One of the best things I did as a working mother was to set up a walking bus.
As I said in my introduction, we even won an award for best new walking bus, but this was not the reason I did it (and I’m not even sure that any other buses were nominated!).
The principle of the walking bus is no different to walking to school with a friend and occasionally taking each other’s children. The advantage of the bus, however, is that you have several children and a ratio of 1 adult to 6 children. They are walking in a crocodile, not necessarily next to their own parents, which in my experience means far less whingeing!
The children on our bus are mainly in infants so enjoy singing "Happy Birthday" to each other and, normally on a Friday, persuade the adults that more songs are needed ("Everywhere we go" is very popular - probably because I am tone deaf and it can be shouted not sung). On arriving at school there is much excitement as they ask (shout) "Who's the Best Walker" and wait to find out who will get to take home the mini fluorescent jacket for their bear (doll, cuddly animal of any variety - some impossible to identify) to wear the following day. The best walker is the driver the next day as well as being allowed to walk with favourite cuddly in jacket.
The bus leaves at the same time and place every day, picking up people at other stops so if work commitments or medical appointments mean that you cannot take the children to school, you know that you can leave them. They are used to doing it so hopefully will not become clingy or upset as you say goodbye. On our bus we now all try and take atleast one day off to encourage independence.
It’s also a great way to get to know other parents at the school who can explain things and tell you what is going on, although it’s not overly helpful when you realise at 8.25 that you have forgotten the African fruit required for that day.
If you are interested in finding out more about walking buses, please follow the link below to the KM Walking Bus website:
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