Tell your kid to take the bus
I found a way to get more for your tax dollars: Instead of carting your kid all over town, tell your kid to ride the county bus!
I'm not sure why it took me so long to figure this out, since a county bus comes belching by a block from my house every few minutes, seems like.
But I turned to public transportation after Creed, my 12 year old, told me something that scared the crap out of me. He and his friends were riding their bikes all the way out west -- trying to get to Sawgrass Mills! That means riding through intersections like Broward Boulevard and University. Not safe.
I suggested they take the bus. And now I'm offering to buy him a bus pass. I mean, the kids can explore the county on the bus. They carry cell phones, so it's not dangerous, certainly compared to riding a bike. They've ridden it a couple times now to Sawgrass Mills, to see a movie.
He's learning the layout of this area, learning a little bit of responsibility, and gaining independence. And he'll grow up appreciating the possibilities of mass transit.
A few days after we allowed Creed to take the bus for the first time, I asked Bob how Creed's dentist appointment went.
"I don't know,'' he said. "I had to drop him off and told him to take the bus home.''
Yes, this idea is catching on nicely.
