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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To make DD 4 walk home everyday from school

152 replies

Elderwand · 22/09/2012 22:23

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

OP posts:
scarlettsmummy2 · 22/09/2012 22:36

I think it is fine, just persevere. Good exercise.

ThreadWatcher · 22/09/2012 22:37

Its only a mile. Once a day.

When mine were that age we used to make up crazy songs and sing them as we went along.
With practice she'll be walking home in 20 minutes.
A buggy board is a good idea - the problem comes (in my own experience!) when the youngest is too old for the buggy, as obviously the youngest doesnt get the option of a buggy board.
So the youngest has to just get on with it and walk.

fuckadoodlepoopoo · 22/09/2012 22:37

fosgoldlady. A mile per year? So you'd expect a 4 year old to be able to walk 4 miles?

wigglesrock · 22/09/2012 22:37

I didn't drive until a few years ago and walked dd1 then 3 -4 to creche and then her nursery school. She has a younger sister, so pram was already occupied. We did it in about 25 mins - just under a mile. We briefly had a buggy board, I broke it found it very awkward. We loved it, even now dd1 still loves to walk, dd2 wouldn't walk the length of herself!

yani · 22/09/2012 22:37

Could you walk there, and buggy board home? If she dawdles could you point things of interest on the way? We go past a horse chestnut tree & take a few moments to see whether the conkers are ready yet. Equally they find any road kill fascinating and we then have to discuss the many ways in which the animal met it's demise!

Original poster
Elderwand · 22/09/2012 22:38

Yes ok, I do walk fast, I always have- mum is a fast walker, maybe I got it from her.

I'm not making Dd run a mile home from school, it is mainly down hill though.

I WILL SLOW DOWN- just for those who want to know.

OP posts:
yani · 22/09/2012 22:38

Could you walk there, and buggy board home? If she dawdles could you point things of interest on the way? We go past a horse chestnut tree & take a few moments to see whether the conkers are ready yet. Equally they find any road kill fascinating and we then have to discuss the many ways in which the animal met it's demise!

yani · 22/09/2012 22:39

Oops sorry!

zippy539 · 22/09/2012 22:39

YANBU - it's only a mile. As she gets bigger you should be able to do it in 20 mins. You are doing her a favour in the long-term - kids who go everywhere in cars end up unable to get anywhere under their own steam (and over-weight..).

HolyAutumnGoldBatman · 22/09/2012 22:40

fuckadoo DC3 walked/scooted 4 miles a day at age 3, no problem. That was broken up though, not all in one go, though i'm sure he could have done it all in one go.

NotInMyDay · 22/09/2012 22:40

Absolutely fine in my book. We do similar including mornings and a big hill.

Slow down a bit a maybe get her a light scooter you can balance on buggy handle bars when not in use. She'll be fit as a fiddle.

ProcessYellowC · 22/09/2012 22:41

A scooter or a bike is my recommendation - From when he was 2, DS was scooting just over a mile each way to nursery - which was admittedly flatter.

Aged 4 he now cycles just under a mile each way to school - with a steep hill up to the school.

We don't have a car, neither DH nor I drive. There is no other choice for DS. I fully appreciate that he is going to become a real petrol-head as soon as he is old enough to drive Grin

It might take your DD a frustrating while to get used to a scooter or bike but the investment in getting her familiar with them pays off big time.

Unlurked · 22/09/2012 22:42

1 mile is definitely not too far! I don't have a car and we live up a bloody great hill. My eldest is four and today we walked two miles to the play place she wanted to go to then walked the two miles back (although we did stop to play at the park and stroke dogs on the way home). If she gets bored she sings me songs and we play 'I spy' and count how many buses/green lorries/blue cars we can see.

Your DD will absolutely get used to walking a mile long journey, I'd say it's quite important that she does.

ProcessYellowC · 22/09/2012 22:44

and get yourself a bike with childseat for the 2 y.o. then you can freewheel down the hill with her!

numbum · 22/09/2012 22:45

My 5 year old walks just over a mile to school downhill to school and then the same uphill after school. She isn't always happy about it but we play I spy or the alphabet game to pass the time.

Just make sure she's dressed according to the weather!

fuckadoodlepoopoo · 22/09/2012 22:45

I've said it once already but feel the need to say it again. Its doesn't matter what other kids can do. All abilities differ just like they do for reading or whatever. The posts saying well my kid could walk 20 miles on stilts at that age are irrelevant.

I also think that the first few weeks of school are not the time to be expecting huge amounts of energy from your child at the end of a school day.

Meglet · 22/09/2012 22:46

FWIW I'm a fast walker and I don't really slow down for the kids. 5.10yo DS sometimes jogs along next to me.

Marrow · 22/09/2012 22:46

No not too far at all! It is just over a mile to nursery and school for us and steep hills in both directions. DD has walked it since she was four and it is fine. It is good for children to exercise and the more she does it the easier it will get for her.

fuckadoodlepoopoo · 22/09/2012 22:47

Meg. Well don't you think that's unreasonable and selfish of you considering your child has legs half the length of yours?

Meglet · 22/09/2012 22:49

Not really, we haven't got time to dawdle if I've got to do school and work in the mornings. I refuse to drive them everywhere so we have to crack on and not be late.

HolyAutumnGoldBatman · 22/09/2012 22:49

Meg that's horrible! Slow down!

HolyAutumnGoldBatman · 22/09/2012 22:50

they're not dawdling though, are they? They're just not as big as you and therefore unable to walk at the same speed!

Sirzy · 22/09/2012 22:50

Seems unfair meg, would you like to be made to run just to keep up with someone much bigger than you?

ProcessYellowC · 22/09/2012 22:51

Um well its not irrelevant what other kids can do at 4 - it's giving the OP some comparison and comfort that it is possible. Tbh it is hard finding other people cruel enough to their kids to make them walk that sort of distance/not give them the option of car collection, that DH and I would seriously feel like great big freaks had we not been eccentric for so long aready.

And if the first few weeks at reception are not the time to get the child used to this walk, then when is the ideal time?

Meglet · 22/09/2012 22:53

It won't do them any harm having to get a move on. I'm not making them run an Ironman, they just have to get a move on in the mornings.

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