West Hartford Speaks Up: Do You Wait with Your Child at the Bus Stop?

Inspired by a drive up Route 32 earlier this week, during which one Patch editor saw very few unattended students waiting to be picked up for school, Patch asked parents, 'do you walk with your kids to the bus stop?'

Well, West Hartford has answered!

According to the West Hartford Facebook page, it seems that parents are split on the issue.
Here's what West Hartford parents had to say:

• "We also walked solo or waited for the bus, and this was the mid 1970s-1980. We even 'gasp' took the city bus alone!"
  
• "I let my 4th grader walk to the bus stop alone, but I do not let my 1st grader walk alone. With that said, there are always at least 2 to 3 parents at the bus stop every morning. I always meet them at the bus stop after school. You just never know these days!"
  
• "As soon as my daughter got to middle school she wanted to go to the bus stop by herself. My son who is 3rd grade I think will want that independence earlier. But the bus stop for Whiting Lane is only three houses away so I'm ok with him making that decision. Things are certainly different from when I was a child."
• "I think the perception is that there is danger but a police officer once told me there is a greater chance of a child being hit by lightening then be abducted. We smother them too much which isn't good."
• "What Katie said...all of my kids walk to the bus stop without me (3rd grade, 5th grade and 7th grade) and have for years."
  
• "My son walks to the bus stop alone and waits. My daughter gets dropped off because she's with a friend while I'm off to work . They both walk home by themselves . I do make them text when they get home ."
• "When I was in elementary school my cousins and I would walk over a mile to a candy store. I know I was younger than ten and I was one if the oldest ones in the group. No one batted an eye provided we let someone know we were going."
  
• "My daughter is a 5th grader. We live in Munich, Germany right now and she rides her bike to school ( 15 minutes ride) every day"
  
•  "I walked to the kindergarten bus stop alone, about a block away, in 1959. Of course, there were several dozen other 5 year olds on the block going with me. But a parent? Not after the first day."
  
• "I walked to school by myself starting in 3rd grade and that was several blocks. I also took the city bus. This was from late 70's to mid 80's. Children faced the same dangers back then but we were either oblivious to it due to lack of media exposure or just were too trusting. We can't shelter our kids forever or we do more harm then good. I think 3rd grade is old enough to walk to the bus stop and wait."
  
• "Geez things where so different back in the 70's for me . I think after you could remember the path to school , most parents let you go on your own. I think by 9 or 10 my mom let me go. Certainly today most parents worry leaving their child alone. The days are no longer what they use to be."
• "Another issue today is frightened parents who drive their kids every day. They get no exercise. No wonder so many are over weight."
  
• "Where I live in MA now, each kid gets picked up at their own house. Which seems crazy and like it would take a lot longer - but who knows!"