Do you let your kids walk to school?

135

Comments

  • mcgruff10
    mcgruff10 New Jersey Posts: 29,202
    PJ_Soul said:
    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.
    Exactly! Lol
    i think we are six miles to the middle school and 3 miles to the k-2 school and maybe 2 1/2 miles to the 3-5 school. 
    I grew up in a one square mile town and my ass walked to school everyday starting in second grade.  
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me......
  • PJ_Soul
    PJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,919
    mcgruff10 said:
    PJ_Soul said:
    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.
    Exactly! Lol
    i think we are six miles to the middle school and 3 miles to the k-2 school and maybe 2 1/2 miles to the 3-5 school. 
    I grew up in a one square mile town and my ass walked to school everyday starting in second grade.  
    Yes, that's way too far. I walked to school since the first day of kindergarten (with other 5 year old friends), but the walk was only about 15 minutes or so, on tiny little legs.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • tbergs
    tbergs Posts: 10,503
    No.
    I can't believe this thread turned in to an argument, but I guess when parenting decisions are involved it's always a risk.
    It's a hopeless situation...
  • PJ_Soul
    PJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,919
    edited June 2017
    jeffbr said:
    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.
    I guess I just figured everyone would read that under the assumption that common sense would be used too. I don't think it's really ideal for full grown adults to walk a narrow shoulder on a busy highway, let alone kids. When I see people doing that I wonder if there is something wrong with them, lol. Mostly because there is generally nowhere for them to go if a car does veer off. Narrow shoulders on highways aren't meant to be walkable, so I don't expect anyone to be walking on them... ;)
    Post edited by PJ_Soul on
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • HughFreakingDillon
    HughFreakingDillon Winnipeg Posts: 40,033
    Yes.
    jeffbr said:
    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.
    common sense would dictate she's referring to a residential road with sidewalks and road signs/lights. 
    Your boos mean nothing to me, for I have seen what makes you cheer



  • PJfanwillneverleave1
    PJfanwillneverleave1 Posts: 12,885
    There is no poll option for "Depends on the age".

  • jeffbr
    jeffbr Seattle Posts: 7,177
    No.
    HughFreakingDillon said:
    jeffbr said:
    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.
    common sense would dictate she's referring to a residential road with sidewalks and road signs/lights. 
    Common sense is subjective, and often lacking. Frequently with regards to parenting. Because I don't like making assumptions, I challenge things that strike me as odd. And I'm happy that it was a misinterpretation on my part.
    "I'll use the magic word - let's just shut the fuck up, please." EV, 04/13/08
  • Jason P
    Jason P Posts: 19,397
    I worked with a guy who grew up during the '67 Detroit riots and his Dad gave him a pipe to hide in his trousers and sent him off to walk to school.  Told him to whack anyone who came at him.  Life is different on 8 mile.  
    Be Excellent To Each Other
    Party On, Dudes!
  • PJfanwillneverleave1
    PJfanwillneverleave1 Posts: 12,885
    As they say - "If sense was common everyone would have it".
  • oftenreading
    oftenreading Victoria, BC Posts: 12,856
    Yes.
    jeffbr said:
    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. 
    Yeah, no one is arguing that kids should walk down the shoulder of the highway. No one should do that. Residential neighbourhoods, or even commercial with sidewalks, would be what we're talking about. 
     
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • oftenreading
    oftenreading Victoria, BC Posts: 12,856
    Yes.
    PJPOWER said:
    My kiddo is not old enough, but I would have no problem letting him walk to school.  I would have more of an issue letting a daughter roam around the mall.
    Actually, coming back to this, what raises your concern about letting a daughter roam around the mall? (aside from rampant materialism)
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • oftenreading
    oftenreading Victoria, BC Posts: 12,856
    Yes.
    rustneversleeps said:
    i might have to print this thread out. priceless.
    What about it is priceless?
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • PJfanwillneverleave1
    PJfanwillneverleave1 Posts: 12,885
    oftenreading said:
    rustneversleeps said:
    i might have to print this thread out. priceless.
    What about it is priceless?

    The drama.
  • oftenreading
    oftenreading Victoria, BC Posts: 12,856
    Yes.
    PJfanwillneverleave1 said:
    oftenreading said:
    rustneversleeps said:
    i might have to print this thread out. priceless.
    What about it is priceless?

    The drama.
    There was drama? Where?
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • PJfanwillneverleave1
    PJfanwillneverleave1 Posts: 12,885
    edited June 2017
    ^^^

    Nowhere.  Nevermind.
    I just think there should be a 15min rule before editing and adding a paragraph to a post perhaps.
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,787
    PJfanwillneverleave1 said:
    There is no poll option for "Depends on the age".

    Nor "Depends on where you live".

    I never had kids but I home schooled one of my nephews for a year so that doesn't count. 

    I walked to school but that was 800 years ago and I almost always went with siblings of friends.  More fun with friends because we could get away things like throwing M-80's down (unoccupied) manhole covers without my brother ratting on me.
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • PJfanwillneverleave1
    PJfanwillneverleave1 Posts: 12,885
    This thread is funny because it has parents and non-parents speaking.
    In AMT that is fire.
    I could suggest that the sky is pink as a parent and I would receive many colourful responses.
  • oftenreading
    oftenreading Victoria, BC Posts: 12,856
    Yes.
    "Pink as a parent"? Aren't you being a bit ...... racist? Other colours can be parents, too.
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,787
    PJfanwillneverleave1 said:
    This thread is funny because it has parents and non-parents speaking.
    In AMT that is fire.
    I could suggest that the sky is pink as a parent and I would receive many colourful responses.
    Ah!  But it's true!


    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • hedonist
    hedonist Posts: 24,524
    PJfanwillneverleave1 said:
    This thread is funny because it has parents and non-parents speaking.
    In AMT that is fire.
    I could suggest that the sky is pink as a parent and I would receive many colourful responses.
    Actually, as a non-parent, it's kind of fucked up for anyone to say (or imply) that non-parents shouldn't respond. 

    So...non-parent here!  But, I was a kid years ago.

    My first elementary school was one block from our home at the time, second one the same  My mom may or may have not followed me there ninja-like to make sure I got there OK, but at seven years old?  Different times of course.  Safe.  Short walk, neighbors knew each other.  Grab a friend from our street along the way.  I get others have lived differently, as children and those with kiddos.  Just relaying my history and how my parents (and, through them, I as well) chose and view the childhood lived.

    Bused it to my Jr. High and skateboarded to Sr.  LOVED IT.

    Within those years, in my supposedly safe neighborhood, I avoided traffic shit yet was subjected to four separate occasions of male drivers cruising up next to me, furiously jerking off.  I found each of them a mix of amusing (as in, "whoa, really?") and sad.


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