This is a paid collaboration.
Lots of children take the bus to school, but if your child has never done it before and will soon have to, they might be feeling a little bit anxious about the experience. With that said, it’s important that you prepare them as best you can to help ease their nerves; they’ll soon get the hang of it! Here’s some advice from a private school in Wellingborough to help get you started…
It’s a good idea to practise the bus route a few times with your child before they have to start taking it alone. This will help the experience feel more familiar to your child and they won’t have to worry about where to get off or how long the journey is going to take. More often than not, nerves stem from fear of the unknown, so try and overcome this with plenty of preparation.
As well as physically practising the bus route, you should also chat to your child about their concerns so you can help ease them. You should also explain the safety rules when using the bus, like staying seated while the vehicle is in motion. Your child should also be aware of ‘stranger danger’ so that they don’t go somewhere with someone they don’t know. If they are going to be walking home from the bust stop, be sure to teach them some road safety rules.
Find out whether or not there are any other children in the area who might be taking the same bus route. If your child has a friend to sit with and share the experience with, they might feel more relaxed. Speak to some parents in the playground or maybe even ask the teacher to find out if any other students are getting the same bus so that your child can buddy up.
Remind your child that there will always be a responsible adult on board (the driver) whom they can share their concerns with if anyone or anything is troubling them. You could even arrange to meet your child at the bus stop for a while until they get used to the experience and feel more at ease.
