Living Streets walk to school initiative.

[I like Skol]

There was a representative from the Living Streets charity in the playground at my children's school this morning and even though today we had driven (it's 2.5 miles from our house to the school) I popped over for a chat about what they do and how successful it is/isn't.
As we were chatting she was busy giving away badges that were supposed to be for the kids that had walked to school that day. I explained that we had driven but we do try to cycle at least once a week depending on weather and my shift pattern. She then volunteered a couple of badges for my two boys and I gratefully accepted.
What I did find quite shocking and disappointing was the number of parents and kids that simply walked up and held out their hands without much of a please or thank you. The manners were appalling and to make it worse, the worst offenders were the families that I know full well NEVER walk to school as I see them parking up everyday, trying to get as close to the school gates as possible after driving the few short blocks down the estate.
These people have no shame, I'm sure they would be teaching their kids a valuable lesson if they told them that they couldn't have a badge as they don't actually walk to school?

It was heartening to see the charity rep pushing her clearly well used bike away from the school after the rush. It would have been slightly hypocritical if she had driven there to hand out the badges

 

[fossyant]

Oh, we've even had parents kick off at the school gates ending up with the police stopping drivers. The worst ones lived about 500 yards away, but still drove to school.

There are now lots of 'scooters' at my daughter's primary. Shame my son is just about the only regular cyclist at the 800 strong high school next door. Will be getting him back on his bike soon.

 

[Beebo]

My daugher either scoots or walks. She has riden her bike but the pavements get too busy within about 300m of the school, with all the mums, kids & buggys, and there is no way she could go on the roads as they are filled with mums trying to park. So scooting is just easier. The school has racks to chain your scooter.
We are about 1 mile away, so by the time my wife has walked there and back twice she's walked 4 miles. If we lived 2 miles away it would be an 8 mile round trip, so I can see why most mums drive.
She gets a badge for walking, the school do a "Walking Week" once a year to promote it.

 

[I like Skol]

If we lived 2 miles away it would be an 8 mile round trip, so I can see why most mums drive.

I'm talking about people that live around ⅓ of a mile away (There are quite a few of these, I just plotted it on a map to make sure I'm not being unfair!). They arrive the latest, park the worst but live the closest?

I think I should also pull you up on something. I think you are being very sexist saying it is mums that do the school run. IME it is much more evenly split between dads, mums and grandparents

 

[Beebo]

I think I should also pull you up on something. I think you are being very sexist saying it is mums that do the school run. IME it is much more evenly split between dads, mums and grandparents

Noted!, but it's mainly the mums where we are. Very few dads even make it to parent's evening or the nativity play, which is sad.

 

[IDMark2]

It's sad isn't it, when I were a lad we used to look forward to raiding (legally, with pocket money) the sweet shop both to and from school with my mates and walking or cycling to school was the norm...any parent visible at the gates meant the child was open for ridicule, Mummies pet etc...

Unfortunately my kids don't live with me now but their Mum has 'banned' the 8 year old boy from cycling to school, 400 yards up the straight road as 'too dangerous' because of the parents trying to drop kids off in cars, all at the same time. Chaos I'd imagine, like most schools these days, even rural ones. She walks him there instead, so at least doesn't contribute to the stupidity that way.

 

[Profpointy]

It's sad isn't it, when I were a lad we used to look forward to raiding (legally, with pocket money) the sweet shop both to and from school with my mates and walking or cycling to school was the norm...any parent visible at the gates meant the child was open for ridicule, Mummies pet etc...

Unfortunately my kids don't live with me now but their Mum has 'banned' the 8 year old boy from cycling to school, 400 yards up the straight road as 'too dangerous' because of the parents trying to drop kids off in cars, all at the same time. Chaos I'd imagine, like most schools these days, even rural ones. She walks him there instead, so at least doesn't contribute to the stupidity that way.

I dare say I'm out of touch, but you say his mum walks him to school - 400 yards ? Must be all of five minutes - and he's 8. What about when he's out to play all day - does she have to wander round with him as well ? Or is he simply not allowed out to play at all- which would be very sad. Hard to put this without sounding strident, but "back in the day", I'd have been mortified if my mum had walked me the mile or so I had to go to school, much less supervised me all day out playing.

(I'm assuming he's not disabled or anything, or conceivably if it's a very dodgy area I guess - in which case, I may be speaking out of turn )

 

[MontyVeda]

I can't remember much before the age of seven... but can't remember ever being walked to school. It wasn't far though... five mins I'd guess, plus a busy road, but that had the lollypop man ferrying us across.

I guess in the '70s mum had better things to do... and it was before the 'paedogeddon' of the '90s, which i reckon has got a lot to do with it.

 

[Beebo]

In the 80's my mum would take us to school so she knew that we had made it, we walked home ourselves, so if we werent back by 4pm she knew something was up.

In my daughters infant school every child has to be collected by a responsible adult, the teachers wont let them leave the playground without an approved adult. If grandparents turn up unannounced to collect a child they will not be allowed to leave unless we have called the school to tell them.

 

[IDMark2]

I dare say I'm out of touch, but you say his mum walks him to school - 400 yards ? Must be all of five minutes - and he's 8. What about when he's out to play all day - does she have to wander round with him as well ? Or is he simply not allowed out to play at all- which would be very sad. Hard to put this without sounding strident, but "back in the day", I'd have been mortified if my mum had walked me the mile or so I had to go to school, much less supervised me all day out playing.

The relevant phrase you missed is 'Unfortunately my children don't live with me now...' I am as saddened by this as you are.

I have no control or say about this whatsoever.. Well if I have a say it would be ignored by the Ex Mrs. When they come for their weekend stayover with me the first thing I'll normally do is get them outside, preferably on bikes and go out and create their own fun, without me a lot of the time. Ex Mrs gets most of the marital property, all of the kids growing up and sadly, too much control over their lives...and it's legal.

 

[Profpointy]

The relevant phrase you missed is 'Unfortunately my children don't live with me now...' I am as saddened by this as you are.

I have no control or say about this whatsoever.. Well if I have a say it would be ignored by the Ex Mrs. When they come for their weekend stayover with me the first thing I'll normally do is get them outside, preferably on bikes and go out and create their own fun, without me a lot of the time. Ex Mrs gets most of the marital property, all of the kids growing up and sadly, too much control over their lives...and it's legal.

I was a bit out of order in my wording, domestic upheaval is hard - and I only had cats to worry about

 

[IDMark2]

Worry ye not, we are equally appalled at some aspects of modern life... and I lost cats in the upheaval as well...but I was fine with that.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

When I was a lad, I'd walk 25 miles on my hands to school, in the dark, in all weather, and wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and a string vest. I have no idea why I did this as I only lived half a mile from the nearest school and didn't need to do it.

 

[sazzaa]

I think my kid was about 7 when she started walking to school herself? Partially because we live really close to it but mostly because other parents are horrendous people, there's nothing worse than playground cliques. Her secondary school is a bit further but there's no chance I'd be giving her lifts, it's great for kids to get a bit of fresh air in the morning!

 

[Gravity Aided]

I only lived about 1/2 a block from primary school. But most schools were in neighborhoods at that time, Now we bus kids everywhere for diversity in the schools.Back then, diversity meant you weren't Bohemian-American, at my school. (I was Irish and Dutch on one side, Bavarian and Yorkshire on the other)