Do you let your kids walk to school?

PJ_Soul · June 2017

cincybearcat said:

PJ_Soul said:

I think the better reaction would be to teach their kids how to deal with such risks themselves rather than removing them from their environment.... That is how parents are going to raise independent, self-sufficient, responsible adults, which is actually all parents' primary job.

I agree with this to a point, however it is also the parents job to assess risk and try to keep their kids away from some of it.

So I think if a kid had to walk in a very busy area with lots of cars and lots of people not following traffic laws....because the outcome can be so severe, it can be appropriate to just not allow them to walk there. Especially younger kids that even though you teach them, if they get to playing with friends on the way, they are likely to make a mistake themselves.

Well yes, there is of course a line there. But I'd say that traffic concerns are well below that line. Any kid can learn how to be cautious and safe even in crazy traffic. Unless people are regularly driving up on the sidewalk and mowing people down, I don't really see how traffic is a reason to keep a kid from walking to school, just as long as they know how to deal with it.... if you have a kid who clearly can't deal with it, like they are prone to losing focus or are hyperactive to the point of darting out into streets, then okay, that's a good reason to be concerned. Otherwise, the kids can learn to be safe pretty easily. Of course age is a factor. You're not going to send a 5 year old walzing around busy traffic. Common sense, right? Cell phone snatchings? Well, closer to the line, but from what I read, that still more sounds like an issue that is handled through awareness rather than removal. I.e. keep your phone in a secure place, and keep your bag securely on your person, and be aware of your surroundings, etc. Now if the neighborhood is full of gang bangers looking to beat kids up and shit like that, or if there is serial child killer on the loose, then the line is crossed, obviously.

PJ_Soul · June 2017

elvistheking44 said:

PJ_Soul said:

I think the better reaction would be to teach their kids how to deal with such risks themselves rather than removing them from their environment.... That is how parents are going to raise independent, self-sufficient, responsible adults, which is actually all parents' primary job.

Youre forgetting the outside factor. You can raise a kid that always looks both ways, obeys all the crosswalk signs and follows the rules and that can still be killed by someone who isn't paying attention or thinks your phone is worth $20. Your kid can be totally independent, self sufficient and responsible and still get mugged. What's the proper protocol for being mugged, or run over. It's a possibility living in the city, so I understand some parents concerns.

I'm saying you teach your kid to be aware of someone who is driving dangerously too, just like we do as adults.
And I'm not saying kids should be totally independent, self sufficient and responsible. I'm saying that is where you want them to get when they're grown up. Teaching them to handle these things while they're growing is how you get there. As for getting mugged or run over... Life is full of risks. Little kids being mugged is partly avoidable - there are ways to stay safer in that context. Obviously being out in the world in any way isn't 100% safe, but that is life. I think that trying to protect children from that fact of life is generally a mistake because they won't learn how to cope in the world as well as they grow, thus not being totally independent, self sufficient and responsible once they reach adulthood.

Just remember, most people's kids are actually a lot more likely to be hurt in a car accident while you're driving them around than they are when they walk to school.

jeffbr · June 2017

No.

Haha, it is strange that people seem to be arguing that you should put kids in harms way to teach them a lesson and not shelter them. Good one! I wasn't going to send my kids down a 2 lane, 55mph state highway with narrow shoulders. And somehow, exercising that caution, my kids still ended up being successful and independent. Crazy, I know!

PJ_Soul · June 2017

jeffbr said:

Haha, it is strange that people seem to be arguing that you should put kids in harms way to teach them a lesson and not shelter them. Good one! I wasn't going to send my kids down a 2 lane, 55mph state highway with narrow shoulders. And somehow, exercising that caution, my kids still ended up being successful and independent. Crazy, I know!

That isn't what I'm saying at all. I'm saying kids can be taught how to avoid harm's way, within reason. And yeah, kids walking down a busy two-lane highway with no sidewalk crosses a line. I'm not suggesting that parents don't use common sense, geez.

oftenreading · June 2017

Yes.

jeffbr said:

Haha, it is strange that people seem to be arguing that you should put kids in harms way to teach them a lesson and not shelter them. Good one! I wasn't going to send my kids down a 2 lane, 55mph state highway with narrow shoulders. And somehow, exercising that caution, my kids still ended up being successful and independent. Crazy, I know!

No, that's not what anyone is arguing.

tempo_n_groove · June 2017

jeffbr said:

Haha, it is strange that people seem to be arguing that you should put kids in harms way to teach them a lesson and not shelter them. Good one! I wasn't going to send my kids down a 2 lane, 55mph state highway with narrow shoulders. And somehow, exercising that caution, my kids still ended up being successful and independent. Crazy, I know!

Every situation is different. I would tend to err on caution with your situation.

My cousin used to take her son to school because that was "their" time which I understand.

Anybody drive their kids to the bus stop?

HughFreakingDillon · June 2017

Yes.

elvistheking44 said:

PJ_Soul said:

I think the better reaction would be to teach their kids how to deal with such risks themselves rather than removing them from their environment.... That is how parents are going to raise independent, self-sufficient, responsible adults, which is actually all parents' primary job.

Youre forgetting the outside factor. You can raise a kid that always looks both ways, obeys all the crosswalk signs and follows the rules and that can still be killed by someone who isn't paying attention or thinks your phone is worth $20. Your kid can be totally independent, self sufficient and responsible and still get mugged. What's the proper protocol for being mugged, or run over. It's a possibility living in the city, so I understand some parents concerns.

if you are aware of your surroundings, unless the car is going the speed of light, you can avoid these things. pedestrian/vehicle collisions are rare. and usually happen at night or in the early morning.

just a thought, and based on nothing but my own parenting: I think it might be a better case to teach a kid these things when they are younger rather than older, and the reason is this: kids at a younger age are eager to learn and listen more intently when given responsibility as opposed to the pre-teen that will just be "yeah yeah yeah, I get it" and continue texting. You instill it in them when you know they are willing to learn big kid responsibilities to where it becomes almost instinctual.

sure, it may take longer in the teaching process, but it just might be more effective.

rustneversleeps · June 2017

i might have to print this thread out. priceless.

PJ_Soul · June 2017

rustneversleeps said:

i might have to print this thread out. priceless.

That's pretty sad.

mcgruff10 · June 2017

oftenreading said:

mcgruff10 said:

I would definitely allow them to walk to school but we living in a busing district. I don't think you are allowed to walk to school.

Not allowed?? That's completely bizarre.

yeah we have courtesy busing so they aren't allowed to walk to school. of course parents can drop off and pick up their child.

HughFreakingDillon · June 2017

Yes.

mcgruff10 said:

oftenreading said:

mcgruff10 said:

I would definitely allow them to walk to school but we living in a busing district. I don't think you are allowed to walk to school.

Not allowed?? That's completely bizarre.

yeah we have courtesy busing so they aren't allowed to walk to school. of course parents can drop off and pick up their child.

so if a kid were to walk to school, what would happen?

jeffbr · June 2017

No.

PJ_Soul said:

jeffbr said:

Haha, it is strange that people seem to be arguing that you should put kids in harms way to teach them a lesson and not shelter them. Good one! I wasn't going to send my kids down a 2 lane, 55mph state highway with narrow shoulders. And somehow, exercising that caution, my kids still ended up being successful and independent. Crazy, I know!

That isn't what I'm saying at all. I'm saying kids can be taught how to avoid harm's way, within reason. And yeah, kids walking down a busy two-lane highway with no sidewalk crosses a line. I'm not suggesting that parents don't use common sense, geez.

I guess I just misinterpreted your previous comment where you said:
"But I'd say that traffic concerns are well below that line. Any kid can learn how to be cautious and safe even in crazy traffic. Unless people are regularly driving up on the sidewalk and mowing people down, I don't really see how traffic is a reason to keep a kid from walking to school, just as long as they know how to deal with it"

I was responding to that. I didn't feel like my 5 - 11 year olds should be strolling the shoulder of the highway. Especially when no other children walked that route to school. Had school been closer, and not just off of a highway, they'd have walked. As it was, they took a bus and were happy to hang out with their friends on the way to school.

Bottom line for me is that parenting is situational, and we should exercise our best judgement to keep them safe, and help them become independent and successful adults someday. How we get from here to there varies based on myriad circumstances.

jeffbr · June 2017

No.

oftenreading said:

jeffbr said:

Haha, it is strange that people seem to be arguing that you should put kids in harms way to teach them a lesson and not shelter them. Good one! I wasn't going to send my kids down a 2 lane, 55mph state highway with narrow shoulders. And somehow, exercising that caution, my kids still ended up being successful and independent. Crazy, I know!

No, that's not what anyone is arguing.

I'm glad to hear it! I interpreted it differently.

PJ_Soul · June 2017

mcgruff10 said:

oftenreading said:

mcgruff10 said:

I would definitely allow them to walk to school but we living in a busing district. I don't think you are allowed to walk to school.

Not allowed?? That's completely bizarre.

yeah we have courtesy busing so they aren't allowed to walk to school. of course parents can drop off and pick up their child.

Wow. I'd fight that, personally. Just the exercise factor alone makes it crazy to actually force kids to get a ride to school. So what do they do if your kid does walk to school? How would they enforce this dumb rule?

tempo_n_groove · June 2017

PJ_Soul said:

mcgruff10 said:

oftenreading said:

mcgruff10 said:

I would definitely allow them to walk to school but we living in a busing district. I don't think you are allowed to walk to school.

Not allowed?? That's completely bizarre.

yeah we have courtesy busing so they aren't allowed to walk to school. of course parents can drop off and pick up their child.

Wow. I'd fight that, personally. Just the exercise factor alone makes it crazy to actually force kids to get a ride to school. So what do they do if your kid does walk to school? How would they enforce this dumb rule?

Is the school liable for your kids to and from school? If so then I understand the busing.

mcgruff10 · June 2017

PJ_Soul said:

mcgruff10 said:

oftenreading said:

mcgruff10 said:

I would definitely allow them to walk to school but we living in a busing district. I don't think you are allowed to walk to school.

Not allowed?? That's completely bizarre.

yeah we have courtesy busing so they aren't allowed to walk to school. of course parents can drop off and pick up their child.

Wow. I'd fight that, personally. Just the exercise factor alone makes it crazy to actually force kids to get a ride to school. So what do they do if your kid does walk to school? How would they enforce this dumb rule?

They don't walk to school. In my 15 years in district there's been zero issues.

PJ_Soul · June 2017

mcgruff10 said:

PJ_Soul said:

mcgruff10 said:

oftenreading said:

mcgruff10 said:

I would definitely allow them to walk to school but we living in a busing district. I don't think you are allowed to walk to school.

Not allowed?? That's completely bizarre.

yeah we have courtesy busing so they aren't allowed to walk to school. of course parents can drop off and pick up their child.

Wow. I'd fight that, personally. Just the exercise factor alone makes it crazy to actually force kids to get a ride to school. So what do they do if your kid does walk to school? How would they enforce this dumb rule?

They don't walk to school. In my 15 years in district there's been zero issues.

I'm just wondering hypothetically. Do they just say "do this", but actually there aren't any consequences if you don't? Just wondering, since you said you'd have your kids walk to school if it weren't for this silly rule.

mcgruff10 · June 2017

PJ_Soul said:

mcgruff10 said:

PJ_Soul said:

mcgruff10 said:

oftenreading said:

mcgruff10 said:

I would definitely allow them to walk to school but we living in a busing district. I don't think you are allowed to walk to school.

Not allowed?? That's completely bizarre.

yeah we have courtesy busing so they aren't allowed to walk to school. of course parents can drop off and pick up their child.

Wow. I'd fight that, personally. Just the exercise factor alone makes it crazy to actually force kids to get a ride to school. So what do they do if your kid does walk to school? How would they enforce this dumb rule?

They don't walk to school. In my 15 years in district there's been zero issues.

I'm just wondering hypothetically. Do they just say "do this", but actually there aren't any consequences if you don't? Just wondering, since you said you'd have your kids walk to school if it weren't for this silly rule.

I m not sure what the consequences would be.

mcgruff10 · June 2017

Allie, I d have my kids walk to school if we were close but we are way too far for them to walk. Plus a lot of developments and main roads don't have side walks.

PJ_Soul · June 2017

mcgruff10 said:

Allie, I d have my kids walk to school if we were close but we are way too far for them to walk. Plus a lot of developments and main roads don't have side walks.

Ah, I see. Yeah, if it's TOO far, you'll end up with adult kids who will tell anyone who will listen that their mom and dad used to force them to walk miles and miles to school, up hill both ways, lol.

Do you let your kids walk to school?

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