Play by the rules and don't sing the school bus blues

School is officially back! And all the parents say, "Let's get this party started." Take the kids to the curb, put them on the big yellow bus, and blow a kiss, because it's learning time!

Now, I have little, little ones, so my experience with the school bus consists of, well, nothing, unless you count the times I try to race it around the neighborhood on my morning runs (spoiler alert: I always lose). However, in the interest of fulfilling the duties of a proper mommy blogger and because I've seen some nasty footage of bus behavior on television (yikes!), I decided to take on the issue of how to deal with certain school bus situations, which, I hope, can result in a more positive experience for everyone.

Fortunately, Steve Nola from Deer Creek Public Schools, gave me some sound advice for both newbies and bus-riding veterans.

If you're new...

• Map it. Make sure your child knows where the bus stop is and how to get home from there. A practice walk is never a bad thing (and burns calories--bonus!).
• Go over the rules. Sit down with your child and talk about appropriate behavior. You know the Ben Franklin saying: "An ounce of prevention..."
• There are no stupid questions. Kids should know that they are always welcome to ask the driver any question.
• Hi! My name is... "New kids might want to introduce themselves to the driver," Nola says, "as that makes it a little less uncomfortable being in the strange cheese box." (By the way, LOVE that name for the bus. My preschooler is already using it exclusively.)

And for everyone...

• If you can't do it in your parents car...it's probably a no no on the bus too. This includes fighting, wrestling, swearing, touching another student, screaming, and inappropriate conversation. "Ninety-nine percent of the bus drivers will tell you that any behavior that takes the eyes of the driver off the road, longer than one to two seconds, is unacceptable," Nola adds.
• If you're child is having an issue with another student...don't hesitate to speak to the driver. They can address the issue and take it further, through the appropriate channels, if need be.
• If you're having an issue with the driver or transportation in general...take it to the head of transportation. It's best to avoid the middle man and communicate directly to someone who can handle the situation. If that doesn't solve the problem, someone in charge of communicating with parents can address it sooner than the superintendent, so check out your school system's staff to find who might be your best advocate.

At the end of the day, parents who encourage their kids to behave with respect to their bus driver and kindness to the other bus riders are doing their kids a big favor. Because we all know that school isn't just about learning book knowledge. It's about teaching your child how to live life in an effective, positive, successful way.