Best way to protect your child?

[geek84]

Good Morning Folks

I hope you're well. My daughter recently started 6th form school, and she needs to catch 2 different buses in order to get to her new school. She has never caught a bus before, and with the dark and cold evenings coming soon, I am worried for her safety.

Is there anything that I can do in order to ensure she is ok? She already has a mobile phone which she can use any time to tell me if she needs any sort of help.

I am thinking of a personal safety alarm or something similar?

Thanks

[stevesingo]

Your 16yr old girl has never caught a bus?

I think you have probably missed the boat if you are looking for the best thing to keep young people safe.

Life experience!

[LocoCoco]

Going for a bus journey together with her before term starts might help ease some of the fears.

You could follow the bus in your car for the first couple of trips, your daughter will feel safe in the knowledge that she can ask to get off at any time and you'll be right there.

Edited by LocoCoco on Sunday 24th September 11:16

[gus607]

Pay for taxis

[steveo3002]

how about a box with some cotton wool?

[anonymous-user]

If she's got this far in life in one piece I'd assume she'll manage.

What specifically are you fearful of OP?

[xjay1337]

geek84 said:

Good Morning Folks

I hope you're well. My daughter recently started 6th form school, and she needs to catch 2 different buses in order to get to her new school. She has never caught a bus before, and with the dark and cold evenings coming soon, I am worried for her safety.

Is there anything that I can do in order to ensure she is ok? She already has a mobile phone which she can use any time to tell me if she needs any sort of help.

I am thinking of a personal safety alarm or something similar?

Thanks

Not sure if trolling.
84 is your birth year? But child is already 16?

But no, I wouldn't worry to be honest. If she has gotten to this point so far then I would be confident in her.

[ChocolateFrog]

Unless you live in Mumbai I'm sure she'll be fine.

[Truckosaurus]

stevesingo said:

.... the best thing to keep young people safe.

Life experience!

It's situational awareness that will be the best 'defence'. Make sure she knows to be paying attention to her surroundings at the bus stop (and on the bus) rather than being oblivious to the outside world whilst playing with her phone.

In reality the buses will be packed with commuters and other students at the times she'll be travelling.

[citizensm1th]

(insert rant about idiot parents mollycoddling children in my day etc etc etc)


hopefully smothered child will revel in her new freedom from overly protective parents

[HTP99]

citizensm1th said:

(insert rant about idiot parents mollycoddling children in my day etc etc etc)


hopefully smothered child will revel in her new freedom from overly protective parents

Very much this, OP you only really have yourself to blame for her anxiety about this.

My now 18 yo was getting the train up to London with her mates when she was 15.

I guess now you'll have to do a dummy run with her a few times to ease her (or are they yours) issues, however when the buses are late (which they frequently are), other issues may occur.

When my daughter got the bus to college when she was 17, there were forever issues, she had to get 2 buses and was quite often late to college, fortunately we didn't molly coddle her so she was more than capable of dealing with it.

[Pothole]

For the dark: torch
For the cold: Coat, hat and gloves
For the "personal risk, every man is a potential rapist, OMG she's going to get abducted and killed" : Get her to sit close to the driver on both buses.

Where is the interchange? Is it busy and well lit?

Also: relax, FGS!

[PurpleMoonlight]

I was getting two buses to school at age 11.

Children seem over protected these days.

[anonymous-user]

PurpleMoonlight said:

I was getting two buses to school at age 11.

Children seem over protected these days.

I was getting a bus and a train!

OP - are you as concerned about your son too?

[zarjaz1991]

I simply can't believe that someone aged 16 has never been on a bus. Sorry.

[hyphen]

Personal alarm and Farb Gel Spray perhaps.

But first teach her about how to be aware of her surroundings, to actively monitor people around her, to walk in the safest routes rather than the standard crimewatch comment 'She took a shortcut through the park/down an alley', find other kids doing same route and travel together.

[citizensm1th]

we are also over looking that said child may well be gaming her parents and is perfectly capable of catching a bus. but would far prefer the services of taxi of mum and dad

[LeadFarmer]

Pothole said:

For the dark: torch
For the cold: Coat, hat and gloves
For the "personal risk, every man is a potential rapist, OMG she's going to get abducted and killed" : Get her to sit close to the driver on both buses.

What if the bus driver is a rapist?

[Cold]

LeadFarmer said:

What if the bus driver is a rapist?

Good point. Uber it is then.

[Hoofy]

PurpleMoonlight said:

I was getting two buses to school at age 11.

Children seem over protected these days.

When I were a lad we couldn't afford one bus let alone two. My parents made me follow a bus all the way to school.