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 My daughter really, really, really (really!) wants to ride a school bus to school.

We don’t live on the bus route, or within walking distance of school, so I drive her to kindergarten each day.  I tell her she’ll ride the bus on field trips.

When I was a child, I walked with other kids to elementary school and rode the bus to middle school. Both options scare me for my child. I worry — maybe unreasonably — about accidents, strangers, mad dogs and dew-soaked shoes. So for now, I’m happy to drive.

The Associated Press gives some tips for parents wondering when their children are “ready” to walk to school without their parents. Here they are:

 —Know your child. Some 10-year-olds are mature enough to handle the responsibility that goes with independence. Others are not.

—Consider the route. Are there major streets to cross? Will the child be walking or biking alone or with schoolmates?

—Set clear rules, such as whether your child must come straight home from school.

—Talk with other parents in your neighborhood about having kids walk or bike to school together. There is safety in numbers.

Do you have any suggestions? Comment here or e-mail me at ssimpson@oklahoman.com

Susan Simpson