Back when I was a child - that heyday where kids ran outside all day, TV had to be watched live, and McDonald's did not give out toys - everyone rode the bus. The only people who did not either missed the bus or were kicked off by the driver. At the bus stop we played, fought, told secrets, giggled, and jocked for superiority. When lunch boxes started flying, a mother in a bathrobe would come out to scold us all. The bus would arrive and we'd file on looking for the best seats, calling out "Driver! Wait! Here comes Pam!" when we spotted her racing down the hill, ponytails flying, jacket clutched in her hand no matter what the weather.
Nowadays, driving Junior to school is the norm. "Carpooling" it is called although I rarely see families sharing rides. One family per vehicle seems to be the standard rule. If the child is lucky his car is equipped with the ubiquitous DVD player and he gets to watch a movie for the 10 minute ride. If he is one of the few with an older model car lacking the modern necessities, he has to make due with playing his gameboy or the old-fashioned bothering his sister.
For the kids who do go to the bus stop, they are accompanied by their parents - coffee in hand and dog on leash. "To protect our children from abduction!" is the Mothers' rallying cry. The parents chit chat, some on their cell phones, while warily watching the cars go by. The Extreme Carpoolers drive their kids to the bus stop to shield Junior from the rain, heat, cold and gentle breezes that might muss his hair. The SUV and minivan engines run while Junior watches DVDs until the bus is spotted. "Well, we can't see the bus stop from our house" was one Mother's explanation. That might be a missing piece of the obesity puzzle if people cannot walk a mere 300 feet from their home.
It makes me wonder about those of the younger generation growing up so coddled that they cannot walk to the bus stop. What will their future be like?
