To think a 37minute school run is ok?

[jultomten]

We are house hunting and I have found two houses I like with a 37min walking distance to the school we want. One of the things I was really looking forward too with the move was to be able to walk the kids to school instead of driving like I have to do now. But is 37 minutes too long to walk twice a day? Am I just going to end up driving?
If iabu how long is the longest walking distance you would consider doing?

My Monday: PE bag with 2 sets of sports kit, 2 pairs trainers, shin pads, mouth guard. 1 boot bag with football boots. 1 hockey stick. 1 school bag overflowing with reading book, diary, pencil cases, school books (from weekend homework) & music book. 1 violin for musi lesson. In summer he also needs the full set of cricket whites, helmet, pads, box, gloves.

1.2 miles is very doable but tedious in wet weather or if you are carrying things. I think it depends on the walk, is it a nice walk along safe roads with wide pavements or is it a not-so-nice walk? If it's OK roads then your eldest might want to walk sooner rather than later.

Do you run? If so then you could jog back and count it towards your daily exercise.

Is it bikeable?

It wouldn't be for me. It'd be time consuming (as you're making the journey 4 times a day, not just twice) and while it sounds nice in spring/summer when it's nice weather and pretty etc, come November when it's pissing it down it'll be miserable. I'd end up driving it

Errol Absolutely YES at independent primary.

Friend did this for many many yrs (friend couldn't drive). As soon as she got license she did it a lot less often. I can't see you doing it twice a day, unless it's only way you can get there.

Maybe you could do drop off by car but pick up walking? Then you don't have to worry about being late.

37 minutes is a long time for 1.2 miles.

Have you walked it? Firstly I'd suggest it may well not be that far, if it's google maps, no local knowledge of shortcuts at all. And it's probably more like 20-25 minutes rather than 37 even so. I do a regular walk which is 2.4 miles a couple of times a week and that takes me 40 mins.

I wouldn't spend over 2 hours a day doing the school run.

If you're happy to do it, then it's not a problem and you have the car if it's raining/too much stuff etc, it will be excercise for all of you and can be a nice time too if you make it normal and not a chore. If you love the house, 1.2miles is nothing. Try walking it one day to see for yourself how long it would take .

I wouldn't. It'll be miserable, the kids will be exhausted!

Also surely the pick up would be staggered with all the different ages?

1.2 miles is more like 20 mins IMO. I don't know about private schools but we never had to take cooking ingredients or sp

1.2 miles in 20 minutes with 3 children including a 3 year old?

I used to do a 30 minute walk to and from twice a day, its how I lost me weight after having my fourth!
Kids managed fine, esp/ when they could use their scooters, kept them fit too.
n the colder wetter darker months, you dress warmer, take more brollies, and a torch! lol
We really bonded over our walks, we played games, mainly 20 questions lol, and I loved it!
Personally I don;t think its a problem. xx

Our school is 1.2 miles and 20 mins for me and 25 for dc. Perfectly do able imo

Its quite a lot of time that you will be spending walking. Ok when the weather is fine. I reckon you will most likely take the car, if you have access to one. Your 3 year old will struggle unless you put him in a buggy which really s/he will be getting too old for really. It is a fair point that it will actually be 4 times for you. Thats a lot of time taken up just walking. That will eat into your day.

I can walk to my DC's school in 6 minutes...With my dc it takes more like 25...

It's certainly do-able, but I can imagine the best intentions being lost as time goes on: you're running late, or you're under all a bit under the weather, or you need to get somewhere quickly after school, or it's a bit drizzly and you'd rather go in the warm car.

I think that's an insane amount of walking with 3 kids early in the morning, it's a nice thought, but insane

We have a 25 minute walk. To be honest I quite like it. The winter can be a bit of a slog at times though!

In the spring/summer/autumn it's lovely and actually really good exercise for us all. It gives me and dd1 a chance to chat about school as well. The last year has been tougher because dd2 was born but we've made do. Don't know how we'll fare when dd3 is born but I'm sure we'll survive!

I think it's certainly doable, but it won't be pleasant all of the time and the temptation to drive will be high on rainy days, when there's a lot to carry, someone's feeling poorly, you're really rushed, etc. Then having driven once the temptation to drive again will be higher. You'll need to be firm about what triggers a return to walking if you want to stick to it. There are tricks you can use to make it easier to keep up the walking though. Make sure you always talk about the trip as though walking is the way you go and driving would be a very big deal. When you do drive, stop fairly far from school and walk the rest of the day unless impractical. Make sure you return to walking the very next trip you possibly can. If you find yourself caving in to using the car too often, set yourself some limits - like only use the car if the rain is actually tipping it down, don't worry about what it's threatening to do. Also, make the walk fun when you can - take a trip off into the woods/park/etc. that you pass on the way home, play in the rain, have snow ball fights on the few days it snows, sing songs together, etc.. Make sure you have the right equipment for walking - good, comfortable shoes, warm waterproof coats, wellies, umbrellas, gloves, etc. Then light waterproof for summer, etc.. Good, practical school bags that they can carry and that will hold the things they need to take. Maybe scooters or bikes. Take the buggy even when they're a bit on the old side so you have something to cart all the "stuff" in. If there is just too much "stuff", see what can be left at school and possibly do Monday drop off and Friday pick up with the car, but walk the rest.

My children's school is about 10 minutes to walk with the kids so very little time. My dd who is 5 moans and groans about her legs especially when she started school. She is used to it now but at the end of the day or when it is cold she still moans and its hard to get her motivated to walk.

Vanilla - my DD went to an independent primary, most days it was just the book bag. Pe kits got left in school a lot, flute once a week. I suppose if all the ops kids did strings or brass it might be a lot.

State year 3 here and football kit goes in Monday, swimming kit Thursday, pe kit in between. Luckily she plays piano so don't have to carry that... but kids do take guitars etc in. Lunch bag and book bag.

1.2 will probably take you 20 minutes and the smallest kid 30.

Do you really want to spend that long/day on the school run?