To make DD 4 walk home everyday from school

[Elderwand]

It's around a mile, up and down hills- takes us around 30 mins with her sort of jogging at times to keep up.

We take her in the car in the morning as have a 2yo as well so getting out for 8.15 is bit of a nightmare! Have tried this, walking to school but it is mainly up hill and I'm shattered, never mind DD

DH reckons its too far for tiny legs and she does say she's tired and why don't I pick her up in the car.

Any ideas? Or do we continue and hopefully she will get used to it.

Many thanks

Xx

Could you get a buggy board (assuming 2 year old is in a pram) that she can use when she starts getting tired?

If you take the 2-yo in the buggy, how about a buggy board?

Snap, Sirzy

Definately too much. My DD is exhausted from pre school and thats without a 30 min walk home.

My DS age 2.1 walks home over a mile from nursery most evenings unless he is entirely knackered. I sometimes take a banana in case he needs a pick-me-up.

I think it should be ok for a four year old unless she is finding school very tiring, in which case another option aside from walking might be good.

The rule of thumb I was told to used was a child could walk a mile for every year old (not sure how accurate that is!), so in theory yes she can, but how tired is she by the end of the week? She might be ok at the beginning of the week, and tire to the end. Only real solution is try it and see how she copes. Hmmm - not much help, really am I !

A mile is a long way, especially since you say you get shattered by it in the mornings. And it sounds as though you are walking too fast for her anyway, she shouldn't have to jog to keep up. I think walk slower for her and it will take longer but will be less tiring for her.

God no, she'll get used to it.

I think we forget just how resilient kids are and how perfectly normal walking actually is.

My DS's mate (14yrs) looks at me like I've got 2 heads when I tell him we're walking into town and he's welcome to come.

His Mum still drives him everywhere and always has so no wonder he's not used to it.

I don't think a mile is too far.....Much kinder to give children the opportunity to learn to be physically active than to teach them that the only way is the car. Maybe give it a few weeks and see how things go? Or else walk two or three times a week?

Well I did think of a buggy board but they look fidley( am lazy) imagine trying to push both up and down hills!

Can a buggy board carry the weight of an average 4yo?

Oh wow, I see by other responses I'm a mean mum making DS walk so far every day. But he never seems to mind and relishes a good skip along in the rain. I guess he's probably just used to it as I walk everywhere....oops.

I think it is perfectly reasonable, so many children are molly-coddled these days. A thirty minute walk should be do-able. Think of the cost of petrol/parking difficulties/damage to the enviornment etc etc.

Well my youngest walked to and from school from the age of 2 to collect her older siblings (pushchair refuser) and then from the age of 3 used her mini micro scooter, ours wasn't so hilly though just one steep bridge thing.

Is a scooter for the flatter bits a possibility? A mile really isn't that far and she will get used to it. I would try and walk in the morning and collect after school rather than the reverse...

You're not mean Ruby you're normal.

How would the OP manage if they didn't have a car?

Plenty of people don't.

I don't think a mile is that far though, when walking my nephew to school we do a mile round trip and 2 year old Ds can do most of it only struggling if his asthma is bad.

Why on Earth are you going so fast that the poor child has to jog to keep up with you?!

It would have been too far for my oldest at that age and pushing it with my youngest. They are just settling into school at that age and are usually exhausted by the new experiences and long day. Some would be fine with it but just as many would be too tired. You can't really compare to other children, just like you can't for any other ability.

I do wonder why you are walking so fast that she has to jog? That sounds unnecessary and mean. Do you think she should be able to walk at adult pace?

Buggy boards will hold a lot of weight they are great.

But I agree with whoever said the OP needs to slow her walking down.

Your DD shouldn't have to jog to keep up.

If she's a natural dawdler, make her hold onto the buggy but walk at a manageable pace for her.

I think perhaps you just need to slow down a little so that she doesn't have to jog!

A mile sounds perfectly reasonable to me to be honest.

Thanks

I will try to walk slowly, she has to walk home from school 2 days a week as DSIS doesn't drive.

Oh I don't know, maybe I'm trying to relive my own childhood. Mum never drove then and we had to walk everywhere in all weathers- some of my happy memories walking home from school.....will watch thread and see....

Get her a scooter?

My DC's school is just under a mile away (though it's flat not hilly) and they all either walk or scoot and have done since they were kicked out of a pram at 2.5.

Infact when DC3 was in nursery he did the walk 4 times a day, no problem.

My son was walking to or from nursery school four times a day last year when he was only three. I'd take him and his brother in the morning, pick him up at lunchtime, and then we'd have to go there and back again to get his brother in the afternoon. He was walking 6.8 miles a day, and to be honest he was shattered. It took him twice as long to walk home in the afternoon, because he was so tired he could hardly move his legs sometimes. We don't have a choice though, because I don't drive.

But a mile at a time for a four year old doesn't sound unreasonable - she should get used to that in no time. Things are much easier for my youngest son now that he only has to go there and back once like his brother.

Did your mum make you run everywhere?