Parenting & Family

How Young is Too to take the Bus?

  • Last Updated:
  • Oct 11th, 2017 2:09 am
Tags:
Member
Jul 30, 2013
238 posts
118 upvotes
Toronto
AtlsNBP wrote: As the question states, would you let your young child take the bus alone, what age is too young?

Do you think some parents keeps their kids from experiencing life by always making sure they are too "safe"?
Well, if it's a school bus, I would say 8-9 is fine. If you're talking public transit... well I started taking public transit when I was 13 and it wasn't too bad. These kids nowadays have phones and everything, so 13 should be a decent age! I got lost from time to time, but if parents are always being overprotective of their children, they'll never learn how to deal with situations themselves. I asked bus drivers for help from time to time and 99% of them are happy to help out a youngster! :)
Sr. Member
Feb 9, 2005
934 posts
242 upvotes
If the school board offers school buses for kindergarten, it's obvious that the board deem ages 4 and up to be adequate to take the school bus. I remember taking the TTC across the city by grade 5 after we moved but wanted to remain at the same school.

As for staying home alone for kids. As mentioned, it all comes down to the child and the confidence of the parents. Some kids are more mature than others. My buddy would trust his 8 year old daughter before his 10 year old son. Not that it's happened yet, but he keeps telling me that his daughter can take care of the older brother.
Deal Addict
User avatar
May 24, 2008
3488 posts
1532 upvotes
Toronto
When should kids walk to school alone?
"Experts say most children are ready at about age 9."

As this memo from a Toronto school shows, kids below 9 years old are not allowed to walk home alone. Kids 9-14 are strongly encouraged to walk home as a group.
Glazers Out!
Deal Fanatic
Nov 11, 2008
8976 posts
2827 upvotes
I remember taking the bus myself down to chinatown to buy pirated games when I was in grade 7 from scarbz
Jr. Member
Jul 3, 2006
192 posts
26 upvotes
York Region, ON
My kid took public bus to high school when he was 13. It is all depending on your judgement whether your kids are matured enough to take the public transit by themselves. However, you should give them some advice such as:
1> Avoiding the back seats of the bus. Occasionally on public transit, there are few guys tend to target students sitting at the back seats for money / use of their cell phones / etc. My kid was once asked for money when he sat at the back seats. And don't show your wallet or money on public transit. He did learn a lesson from that experience though.
2> Don't put on head set to listen to music while on the bus or walking from/to, pay attention to surrounding.
3> Don't buy any thing from anyone even if it was offered at a cheap price.
4> Don't rush or run trying to catch an incoming bus. This is too dangerous considering the number of cars on the road today and the number of careless drivers. Tell them to go to bus stops at least 5 mins early.
Deal Guru
User avatar
Aug 24, 2016
11668 posts
14021 upvotes
Win-ter-peg
The answer to this question would really depend on the city you live in, the area you live in, and the area the child intends to ride the bus to or from.
I see many 10ish year olds riding the bus all the time alone.
I also see the same age group and younger roaming the streets at 1 in the morning and later.
In today's world, I don't think there is any such thing as over protecting our children, with all the crazy and disgusting things that happen in many cities.
But I also am a believer that we cannot always be there 100% of the time to protect them. So we need to teach them to be independent to a certain extent.
Whether or not that includes riding the bus with all the crazies or not, it just depends on too many variables.
Deal Expert
User avatar
Nov 15, 2004
21786 posts
4903 upvotes
Toronto
Apparently there is an answer to this: http://cwrp.ca/sites/default/files/publ ... n/144e.pdf

Ontario considers it 'child neglect' if you let your kid stay unsupervised anywhere below they're old enough to drive. As ridiculous as that is, the Children's Aid Society can legally kidnap them and imprison you for letting them go anywhere alone (including staying at home) before age 16.
Deal Addict
Oct 6, 2015
2463 posts
1401 upvotes
I took the bus when I was 4 years old alone to school. Rode my bike, ~4km each way, each day, to and from, at the age of 7 or 8 when weather permitted.
Deal Addict
Oct 13, 2014
2896 posts
2234 upvotes
Just Moved To Somewh…
Here is the latest position of the Provincial Government of B.C. (Ministry of Children and Family Development), one child must be at least 10 years of age:

http://nationalpost.com/news/canada/doe ... themselves
#1 - “Don’t irritate old people. The older they get, the less “Life in prison” is a deterrent."
#2 - Are you a Sexual Intellect? /S - What you post in this thread may determine that.
Deal Guru
User avatar
Mar 31, 2008
13011 posts
3095 upvotes
Toronto
Piro21 wrote: Apparently there is an answer to this: http://cwrp.ca/sites/default/files/publ ... n/144e.pdf

Ontario considers it 'child neglect' if you let your kid stay unsupervised anywhere below they're old enough to drive. As ridiculous as that is, the Children's Aid Society can legally kidnap them and imprison you for letting them go anywhere alone (including staying at home) before age 16.
The caveat of that rule is it's mainly applied if the child under 16 actually causes damage, is incapable of being alone (i.e. tends to be reckless, throws a major party, etc.) than it's the parents fault. It's a real 'cover your bum' policy by the Province. If your child is mature enough, you've taken reasonable pre-caution for safety, doesn't injure someone/themselves, etc., it's allowable without 'consequence' by the Ministry to be alone under 16. There is no minimum number.
rcmpvet wrote: Here is the latest position of the Provincial Government of B.C. (Ministry of Children and Family Development), one child must be at least 10 years of age:

http://nationalpost.com/news/canada/doe ... themselves
It's funny that their position is that a judge will 'likely' concur with that age of 10 even though there is no statute age. But all the rulings (including the 8 year old one) is based on a variety of factors and varies case by case, and is largely unknown how a specific case that is different will pan out. The main thing they have going against that father is they have deeper pockets to cause a headache, while the Father has to raise money to fight it. There is no certainty that the court would rule in favour of the Ministry. But it's their threat and the representation that they have the courts in their back pocket that is enforcing that number.
Deal Guru
User avatar
Sep 6, 2002
11549 posts
5377 upvotes
Moving target
That article states you need to be over 16 to be alone in ontario. Ok so grade 9 and 10 students can't take transit alone?
Autocorrect sucks
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Aug 16, 2010
7368 posts
4672 upvotes
Between Countries
Age 7. No. Age 11. Yeah, I see no problem with a kid with a level head and proper training. I've had this discussion with my wife about our own 11 year old son. We agreed that he was capable of doing such tasks and making these daily tactical decisions on his own. My personal concern is that a child can be OK with navigating the challenges of independence in average city life. But what about that 1 in a million chance of a predator directly targeting him? Can he handle that? I have no answers and it does cause me concern.
Deal Guru
Apr 8, 2013
10205 posts
753 upvotes
Crook said his heart sank when the Children’s Ministry called saying a tip had been received about the kids taking transit alone and that an investigation would follow.
Crook shares custody with the kids’ mother, who lives closer to the school, so they were taking the bus half the time while staying with him. Now they can’t even walk to school from her home, he said.
Maybe the mother was the one who called in to get the dad in trouble. Face With Tears Of JoyFace With Tears Of JoyFace With Tears Of Joy.
Deal Expert
User avatar
Jan 27, 2004
52937 posts
18145 upvotes
ONTARIO
DiceMan wrote: Age 7. No. Age 11. Yeah, I see no problem with a kid with a level head and proper training. I've had this discussion with my wife about our own 11 year old son. We agreed that he was capable of doing such tasks and making these daily tactical decisions on his own. My personal concern is that a child can be OK with navigating the challenges of independence in average city life. But what about that 1 in a million chance of a predator directly targeting him? Can he handle that? I have no answers and it does cause me concern.
I walked to school by myself when I was 7... So did many of my fellow grade 3 friends. I'm from a pretty dense part of Toronto just east of the center. So everyone only really lives at max a few blocks away from school.
We took precautions... I remember we had a buddy system. We'd always walk home together within a group of friends. We did so to protect each other from the older kids. Once in a while they'd tried to pick fights or try to mess with us. But we stuck together. System works. Sometimes we hung out at the park after school and played some sort of game like tag or baseball.

My parents taught me... They walked with me everyday. IT was fun bonding time with either my mom/dad/bro's. My mom and dad taught me what to do with street signs and cars. Also what to do if there is a creeper. Like running the opposite way the car is driving... And never talk to people you don't know. And if you get in a jam go for the balls and rip em off. Brothers taught me how to fight. And taught me the importance of making friends and having a 'buddy' system.

Its true... There is that 1 in a million chance of something bad happening. But where do we draw the line? In my hood... I saw these kids probably the same age as me when I started walking to school... They were riding their 2 wheel bikes up and down the alley like a champ! They saw my car coming and one of the kids waves down the other kids to pull over... They wait for me to drive pass safely. Nice kids, pretty smart actually... And this is in leslieville. It does get pretty busy around here.

But isn't it true that crime is actually on a downward trend? Things are actually safer than they were before...
Deal Expert
User avatar
Nov 15, 2004
21786 posts
4903 upvotes
Toronto
I walked both myself and my younger brothers to school from age 9, and started taking the city bus alone at 11. I don't see any issue with it. Every morning I see middle school kids taking the subway to to school, so their parents must not have any issues with it either.
Deal Addict
Dec 21, 2011
3518 posts
689 upvotes
Allenford
kevindurant1 wrote: Maybe the mother was the one who called in to get the dad in trouble. Face With Tears Of JoyFace With Tears Of JoyFace With Tears Of Joy.
why is that cryingly funny?
Deal Addict
Dec 21, 2011
3518 posts
689 upvotes
Allenford
raising a generation of peter pans.

Top

Thread Information

There is currently 1 user viewing this thread. (0 members and 1 guest)