started and kids couldn't be dropped off before the first bus arrived. So yes, the teachers should be keeping track on who is leaving the school, but not necessarily who is leaving the classroom. There'd often be a teacher policing the front gate and you couldn't leave unless your parents where there or your bus was waiting. I recall trying to sneak through to retrieve a ball or raid the next door peach tree a few times and getting told off. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: mamanee
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 1:39pm
I totally agree with you Amber and my2angels. A child at the age of 5 should not be walking home by themselves. Those comments really angered me especially coming from a person who has no children. You hate what is happening to kids these days? You mean you hate that parents give a sh*t about where there children are and what they are doing and making sure they are kept safe. Leaving a child to walk home by themselves at aged 5 is irresponsible and careless and imagine how awful you would feel if your child was hit by a car or wandered off and got lost or was taken by someone? Until you have children of your own, don't judge others for wanting to protect their own flesh and blood. I don't usually comment when things annoy me on here, but that annoyed me! |
Posted By: sweetpea
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 1:41pm
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So in that case when will you let your kids take the risks that are needed to be taken as part of growing up. i don't mean this to become a slinging match i just think kids a re over protected more than they need to be these days. This is my opinion and i know it isn't everyones. Just as an aside did you agree with what that mother did in the US an 8/9 year old on subway alone? ------------- http://daisypath.com">
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Posted By: mamanee
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 1:51pm
| I will let my children take risks at age appropriate times, when the benefits of the risk far outweigh the dangers of that risk. I don't like slinging matches either (Although I am a hormonal pregnant woman), but I do enjoy a good debate. I appreciate your opinion but I wonder how much that opinion would change were you to have children of your own. IMO, a five year old is far too young to be left to walk home alone, whether it be two minutes or twenty minutes. Times have changed and while I agree that children do not need to be overprotected, a five year old is not old enough to be forced into taking these sort of risks just to avoid the possibility of growing up to whatever it is you think the outcome of that situation is. To me, being slightly overprotective and keeping children safe is a much better alternative than being too relaxed and regretting it for the rest of your life when something awful and preventable happens to your child. |
Posted By: BugTeeny
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 1:51pm
lol I think you made it a slinging match when you first posted 
Of course you're entitled to your opinion, but to relay it several times over as an argument against other people who have first hand experience with this kind of thing then I think that's a bit OTT, sorry. There are plenty of other, more responsible, ways to let your kids take risks. You can't always protect your kids, but if you CAN protect them from certain things, do it. I'm with neeandsam. I don't often comment on things like this, but the thought of my child(ren) walking home by themselves at 5 years old scares me. I remember when I was 5 and being terrified when my sister was late picking me up. Edited to add:
What better things do they have to do than protect the children they've been entrusted with for 15 minutes at the end of the day? -------------
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Posted By: Nutella
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 1:52pm
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I think the same dodgy stuff happened when we were kids to be completely honest (in the 70s for me) but then again I doubt we would have walked home by ourselves as five year olds. And I wouldn't want my five year old doing that either...but mostly because who knows, they could get lost, fall in a drain, walk in front of cars...I dunno all sorts! They just aren't mature enough and never have been.
But I also don't think that the school should be used as a babysitter, the occasional time maybe, but then if every parent does that, then every day the teacher would be waiting. I know we used to play in the playground after school if waiting, and probably there was a teacher on duty. ------------- 
Oct 11
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Posted By: Peanut
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 1:56pm
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As a newish parent, I tend to agree with those above in terms of not allowing a 5 year old to walk home.
I was very similar to you in my opinions, sweetpea, before I had a child. Once my baby arrived I realised that I would do anything to protect my child. Of course there is a happy medium where children need to take "risks" to grow, develop and learn but these are managed risks not risks for the sake of it e.g there is a big difference in allowing your 5 yr old to walk home alone and say sitting away from your child while they play at a park. Kids are def not over protected these days - I am a high school teacher and would love for some more parents to "protect" their children a hell of a lot more. I do think we live in a different world to what we did 10-20 years ago and we need to make decisions based on our own child and beliefs. -------------  
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Posted By: first
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 1:56pm
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Developmentally a child is not ready to cross the road by themselves before the age of 7/8 so I would not like my son to walk home by themselve before them. But I will be expecting him to walk home with a group (walking bus or whatever).
This day and age is dangerous and I don't think it is too much to ask my son to either walk with me or with a group until he is 7. Sweetpea I see you live in invercargill maybe its a bit different down there compared to busy auckland?? ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://pregnancy.baby-gaga.com/"> 
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Posted By: my2angels
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 2:00pm
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Hmm didnt mean to start any arguements here, was just trying to find out if my schools policy was fairly standard but Sweepea in response to the comment about when would you let your kids that risks that are needed to be taken as part of growing up well for me I would probably let him walk home when he is say 6 or 7 maybe and that is only because we live in the same street as the school. There is a fine line between letting kids develope independence and being responsible and doing the right thing and in my opinion a 5 year old who has just started school and in some instances are away from thier parents for the first time is just not old enough to have the responsibility to walk home alone, They are easily distracted and persuaded so who knows what could happen.
And thanks Renee, I was a bit upset as well so glad it wasnt just me taking things the wrong way. |
Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 2:09pm
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Maya couldn't walk home from school even if I wanted her to as we live too far away, but I wouldn't be letting her walk at 5. DSD used to walk to school from about 8, but that was literally one block away and she was with a group of friends.
I really like the Walking School Bus idea that a lot of schools have implemented where parents operate on a roster system to walk the kids to and from school, stopping to pick up other children along the way much like a bus. At Maya's school, the juniors aren't allowed to leave without an adult. That said, I don't know how vigilant they are about watching them, Maya usually makes a dash for the monkey bars and I collect her straight from there. I've never been later than 3.15pm to pick her up but there are always teachers around until at least 3.30pm so hopefully they would take action if there were still kids in the playground at that stage. I do agree to a certain degree that we shouldn't wrap our kids up in cotton wool, but at the same time, we need to make our decisions as adults based on age-appropriateness. For example, I let my six-year old get out of the car and go into the bakery on her own. We know the staff there, and I can see her the whole time so there is minimal risk involved, but it is giving her a degree of responsibility. I wouldn't let her go into Countdown on her own as I wouldn't be able to keep her in my line of sight. However, if she was say 9-10, I might consider it. I personally don't agree with the woman who let her 9-year old use the subway on his own, mainly because whilst that does test his own responsibility, it doesn't allow for the behaviour of other people who may not be as responsible. She can't control whether there are paedophiles on the subway at the same time as her son, or whether one train is late and he has to catch the next one. There are too many variables. -------------  Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: caliandjack
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 2:10pm
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I live in a fairly quiet country town, but even I wouldn't want my (imaginary) 5yr old walking home by themselves, there is a busy intersection to cross (well busy for Feilding) and no pedestrian crossing. I walked home from school with my brother when we were at primary school but there was only 1 road at the back of school to cross. For new entrants I would have thought the teachers would be there to make sure the kids are picked up and picked up by the right person, there have been instances of the wrong kid being picked up. Often by a relative who is looking for a kid in a 'red' jacket. At our local school the have the walking bus, and parents take turns to be the driver! That way kids are under supervision on the way home. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">   [/url] Angel June 2012 |
Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 2:13pm
just what i wanted to point out too. I had to be present to pick my son up at school when he started... i'm glad they dont let them go off by themselves. sweetpea yes kids do need to learn and grow by themselves, but it is our job to guide them and make sure they are capable of doing these things first. I really dont see what you got so het up for in the first place. ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Posted By: sweetpea
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 2:32pm
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i'm signing off on this thread before i say something i might really regret. I will just say this one thing no one knows what either themselves or others are capable of until they give something ago.
------------- http://daisypath.com">
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Posted By: BugTeeny
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 2:40pm
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I agree wholeheartedly.
I'm just not willing to let my 5 year old walk home by herself -------------
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Posted By: mamanee
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 2:57pm
I think you should leave it at that considering that makes no sense and doesn't apply to this situation. Thanks. |
Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 4:10pm
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oh i am very sure that my five year old is capable of walking home...it would probably take him over an hour (for a 20 min walk) and that would not be taking into consideration if he decided to visit his "friends" from school or a person he met along the way. I am sure he is capable of crossing a street too, but not of judging how fast a car is approaching or when it would reach him, or if that car is turning or going straight ahead... I know my son would love to stop and chat to all and sundry he met along the way, but i am not convinced that if someone came along and started a conversation and said "want to come to my place and play" that he would say no, cause he would see only the innocence in that. He knows his address and phone number and if he got lost could tell someone the necessary details too, but what that person would do with that information i dont know.
------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 4:19pm
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oh, and i dont think we should bag sweetpeas opinions just because she has no kids, but rather cause it is just plain stupid! ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">
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Posted By: lizzle
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 4:55pm
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I lived across the school domain when i was little - two reasonably busy roads to cross. I didn't wlak home alone til i was 8. then i walked with the neighbours boy who was only five - until he was 8 i think.
And the DAY i was allowed to walk b y myself, i decided to spice things up and go a different way....and ended up lost. went to a friend's house, and called home. I'm all for letting kids do things themselves - taking risks etc. it kills me, but I let Jake climb trees (that he shouldn't), use knives to cook, even make stuff with hammer and nails. But road safety? he has no concept of the term. |
Posted By: Snappy
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 5:19pm
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I always remember when I was at primary school, I was walking to the car with my mum, and a little wee NE (whos parents owned the fishnchip shop a few doors down) ran onto the road and got hit by an oncoming car. She was bouncing one of those tiny bouncy balls and just ran onto the road to chase it.
It gives me the heeby jeebees just thinking about Janaya walking home from school, and shes 6. TBH I think there is more danger walking home from school than if I left her home alone! I always remember bothering my mum to let me walk home from school, and finally one day she let me. It wasnt until I got to the second to last house that I realised mum had followed me very slowly in her car to make sure I got home ok  I was feeling quite chuffed with myself and felt like a real big girl! ------------- Mummy to two beauties... Formerly Kaiz. |
Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 5:26pm
agree renee. im sorry for adding bcos im know this "debate" should tone down but i wanted to make sense of that comment - because personally i find the thought of my child being run over/abducted/lost/hurt an extremely HUGE AND STUPID risk to take to see if hes is capable!!!!! 
definately agree with the age appropriate thing and also child appropriate because Bay wont be ready to walk home by 8 whereas i reckon my nephew would be
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Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 5:37pm
awww thats cute that your mum followed you!!  what a good idea!
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Posted By: Snappy
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 5:42pm
And very responsible too! ------------- Mummy to two beauties... Formerly Kaiz. |
Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 6:01pm
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kylie il definately file that away as a must try later on
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Posted By: caitlynsmygirl
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 6:01pm
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Im going to add my 10 cents (ten cents because we no longer have 2 or 5 cents )
I have always been a pretty relaxed parent , ive let my daughter fall over, fall off her bike , climb trees , go into the dairy on her own , but I draw the line at her walking home by herself , if that makes me an overprotective parent, so be it, I can think of plenty worse parenting titles . This talk about how we used to walk home amuses me too, I walked home , with my friend and an older school friend , but only because mum had my smelly dumb brother and sister at home too . I started school in 1987, you know what happened a week before I started ? Theresa Cormack was kidnapped and murdered on her way to school . I think after that most parents realised the world wasn't as safe as it was back in the "good old days " , and since then , its gotten a lot worse, not only with more paedophiles, killers etc, but with heavier traffic too. I have two fears in life, one is anything happening to my child that could have been prevented, her being kidnapped on the way from school or being hit by a car walking home are things I can prevent so as far as im concerned , I will . (incidentally the other fear is driving off a bridge into the river ) I want my child to know what its like to fall over and hurt herself , because I want her to know that eventually wounds may leave a scar,but they dont hurt so much , I want her heart to be broken , because I want her to know that with time , it can mend, I want her to know absolute sadness, because then she will really appreciate absolute happiness . I want all this for her , but I also want her to know that at the end of the day , no matter where she is, or how old she is , her mum will be there for her , and if that means I get her from school , so be it . ------------- 
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Posted By: caitlynsmygirl
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 6:08pm
no, noone knows what either themselves or others are capable of until they give something a go , but some risks aren't worth taking . Trying to prove my child can walk home from school is like chopping off my nose to spite my face, its not something that needs to be done yet , so it wont be (her walking home I mean , not chopping off my nose ) -------------
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Posted By: lilfatty
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 6:20pm
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Ahhh Bizzy you made my day!
I dont think even before I had "real" children I could have entertained the thought that they would walk home alone .. now I have them, I know for sure I wouldnt let them walk home alone at 5 (and we are only three doors away from the school!) ------------- Mummy to Issy (3) and Elias (18 months) I did it .. 41 kgs gone! From flab to fab in under a year  http://www.femininefitness.co.nz/category/blog - LFs weight blog
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Posted By: Mamma2N
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 6:32pm
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Whoa what a thread! Interesting read...
Couldn't agree more with everyone here - 5 is far too young.. You've all said what I think so I won't say anymore
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Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 6:51pm
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Ok I live in probably one of the most safest places in NZ (an army camp for those who don't know). I have seen kids of all ages walk to and from school - however I don't know if they have people walking behind them watching as I am more worried about my V and smoke as soon as I get to work However in Andrew's class the children are not allowed to leave unless the teacher knows who is taking them home. So for Andrew most days he goes to after school care so he can go with the other children to the meeting point without having to have someone come and get him. A few of the children have older siblings at the school and the teacher lets them go to meet the older siblings fine. There are also a child in the class that isn't allowed to go till mum is there (not sure why but something may have happened). Personally, Andrew is not ready to walk home at the moment, even thou we are in our little "gated" community I still wouldn't let him walk home to DH the days he could do that at this age. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: Daizy
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 7:16pm
There is no way I would let Keira walk home at 5 (eek only next year ) ANd I would really hope her teacher doesn't just let them run out without making sure they are safe with someone.
I still freak out going past schools at 3 (Keiras Kindy is right next to one) The amount of kids running out of school and the mad amount of cars driving around, pulling out. There is no way Keira has enough road sense to navigate the traffic, a car pulling out of the carpark wouldn't even see her (sometimes I wonder if they even see me:P). ------------- 
 
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Posted By: peachy
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 7:21pm
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Very interesting thread indeed! I am in agreeance (is that even a word lol) with majority on here.
While we are on the subject, at what age would you let your child ride the school bus? I am talking about a rural Auckland school that has approx 20-25 primary school aged kids on a private bus that is funded by the school/government? ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 7:35pm
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Eek, that's a tough one coz depending on how rural it is, it could potentially take a long time to drive the child to and from school. I'd probably try and find a responsible older child that catches the same bus and ask them to keep an eye on the younger one. ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: Katep
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 7:49pm
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Peachy, I work at a rural school and we have NE children taking the bus...although parents are expected to wait until the bus comes to take the children to school, and they don;t get off the bus unless their parent/aregiver is here. If no one is there then they come back to school on the bus. To me it's seems completlely safe and OK as the child will always be with a trusted adult, but I will say that I'm not a parent...yet....that's just what happens at my school.
------------- http://lilypie.com">
Mum to the Gorgeous Leah! 7 months |
Posted By: lizzle
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 8:11pm
| I'd be okay with the bus, depending on the bus though - i know a lot of bullying with the young ones that happens on buses. if there were some older nice kids, I'd be okay. But definitely there to meet it. |
Posted By: caliandjack
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 8:13pm
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I don't think things were any safer when I was younger. I wasn't even allow to cross the road outside my house by myself until I was almost 10. Sandringham Rd for those who know it is pretty busy and if I went over to the neighbours across the road I had to stand on the footpath and yell out for mum and dad to come and fetch me, that was 20 years ago.
Peachy, I live on the rural school bus route, and the parents tend to drop their kids off at the bus stop and the bus drops them off. I see plenty of intermediate age kids taking themselves to school either by bike or bus and that seems a reasonable age to me. The kids have to pass a bike safety inspection and they learn about safety on the road. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> [/url] Angel June 2012 |
Posted By: peachy
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 8:29pm
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Hhhmmm, I know I have a few years left to ponder over this, but I have had "the discussion" with my Mum already!
The school bus picks up and drops off within 100 meters of our gate so I of course will walk the kid/s to and from the bus stop. I was just interested to know at what age "most" would deem it to be appropriate. We socialise wth majority of the kids in our street at the local playgroup so they would all be catching the bus together. Guess I will just go on my gut feeling when the time comes ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: MummyFreckle
Date Posted: 19 May 2009 at 9:12pm
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I think the important part of this statement is that no one knows what "OTHERS" are capable of either. THATS A BIG ISSUE for me, I dont know that other people will have the same level of care and responsibilty for my child that I would. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: SMoody
Date Posted: 20 May 2009 at 12:51pm
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There is loads of stuff i realised that we are parents do that might seem over protective to others. But from our experiences in the past I really just dont give two hoots what others think.
I know for a fact I wont let my 5 year old walk to school or back by herself. It will depend on how many adults is there to supervise on a walking bus route. And even then I dont think I will allow it until they are older. Kids of that age will still run in the road if they lose a toy ect. They dont have the capability of actually realising the consequences of their decisions. (we did look after Grants cousins kids for a while which was 6 and 9, so definately know what I am talking about) Last year at camp there was just two of us moms that couldnt leave our kids sleeping in their rooms while we as adults had a meal together. (both of us from SA), the others let their kids (mostly under 5) sleep in teh cabins while being quite a far distance away in the hallway eating food. For me naaah wasnt on. It was a strange place, she could walk to the waterfall and drown ect ect. I think compare to most here I will always be on the more overprotective side. I still have a child that is totally independent and I will let go when she has the common sense to make the right decision and her brain is capable of making those sort of decisions. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Nutella
Date Posted: 20 May 2009 at 1:31pm
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Yeah I hadn't thought about the traffic increase over the years, and of course the number of teenagers on the road as well has def increased...and lots of them would be driving home at 3ish too.....now there is a scary thought. Plus the crazy Mums (sorry had to say it) around schools picking up the kids, that is sometimes scary even without having kids. I know that heaps of parents used to pick up kids in the 'olden days' but those cars were also a lot smaller and there was not the millions of people movers and 4 wheel drives like today, big monster cars that it is hard to see around at the best of times.
No way would I want my five year old in the mix there without proper supervision. Actually makes me feel sick and I don't even have a child yet! Like the idea of the walking bus thing but how many parents do they have? Imagine looking after all the kids...sounds sort of scary but I guess it depends on how many kids per parent? -------------
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Posted By: lovingmummyhood
Date Posted: 20 May 2009 at 2:26pm
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Going back to the original post, and having taught NE for two years before - we always kept the kids in class till they were picked up.
Someone said about teachers being responsible for the kids after 3. I don't know what the law states but we are responsible for them while they are on school grounds (on a school day - although even on Teacher Only Days and weekends, you still feel responsible for the kids playing there unsupervised). We have kids dropped off as early as 7am some days which is crazy, but its what some parents do. Its hard because there is no guarantee that anyone will be there to supervise them, but for parents that can't afford before school care its the easiest option for them. Fortunately the caretaker is there by then, and a couple of early bird teachers who usually make sure the kids are warm and fed
Man, that was a ramble! I wouldn't let my 5 year old (who is not born yet) walk to school by him or herself. A lot can and does happen on the way to and from school for kids and we've had some scary situations where I work. Some of our kids (and I don't live in the area I work) have to walk through some very dodgy areas. if children are not picked up we call caregivers and have cases where we can't get hold of anyone, including emergency contacts. Just want people to know (as I'm sure you all do) that teachers really care about their kids, and it is our duty to make sure they are safe - it doesn't matter what time it is. Couldn't help commenting  If that makes no sense, blame it on having a very pregnant brain and being home bored.------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: caitlynsmygirl
Date Posted: 20 May 2009 at 2:43pm
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Im not worried about Caitlyn going on to the road, ive been very blunt with her for as long as she can understand , -cars cant see kids, she will get hit and it will be bad .
But I do worry about her walking and someone reversing quickly out of the driveway , or her tripping up and landing on the road . Things that might never happen , but I don't want to take the risk anyway . But as I said if that means im "over protective " then thats fine with me , can think of plenty worse parenting things i could be doing . -------------
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Posted By: Glow
Date Posted: 20 May 2009 at 8:27pm
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Havent yet reached the NE phase as a mum but as a child, from NE I caught the Bus. I remember Mum waiting with me at the bus stop in the mornings then lining up after school in the hall- waiting for the bus, there was always a teacher in the hall with us.
Id definately would want supervsion over my child in that end of day transition It erks me that young children would walk alone. And yet there are laws about children under a certain age being home alone ------------- Mummy of Two Boys B: 2004 K: 2007 |
Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 20 May 2009 at 10:16pm
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I have a new entrant. They aren't held in class BUT we are at a country school (140) which basically is on a pick up basis only, too damn far to walk. Some kids wait in class, I guess she is secure in knowing I will be there to pick her up that she doesn't worry about waiting for me in the class. Plus she knows EVERYONE or at least they know her LMAO.
If I am a little late to pick her up I will always find her somewhere on the playground, even those times I am standing outside her class I miss her & then realise she's gone past & is on there.
We have a small class & there is a group of us Mum's who stand around chatting & we all sorta know who belongs to who. On the subject of walking home....5 year olds can be smart but at times also have no brain cause they are one track minded. ------------- Kel http://lilypie.com"> 
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12 |