Preparing Your Child for the First Week of School Transport

Starting school transport is a big change for a child, especially if you were doing the school run yourself until now. A little preparation in the days before makes the first week calmer for everyone.

Talk it through a few days before

Children cope better when they know what to expect. Explain in simple words who will collect them, roughly when, and who will be on the vehicle. For younger children, a picture or a short story about "the school car" or "the bus" works well.

• Say the pick-up time out loud and put it on the fridge.
• Tell them where they will be dropped off in the afternoon and who will be waiting.
• Let them ask questions, and answer honestly, including "what if I feel nervous?"

Do a practice morning

Run through the morning routine at the real pick-up time, even if you drive them yourself that day. Wake-up, breakfast, shoes, bag, out the door. Most first-week stress comes from running late, and a practice run shows you how long things actually take.

Pack the night before

• School bag, lunch and water bottle by the door.
• A name label on the bag, jacket and lunchbox.
• A written note in the bag with your phone number and the operator's number.

Be at the gate, early and calm

On the first morning, be ready a few minutes before the agreed time. Greet the driver, say your child's name, and let your child see that you trust the person. Children read our faces closely. A relaxed goodbye helps more than a long one.

Agree the rules with your child

• Stay seated with the seatbelt on for the whole trip.
• Keep hands, bags and feet out of the aisle.
• Speak to the driver politely, and tell an adult if anything felt wrong.

Keep communication open in week one

Save the operator's number on your phone and your child's school, and tell the operator about allergies, medication or anything the driver should know. At the end of each day, ask how it went. Small worries are easy to fix in week one and harder to fix in week six.

Ready to set up a route?

If you are looking for school transport in Pretoria East, see our school transport page or request a quote. You may also like our parent's checklist.