If your children take a school bus or public transit to school, make bus etiquette part of your back to school preparations. After relaxing throughout the summer, your children have probably fallen out of their school routines including their bus etiquette. Start by waking them a little earlier each day to practice for those early mornings and to ensure they will be on time for the bus.

Here are a few more bus etiquette tips to review with your children:

• Greet the bus driver with a smile and “Good Morning”. At the end of the ride, say “Thank you”.
• Keep school bags on your lap to allow others to sit down.
• No shouting or making rude noises.
• Keep your ipod volume down. The person next to you may not share your taste in music.
• If the bus is full, offer your seat to an adult, senior, or person with a physical disability.
• If you have food or drinks on the bus, be careful not to spill or drop food on the seats or floor.
• When you leave the bus, take your rubbish (water bottles, food wrappers, and so on) with you.