Top Tips for Preparing Your Child for the School Bus

If your child will soon be making their own way to and from school by catching the bus, they might be feeling a little anxious. In fact, you might also be a bit nervous, so it might be worth preparing your child as best you can to ease all of your nerves. Here are some top tips from a prep school in Cambridge.

Talk to Your Child

Have a one-to-one chat with your child about how they’re feeling with regards to catching the bus. Find out if they have any concerns or questions and try and put their mind at rest. It’s important to have this conversation in private because your child might be less inclined to open up to you if their siblings or other people are around. 

Practice Catching the Bus

Before your child starts catching the bus on their own, help them feel a little more confident by encouraging them to practise a few times with you by their side. Show them how to pay for a ticket, and where the buttons are that they need to press to stop the bus. Teach them that they need to hold on tightly to a bar if there aren’t enough seats, and make sure they know not to talk to any strangers. As with most things, practice makes perfect. 

Walk Them To and From the Bus Stop

For the first few days or weeks, your child might feel more comfortable if you walk with them to and from the bus stop. Knowing that you’ll be waiting for them at the end of each day will make the journey a little bit easier until they get used to it. If you aren’t able to walk with them, perhaps try and find out if there are any neighbours or friends who are catching the same bus and can walk with your child.