I would like to know how other parents would handle this.
I have a 5 year that started Kindergarten summer school. He has to ride the bus to school and home. He has NEVER RODE the bus before. This is the first week.
Monday, I put him on the bus.
Tuesday, daycare was supposed to put him on the bus, but the "forgot". They said the bus never came by. The bus barn told me they went by put no one was out at the bus stop so they left.
Today, I parked across the street to see what was going on with the bus.
The bus pulled up and my child walked out of daycare by himself, crossed and fairly busy street , had to walk in front of the bus and got on the bus. NO adult walked him out of the day care center. This was going on at 8 AM this morning, traffic was fairly heavy due to people going to work. Parents were pulling in the parking lot.
Is it too much to ask that they (Daycare) have an adult walk him to the bus, and put him on the bus?
UPDATE!!!!!!
I went by the daycare yesterday afternoon and talked to the director. At first she was upset then I told what staff person did it and she was oh, well its okay, we don't have enough staff to walk him to the bus every morning., but we will try in the future. This morning them had enough staff, but I have a feeling it won't be like that all the time. I plan on watching daily and videoing it daily. First time the do it again will be the last time my son goes there. And I will report it to the state.
Yes, it is a licensed day care ran by the state.
The school asked that an adult take and pick them up from the bus.
I doubt this is legal. Is this a licensed day care under the supervision of the state's office for children?
I'd also contact the school department to see what's required.
GROWWWWLLLLL!!!!!
That's my momma bear coming out.
Three things strike me.
1. Some adult should have walked your child out.
2. the bus should be pulling up so your child doesn't have to cross the street.
3. Your son actually successfully crossed the street by himself.
My son was crossing the street at 6. Young yes but I encouraged his independence.
Do you have the video tape of what you observed? Video is your friend. This may be a very isolated event but 1 time is 1 time too many.
Yes, the daycare should have someone walk your child to the bus. If they say something about ratios and needing workers with other children (which is true) tell them to have a secretary or director do it.
The child is required to walk in front of the bus, that way the bus driver can see where the child is.
M.
No I would flip out if I saw my 5 yr old having to do all that solo. When my oldest was going to ride the bus for the first time I got the trasportation department to move the bus stop to the end of our drive way. I know I was that crazy parent but they did it.
You would think the daycare would want someone to walk him to the bus just for liability reasons alone.
Not just no but HELL NO!! I would have a serious conversation with the day care and tell them what you saw. I would be flipping out!
It is the day care's responsibility to ensure your child's safety. Wow!
I would videotape it, then contact the authorities since neither parties are being honest.
ETA*************************************
Denise, I am putting in a link and telling you they are breaking the law. Please take your video tape to the state agency that licenses them. If they are blatantly doing this where everyone in God's green earth can see them then no telling what they are doing behind the closed doors.
I can tell you that your child is signed into their care the moment you leave him there. He is in their care until they have the bus driver sign him out. Just like YOU have to sign him in and out. Here is the exact regulation, page, and what it says.
They ARE breaking the law when they do not take him by the hand and take him across the street to the bus driver personally.
http://www.sos.mo.gov/adrules/csr/current/19csr/19c30-62.pdf
"19 CSR 30-62.182 Child Care Program (Page 32)
Purpose: This rule sets forth the requirement for the care of children, including supervision, emergency drills, discipline, diapering and toileting, and daily activities.
1. Care of the Child.
(A) General Requirements.
1. Caregivers shall not leave any child without competent adult supervision.
2. A caregiver personally shall admit each child upon arrival and personally shall dismiss each child upon departure. Children shall be dismissed only to the parent(s), guardian, legal custodian, or to individuals approved by the parent(s), guardian, or legal custodian."
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I would start off by finding out why the bus isn't picking him up without him having to cross the street. That's completely wrong. Even if the bus is going the other way they should pull into the child care center parking lot if at all possible.
If they just can't due to traffic or traffic laws such as no left turn on that street then I'd find out what is going on with the center. They may not have an extra staff available that can walk him across the street.
If even the cook isn't available then they need to inform you they aren't available to get your child over there. Then I'd probably choose a different center.
I'd also call the licensing agency that gave them their license and report them. You know what? I'd probably do that first before I did another thing. That's neglect.
This is dangerous for your child.
i would be pretty dang pissed off.
if the daycare cannot spare the personnel to take care of this, they should tell you up front and you have to make other arrangements. but i'd be livid if my 5 year old had to cross a street by himself.
khairete
S.
I so get why you are upset but I think I'm missing something. If you can sit outside and watch what happens and video tape, why do you take him there in the morning anyway. Why not put him on the bus yourself? Also, how is the bus driver able to let him cross the street alone and walk in front of the bus?
I would fire daycare!! Does your kindergarten have any before care? We don't have kindergarten summer school here but at our elementary - which starts at 8am begins supervision at 7:30 (kids are either in the cafeteria or library with teachers!).
That is totally unacceptable. Good luck!
C.
I pick my kids up from the bus daily and will continue to do so. No way would I be okay with the person who I paid to get my kid safely on the bus not doing so. It's not too much to ask.
Is it a daycare home or daycare facility? It makes a difference. A facility will have extra people, director etc that can walk outside to the bus. A daycare home has usually one person caring for multiple children. The bus needs to reconfigure the route so it's on the same side of the road.
It is absolutely NOT too much to ask! I would make a formal written complaint to the licensing agency. They are 100% responsible for your child from the time you drop him/her off, until you pick him up. Their only relief is the hours he is at school, when the school is responsible. But they are responsible until his little foot touches the interior of the bus.
My youngest was in daycare fulltime and was in afternoon PreK. I took him to daycare in the morning. After lunch he and two other kids rode the bus to school. After school, they rode the bus back to the daycare center, along with school age kids who went to daycare after school each day. There are also some school age kids who are dropped off at daycare early and ride the bus to school.
The school bus pulls into the daycare parking lot. A staff member always waits with any kids getting on the bus and makes sure they get on the bus safely. Staff members greet the school bus and make sure all kids get off the bus and into the daycare center safely.
I cannot imagine feeling safe with any other scenario. I know my youngest will be safely placed on the school bus to ride to PreK, and I know both kids will arrive at the daycare center safely after school.
In my opinion, the school bus should be pulling into the parking lot (not stopping at a bus stop), and a daycare staff member should be waiting with your son and seeing him safely on the bus.
I would definitely talk to the director about this. I'm almost positive the daycare center would be responsible should (God forbid) anything happen to him.
I would also talk to the school district and see if the bus can't get closer to your son so that he's not crossing a street. In our school district, buses turn around so that kids don't cross the street. The school bus that comes by our house in the morning drives past our house, turns around about a mile down the road and then picks up the kids on our road. We do live in the country, and all the kids live on the same side of the road (farm land on the other), so maybe the buses don't do this in town. But I'd still ask!!!
