Kids on the bus can be fun for everyone. Really.Photo: Roar PettersonRiding public transportation, as I’ve said before, is good for kids. And the presence of children on transit can enrich the experience for all riders. (Settle down, people! I said can.) So it’s unfortunate that the reality of taking little ones on buses and trains often proves so challenging — both for the folks bringing them and for those along for the ride.
Parents complain about the hassle. There’s the rushing and waiting in all kinds of weather. There’s the occasional exposure to PG-13 language and behavior. And then there’s the whole folding the stroller thing. (For more on the stroller-on-transit hassle, see here and here and here.)
Some parents encounter hostility, both from fellow passengers and from drivers, and consequently feel intimidated and unwelcome. Most just feel overwhelmed as they try to juggle rules and fares and bags and strollers and — oh yeah — children.
Childfree riders complain of the imposition: entitled or negligent parents, ill-behaved kids, and ginormous strollers blocking aisles and exits.
The thing is, fam... Read more
