Can your children walk 1 1/2 miles?

geoffky

50% of the parents would struggle to do that...PS i do a 6 mile 2hr walk everyday...Through choice..

Firetastic

I suppose if you enjoy walking that makes all the difference. There is a difference between wanting to do something and being forced to do it.

My cousin who is in her twenties walks everywhere because of no other option. However I asked if she enjoyed walked and she said she was used to it but hated it. So just because you're used to something doesn't mean to say you enjoy it.

Just my two cents:)

MrsE_2

kjmtidea wrote: »

We live a mile and a half from school and we don't drive so we walk. I have said that my children can all have a friend round next week and have been organising it all, after speaking to the parents it turns out that 2/4 of the children 'can't possibly walk that far, can't you get the bus?'

The bus doesn't come until 25 minutes after school finishes and it would cost £11.70. Is a mile and a half really that far? Am I wrong for assuming they could walk home with us? My boys are 5,7,9 and 11. These children are 7 and 9.

Tell them to drive their kids & meet you there;)

Or tell them not to come if they can't fit in:cool:

Aylesbury_Duck

I once heard that a rule of thumb was that a child should be able to walk their age in miles without discomfort or fatigue. They might moan like crazy if they had to, but it would do them plenty of good and no harm!

It will disappoint two of your boys but simply accept the declination and perhaps invite two alternative friends?

Counting_Pennies_2

Suggest the parents are welcome to drop the children round after school when you get back and give a time.

Many children do walk, but I know mine are shocking after a long day at school. My 5 year old cries she is that exhausted, so while we walk the mile to school, we drive back, as I cannot bear the tears.

So I would offer a compromise, or suggest a weekend play

ska_lover

Some parents sure are crazy aren't they. I couldn't afford a car until my son was well into his teens, and he happily walked 1.5 miles to school and home again from the age of four when he started nursey.
I don't think you miss what you never had..
No wonder I was thinner back then..:(

1sttimer_2

There should be no problem with 1.5 miles at that age if there are no disabilities, or dangers. My DGS (4) has been away with me for a weekend and he must have walked 4-5 miles each day with no problems - I say walking, he ran most of the time, and never in a straight line, often doubling back to check me out!

Not quite on the same subject but similar - my DD1 was offered a lift to secondary school by a discerning mum of one of her friends because it meant 2 bus rides + a short walk (20 years ago) because my DD complained that she didn't want to do it! After words from me she caught the bus!

A few years later, they had a mutual friends party when they were meeting in town to go somewhere on their own (14/15yr old) and this said friend couldn't go (or didn't want to) because she didn't know how to catch a bus to meet up!

snowleopard61

I don’t drive and my (now adult) children grew up walking everywhere, as I do myself, so wouldn’t have blinked at walking this distance and far more. However in your shoes I’d be a bit unsure of my own ability to supervise eight lively children safely in the street, especially when four of them may not have much traffic sense, given their parents’ obvious dependence on cars.

Mojisola

kjmtidea wrote: »

I have said that my children can all have a friend round next week and have been organising it all, after speaking to the parents it turns out that 2/4 of the children 'can't possibly walk that far, can't you get the bus?'

aliasojo wrote: »

Oh at last! Someone actually sought to clarify something first before jumping to call young kids lazy (or worse!)

kjmtidea reported that the parents said it was the distance, not any particular dangers about the route that was the problem.

I think even the kids who don't normally walk anywhere would cope. The time will go very quickly with a group of children, chatting and laughing with each other.

It might be a revelation for the children and their parents. Imagine if the children actually enjoy it and start asking their parents why they can't walk to school!

delain

You say that Mojisola, but there is a boy near us (we walk past his house!) In the same class as one of mine, and he has asked her if we can please stop walking because his mum has been talking about how they could start walking and he doesn't want to! :rotfl: :rotfl:

Us walking has made people think anyway, a few people have commented on it, you'd think we ran a marathon every morning