There are some aspects of middle school we actively avoid-the school bus being one of them. One person trying to drive a bus cannot supervise 50 hormonal tweens and teens adequately, and the opportunity for, uh, yuckiness abounds. Same with multi-day school trips and some other school-oriented extracurricular activities. The expectation of care and supervision for these events is not what I would consider adequate, and the possibility of putting a serious dent in the developing psyches of my kids is not worth it.
I had to laugh at this one. I am relieved that budget cuts in our district have eliminated the bus route to our neighborhood. It literally is no longer an option. Unfortunately, I've heard that the kids who walk home get into similar types of trouble. We are working on a car pool with some other "involved" families.
Thanks for the calm, thoughtful response. I think that we are on track with the "keep her busy part." Also, she has some good friends who are a grade ahead. They've already told her to avoid the druggies that hang out on a certain side of the school. I keep thinking that if all of the kids know this why don't the adults?
