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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu to not want my dc being strapped into Walk o dile

268 replies

Castleheights · 30/11/2016 12:40

Im prepared to be told I am being silly but, I feel uneasy about groups of children being strapped together.

At my dc nursery they have arranged a trip into town using a walk o dile. (Sorry don't know how to link). It's a so called safety device for keeping children safe when there are not enough adult hands available.

Aibu to think it looks unsafe because if one child falls so will others? Furthermore there are plenty of parents who would help if asked, nursery have said they don't want any parental help.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
DixieWishbone · 30/11/2016 16:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JackLottiesMum · 30/11/2016 16:41

These look great - they won't be walking fast enough for there to be an issue if one falls over.
When my children were in nursery (about 6 years ago), the nursery used a long rope type thing for a long walk. It was on a country road and I was at the very back....but the teacher at the front kept getting the children to walk very fast which did end up resulting in my child being dragged off their feet and along the ground with me screaming for everyone to stop walking!
So I have had a negative walking experience but I wouldn't be worried about this as it looks more secure than the rope contraption our nursery had!
I have helped schools walk children for years. I think its good for them to experience different scenarios of walking. Although the children on the website are strapped in securely - they probably feel a bit more independent not having to hold someone's hand while walking into town.

deste · 30/11/2016 17:01

I have seen this in action and it looked great. Watching the video at the top I can honestly say none of them looked unhappy. Why would anyone find fault with something designed to keep your children safe.

PersianCatLady · 30/11/2016 17:08

Why would anyone find fault with something designed to keep your children safe
Sadly sometimes just because they can.

timelytess · 30/11/2016 17:10

Tying children together is a really bad idea. Autonomy is essential for safety. If it is too dangerous for children to walk on the pavement as a group, get them a minibus.

Artandco · 30/11/2016 17:13

A minibus? How can you have a minibus around a pedestrian park or around inside a museum? And what's the point in going out if they aren't walking

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 30/11/2016 17:16

That looks fab. If they'd been around when my teens were pre school I'm pretty sure they'd have had more trips out. It can be seen as empowering rather than restricting,

MistressMerryWeather · 30/11/2016 17:17

Autonomy is essential for safety.

Yes and if they were walking like that all day every day that would be an issue.

They won't be though, will they?

Artandco · 30/11/2016 17:19

Also, autonomy isn't exactly used with a 2-3 year old is it? I mean you can hardly send them to get milk themselves whilst you stay home. So kind of irrelevent at that age in terms of being street wise

PersianCatLady · 30/11/2016 17:21

Tying children together is a really bad idea. Autonomy is essential for safety. If it is too dangerous for children to walk on the pavement as a group, get them a minibus
RTFT

Areyoulocal · 30/11/2016 17:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

dylsmimi · 30/11/2016 17:24

A minibus!! To go round the corner on a small outing to the park/ library etc!?! And who would pay for the bus and insurance? I'm sure parents would soon complain about a hike in fees and you miss so much in a vehicle
My ds' nursery had a walk-o-dile - it was great. They walked around the corner to the beach - all ran around when they got tjere and then headed back with it. Much safer and allowed more children to go out at the same time. I much preferred that than them being in a buggy when j had been trying to get him to walk more.

dylsmimi · 30/11/2016 17:25

They all ran around separately when they got to the beach - though I would have liked to see a bunch of 3 year olds trying to coordinate running as a group! Grin

coldcanary · 30/11/2016 17:27

That's what they are! DH saw one with a bar for each child to hold. He was trying to describe it to me & all he could think of was 'an egg box full of children'!
They look fine, I'd use one as a CM and nursery nurse.

SeamstressfromTreacleMineRoad · 30/11/2016 17:52

Agree completely about the awfulness of the James Bulger comment Angry

sparechange And don't even get me started on the time I won the 3-legged race on sports day... On your own....??? Shock

Original poster
Castleheights · 30/11/2016 17:53

I haven't had a chance to read all the replies I'm afraid, but I will. Although it seems it's my problem because so many other posters think walk o dile looks "great".
I can't get past the fact that they are all strapped together and in my opinion more vulnerable for it, if one dc wants to bolt, they will try and why the hell should it be the other strapped up children who have to counter that?
And
My other point is why use this contraption instead of accepting parents help when it is available?

I don't accept all the "problems" associated with parental help because dbs can be avoided when the adult is not alone or unsupervised. This is what happened on the last trip, which I attended to help and there were no problems. Every adult joined hands with a child on either side.

OP posts:
PlainJJane · 30/11/2016 18:03

When we used walkadiles it was so we could pop to the park or go to the library. Most of the children we cared for went to childcare because their parents were at work, so couldn't come.
Also just because they aren't being left unattended doesn't mean they shouldn't be DBS checked.
I have looked after children and their parents I would not trust to look after my DD and I wouldn't even want holding her hand, I would far rather her be on a walkadile.

Trifleorbust · 30/11/2016 18:03

OP, it's fairly simple to understand. The nursery staff are responsible for the children. Parent volunteers can't be relied on for consistent support and actually, some parents wouldn't be happy with their DC being walked round by people they didn't know. The nursery has put in place a solution that won't hurt the children and will make them safer. You have the option to decline.

If you'd read the thread before coming back (sort of the point of posting?) you might have seen responses that covered the points that you have simply restated here.

PersianCatLady · 30/11/2016 18:04

I can't get past the fact that they are all strapped together and in my opinion more vulnerable for it, if one dc wants to bolt, they will try and why the hell should it be the other strapped up children who have to counter that?
Did you watch the video I posted of it earlier in the thread where it shows you that one child falling over does not affect the other kids??

My other point is why use this contraption instead of accepting parents help when it is available?
Most parents put their kids into nursery because they need to work so where are all of these parents going to come from??

I think if you really hate the Walk-O-Dile so much then you might have to take your DC out of nursery altogether.

LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 30/11/2016 18:05

Because parental help isn't going to be available every single time you want to walk them to the park, or field, or library, or shop or any one of a hundred other places nurseries want to take DCs as part of their normal, daily activity. 'Big' trips are somewhat different and that's when parental help is needed, but having to get parents in every single time you want to go outside the nursery boundary is impractical.

PersianCatLady · 30/11/2016 18:09

My other point is why use this contraption instead of accepting parents help when it is available?
Also people pay nurseries to provide professional childcare not to have soandso's mummy care for their child.

Original poster
Castleheights · 30/11/2016 18:11

Ok . So I'm being bu. Fair enough. I'll read everything and hopefully feel more assured. It just looks horrible to see them strapped together I suppose. Thanks everyone .

OP posts:
Original poster
Castleheights · 30/11/2016 18:18

Actually I can see the point Persian is making.

About when paying for childcare and not wanting/having parents help instead of trained staff.

OP posts:
DixieWishbone · 30/11/2016 18:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

dylsmimi · 30/11/2016 18:32

Both nurseries my ds have attended struggle to get parents to attend open mornings / play with your kids etc because the parents are at work
You can't expect parents to pop in to nursery for an impromptu trip to gather autumn leaves!
My ds liked walking with a group of his friends - maybe we see it differently as adults?