The important thing to remember is: you must behave in the safest way possible. That usually means listening to the driver and following the rules.

" Why? Why can't the rules be the same as in a classroom? I'm safe there."

This is true. But the school bus is not a classroom. It is moving down the road; stopping and starting, turning left and right and slowing down and speeding up. You never have that in a classroom! You may have very good balance but that is not the point. The only way to be sure that you are riding the safest way is to follow the rules for behavior.

What is behaving on the bus? It's very simple and very easy.

Just sit in your seat the proper way. Be polite at all times to everyone. You must do your eating somewhere else.

"I sit in my seat most of the time. I only get up if I want to talk to someone. And I only turn around so they can hear me better. I just sit on my bookbag so I can see over the tops of the seats. If I don't, I'm down in this "hole" and can't see anybody. If I just sit on my leg and lean against the windows, I can put my elbows on the seats in front and in back and see everybody! Isn't that ok?"

The only way to sit safely on a bus is in the "Back on Back, Seat on Seat, Feet on Floor" position. It's very simple. You can do it! You just sit with Your back on the back of the seat: if both your shoulders are against the back of the seat-you're doing it right. You have Your "seat" ( your bottom) ON the bus seat --not on a bookbag or on your leg, and your feet on the floor. Of course, if you are too small to put your feet on the floor, I know you can just sit with them down over the edge pointing toward the floor.

"Boring! That's not fun." It doesn't have to be fun; it only has to be safe. And you only have to follow bus behavior while you're on the bus. Now , what was that second, middle thing? Be polite at all times?

"Oh, pleeease! Some of the kids I don't like. Why do I have to be nice?"

I only said to be polite. You don't have to like anyone if you don't want to. But, on the bus, at least on my bus, you will follow the Golden Rule. Treat others as you want them to treat you. It's not difficult and some surprising thngs may happen if you are polite.

"What do I have to do? Smile and sit in my seat and let the girls go first and not hit anybody and not talk too loud and not trip any one and remember to say please and thank you?"

That's right!! I knew you were smart! When we are polite to one another, it brings out the best in us. If you are nice to someone, there is a better chance that they will return the pleasantness. Which way would you like to be told to do something?

Hmmm. I think we all know the answer to that one! Everyone likes to be treated nicely. I know that from lots of years of hearing other drivers tell about what a difference it makes when they insist on polite behavior. It also makes a difference when they treat the children in a polite manner and not as if they were cattle. This is called "good manners" and it makes a difference. A difference in how you are treated and what people think of you. Even if you say you don't care what people think, there is no good that can come from giving people a bad impression.

"But I didn't have time to get any breakfast. I was up late last night and I didn't get up when Mom called and I forgot to set the alarm and, you know, I won't make a mess or anything. Honest, I'll just wolf it down and you'll never know the difference. Please.....just this once."

Sorry, but I would have a tough time explaining why I thought it was ok "just this once" if you started choking. It's better if you wait until you get off the bus at school and eat in the cafeteria or outside on the bench, if you can't eat before you get on the bus. It's just not safe. And that goes for having gum in your mouth too.

Remember about the bus being a moving vehicle? How it starts and stops; turns left and right? speeds up and slows down? And how about the way you are talking to your friends, and laughing? You don't even need food in your mouth to start a coughing fit, what if you were dealing with a wad of gum or some candy? Sorry, it's just not worth it.

"But I'm hungry! I've just spent all afternoon studying my brains out and I need FOOD! I don't have time to eat anything before I get on the bus, and I'll probably die if I wait until I get home!"

I know what it feels like, but you have to wait. My students have 7 minutes after the bell rings to be on the bus before it must pull out. A few will stop at the pop machine and chug a can of pop in two minutes on their way to the bus because they can't wait until they get home. This is fine with me--I don't think it's good for them, but they don't drink it on the bus because they know I will insist they behave.