Little school buses and little littles.

menfusse

New member
E's preschool are field trip crazy. Now, as of now it's likely that I will have to go because of her button and state law about RN's being the only person in school allowed to touch a kid with a button, and the RN won't be able to attend all the field trips because she'll have to be at school. *holy run on sentence batman*

So, the pre-k only takes the small buses for trips. E isn't likely to break 30lbs before August and she isn't tall either. The small buses have lap belts only. I haven't really read up much on school bus safety. A's been on a few field trips in full size buses, but I was never really concerned about that based on hearing that they are as safe as it gets. She didn't go to pre-k, but she was like 40lbs and way taller than E at this age. She was in the Regent by then because she was too tall for all the "regular" harnessed seats.


So, bringing me back to my 25-27lb kid as it has been fluctuating for so long now and right about 37". Is she ok to go on the bus in a lap belt? Or should I just plan on driving her since I'll likely be on all of them anyway. Then there's the whole what if she gives me the sad face and really really wants to ride the bus like the rest of the kids? Do I install a seat or is she ok?

I will say they had a boy E's age and size with DS riding in a car seat on the bus. I'm going to assume though that it was their doing, because I know for a fact that his parents put him in a Evenflo big kid booster:mad:. I can't imagine they'd bother with a harnessed seat for the bus if they don't bother in their car. But that's a whooole other post.

So, bus in lap belt? Bus in car seat?
 
ADS

urchin_grey

New member
Personally, I would put a seat in. Bram is just a tiny bit smaller than your DD though, so this is the mom part talking, not the tech, kwim? I just don't think I would be comfortable with it, personally. Then again, Bram is also very immature for his age, so I could see him wiggling straight out of the belt without a second thought about it.
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
At her size I would want her in the seat. (I would actually want ALL the kids in seats, not lap belts, but that's another problem for another time.)
 

urchin_grey

New member
At her size I would want her in the seat. (I would actually want ALL the kids in seats, not lap belts, but that's another problem for another time.)

Yeah, that would be ideal!

I mean, yes, we know that buses are statistically safer than regular vehicles, but so are airplanes, and yet we still haul seats onto planes just in case, kwim?
 

thepeach80

Senior Community Member
I put the boys' seats on the bus when they take field trips at school. Not sure how feasible that will be next year for AJ though as he's in a Regent now and I think he's outgrown everything else (except for me getting a new FR85). Driving them is not an option for me. I've had people on here tell me they'd never let their kids ride on the small buses our school uses w/out a seat.
 

Evolily

New member
At her size I would insist on a seat. A & C ride on a bus (shorter, but still a full bus and not a van) without harnesses and although it's not my favorite idea in the world, it doesn't bother me that much as they're both 40-45 lbs (oh, and the 2 feet of slack in each bus kids harness :rolleyes: ). If they were 30 it would bother me quite a bit.
 

flipper68

Senior Community Member
E's preschool are field trip crazy. Now, as of now it's likely that I will have to go because of her button and state law about RN's being the only person in school allowed to touch a kid with a button, and the RN won't be able to attend all the field trips because she'll have to be at school. *holy run on sentence batman*

If I was feeling crabby, I'd make a stink about the school not providing staff to meet your child's needs. . .

I'd ask to be provided with a copy of the state law (or the school policy) that states only RN's can do buttons. Free and appropriate education, least restrictive environment, etc., etc. FWIW, the kids w/buttons at my school are not limited to the RN for feeding.

What if the RN is out sick? There may or may not be a sub. . .does that mean E doesn't get fed?
 

menfusse

New member
If I was feeling crabby, I'd make a stink about the school not providing staff to meet your child's needs. . .

I'd ask to be provided with a copy of the state law (or the school policy) that states only RN's can do buttons. Free and appropriate education, least restrictive environment, etc., etc. FWIW, the kids w/buttons at my school are not limited to the RN for feeding.

What if the RN is out sick? There may or may not be a sub. . .does that mean E doesn't get fed?

I actually do have a copy of the law. It's a state law that basically reads only and RN (or parent) can do feedings or replace an accidentally dislodged button. Apparently it's different from state to state. When she needs feeds at school, I'll send her to school already all hooked up and ready to go. She'll be on continous, so she would just be already being fed and they would not need to actually hook/unhook or set up feeds. Basically, it would be dealing with pump alarms or if her button gets yanked or we loose the balloon. They are hiring an RN for E. She will be in the morning session and they only ever had an RN in the afternoons before. It was only an LPN in the mornings the last few years. So, I guess I can't really say that they will say I HAVE to go or she doesn't go and I'm sure I can make a stink about it, but I planned on going anyway. Otherwise, I'd just be sitting here being my neurotic self waiting for her to make it safely back. I'm a SAHM, so it's not an issue of having to miss work or anything. Knowing E though, I'm fairly sure she will want to ride the bus. So I wanted other's thoughts on it . Plus they take two out of state trips, and I'm FOR SURE going on those...cuz as I said before, I'm pretty darn neurotic. :eek:
 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
They take Pre-K kids out of state? Holy cow. (Or are you right on the state line? Maybe less holy-cow then.)

I'd take the lowest-profile seat you've got, and go from there. That way she won't stick out so much on the bus (vs something with a giant base.)
 

menfusse

New member
They take Pre-K kids out of state? Holy cow. (Or are you right on the state line? Maybe less holy-cow then.)

I'd take the lowest-profile seat you've got, and go from there. That way she won't stick out so much on the bus (vs something with a giant base.)

Well, we are on the state line, but it's not the sate they take them too! They go to something in TN, and something in Ohio. At least that's what they did this past year. Not sure to what exactly though.

I have an Avenue, GN and a MR. I guess the Avenue is the lowest profile, but the GN looks more "boostery" as E says, lol.
 

babyherder

Well-known member
I'd put a seat in. Maybe let E. choose so she feels like she has some control? I kind of don't like the idea of anyone in a lap belt only on a bus.
 

Spam

New member
I'd put a seat on. My mom drives bus for a headstart that transports children from 2 weeks through 5 years and all the children ride in carseats that the school provides and alot of these kids are not restrained in their own family vehicles.
 

mamom

New member
I agree. My son (3) rides the short bus to school in a scenera provided by the school. To my knowledge he is the only child that rides (the non headstart bus) that is not only in a lap belt.
 

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