To think of schools want children to walk they shouldn't make it so hard and assume everyone drives

[BlueMirror]

My kids school do walk to school weeks and it's often encouraged in the school newsletters to walk your child/allow them to walk or cycle to and from school if possible. So far so good - child obesity, school run parking being a nightmare etc.
The only problem is as someone who does walk their kids to school they often make it spectacularly difficult! Think massive pieces of artwork being sent home that are difficult for any of us to carry especially when it's raining. And not allowing children to go to the toilet on the way out which means I frequently have to go out of my way to find somewhere with a toilet to stop off with my younger one on the way home as the walk is 30 mins.
Also being sent out from after school club in a t-shirt and shorts when there's snow on the ground so they end up having to get shoes off and put trousers on in the steeet. I've sent the dc back in before to get appropriately dressed but often they are sent out when the parent is seen on the path and the is door is closed behind them.
Aibu to think that if they want to encourage walking to and from school they shouldn't assume everyone is hopping straight into a nice warm car?

Perhaps you should tell them this.

Why are your children coming out in shorts and a T-shirt?

I have told them but it falls on dead ears! They come out in shorts and t-shirts with their uniforms in their bags if they've had pe last thing.

I am the only parent in my child's year that walks their child to school. I am not joking. Fair enough, some live too far away. But they could park down the road and get a bit of fresh air! It would help with the hell that is the school run parking if they kept away from the school gates. I have told people they could park at my place and walk in, I have loads of room, but everyone just thinks I am mad!

And here's the thing, the teachers think it too. EVERY DAY I get asked whether we have walked as soon as we walk in the door. And every day I say yes and get a "Oh my god!" type remark followed by how DC must be cold . The children hear this. It's not good role modeling. And then at pick up they give me a cake DC has made on a paper plate when it's raining and think I can just stick it on the car seat... er I'm not in the car! I've started carrying plastic containers with me in my rucksack!

I think if you banned children from bringing home their artwork you would have parents up in arms as well.

Artwork isn't a problem. Sculptures that are half the size of my child and covered in paint can be!

So you want schools to stop children sculpting and painting?

Yes that's exactly what I'm saying Julie8008

Yes Julie cos that's what she said. Ffs.

Or alternatively just that they don't send things home that are practically impossible to carry for any distance.

Totally understand, op. Our school re pretty good but I have had this issue with a couple of clubs. I was thinking about it and remembered that at my primary almost everyone walked (I suspect the majority didn't own a car anyway). We used to have regular plastic bag days. Everyone had to bring in a bag and on that day we would be sent home with all the art work etc we had done since the last one. I'm sure we still ended up with cardboard box sculptures that were awkward but at least our parents had some warning that stuff would be coming home.

Oh fgs. They send these things home/expect them in once or twice a term. Sorry but this is literally a whine about nothing. As for the coming out in PE kit thing; explain to the teacher they are walking and need to be adequately dressed. Jobs a good’un.

Did anyone have a 1990s primary school experience of spending a mindnumbing afternoon at the end of every year (or maybe even term) taking all the treasury tags out of out cardboard topic/English/maths etc handmade paper folders and replacing them with string so we could take all the work home in the folders but give school their precious tags back?

On that same one day a term/year we had to bring in a massive carrier bag for all our work, art work and various miscellaneous items. I'm sure parents were warned about it and could bring the car if necessary.

Some of your examples do sound thoughtless. The teachers shouldn't need telling more than a couple of times that you walk. Especially if most drive. Your child should stick in their heads.

I sympathise OP, must be under 10 parents out of our whole infant school who actually walk
The streets surrounding my kids schools in the morning is absolutely madness with parents looking for somewhere to park, up on pavements, blocking drives, bocking the road driving on the wrond side of the road or down a onew way steet the wrong way. I feel absolutely terrible for the poor people who live therehas been a few close calls of us nearly being hit because noone is driving sensibly or legally. My DS has also been send home in his PE kit in freezing conditions with the 'dont worry you can get in your nice warm car' comment from the teacher, thats great when the cars a 25 minute walk away.
If you live far away fair enough drive part way but there should be a ban of parents cars being parked within a 1/2 or 1 mile radius of the school.

Well actually I have to take my kid to the toilet on the way home most days and they have pe twice a week. And I have spoken about it and it's made no difference. But feel free not to read the thread and respond based on me complaining about infrequent sending home of artwork.

Sorry x post

I hear you op.

For the school run I have changed:

My job
My hours
Moved house
Changed childcare providers
And actual schools!

All so I don't have to have that knobbish journey trying to basically be everywhere all at once. A bit off topic, but honestly it's insane round here.

it's often encouraged in the school newsletters to walk your child/allow them to walk or cycle to and from school if possible

Just shows its greenwashing doesn't it. Actions speak louder than words.

Manic For me it was the 80's, but yes. We didn't even take the work home.

Yanbu OP. I cycle with the DCs and have on occasion refused ‘artwork’ (often junk models) and said can’t carry it today, will pick it up later in the week. I now have 2 panniers on my bike, which DP takes the mick of, but the second one is useful for PE kits, musical instruments etc.