Lifts for kids wwyd?

[Spicylolly]

Multiple choice wwyd.

Background: DD year 9, to get to school its 15/20 min walk (uphill) to the station, 10/15min train ride and then a 15/20 min walk (uphill) to the school. And obviously vice versa back home but always usually picked up from home station as fits in with parents work pattern & and are nearby/passing.
Lift to school isn't really an option, too far away and sibling is at a local primary school, they leave about 45 mins later to drop them off. Parent leaves for work about 9.30am/10.00am ish

A) Always drive them to the first station, that's a long walk either end.

B) Drive them to the first station if the weather is nasty, otherwise walking is fine.

C) Never drive them to the first station, they are at secondary school now.

D) Drive them occasionally but make sure they earn it/know it's because of good behaviour

E) Drive them all the way to the school gates and arrange alternate arrangements for the other younger child. (Just threw that in for fun...no one is that mad to to do that surely!? Lol)

F) They should walk to AND from the home town station they are 14 now regardless of how far they have to walk either end.

Interested to hear your thoughts 🙂

This seems far too complicated! Took me 1.5 hours to get to school (many years ago now admittedly) and two uphill walks were never seen as a problem.

Go with whatever works best for your family's morning schedule. I wouldn't link lifts to good behaviour/earning them though- seems very grim!

B I'd say

Is this a recent school change? What's happened up until Yr9? What were your original plans when applying to the school?

I never ever got a lift even when sick. I had a 20min walk to train, 20min train, 15min walk. Not once was it ever suggested or hinted I get a lift. Not once did I ever complain- even when I burned myself in a science lesson and had to find my way to hospital on buses with my arm strapped to me. Mum didn’t even meet me at hospital, days before mobiles, so when I arrived home around 6, she got in 2hours later and realised I needed surgery later on. Not even hospital called her.

So no, unless you’re feeling incredibly generous, your dc doesn’t need a lift. It’d be nice, if it’s rainkng or snowing. But it’s manageable

B

What a lot of choice... Can I introduce G) A bike?

Ellen that's made my heart hurt for the younger ellen, that must of been awful xxx

Had exactly the same with my DS - lifted him to first station in the AM as could do it around other school run and going to work. He had to walk home from station in the evening as was normally home before me. That seemed fair to me - just because he’s older why should he be expected to walk every day when his sister did not as her school was not on the train line!

Knitted ....a bike are you crazy?....far too many option as it is lol .....and of course bags are FAR too heavy these days! Being serious though they do have an enormous amount of crap to take in these days haha

A

A as long as they appreciated it.

A or B
I had a 10min walk to get to the bus stop (rest of the household was still asleep), but really happy memories from the occasional days my dad would drive me as he was up (and buy me a croissant at the bakery next to the bus stop "you can even have the fancy one with almonds" bliss)

Drive to station on days that weather is bad or they have loads to carry. So option b?

A. My school bag killed my back so if I can pick up or drop off I will. The teen-ager fits around the younger one though, in my case DD walks home (takes about half hour) because she finishes at the same time as DS. On the odd occasion he's not at school I'll pick her up.

I'd give lifts.

Yr 9, so that's 3rd year in old money...hmm, I think option A.

B

unless theyve got a disability b-when its bad wont hurt to give a lift occassionally

A

When I started at senior school, I had a 10 minute walk to the station, a 40 minute train journey and then a bus ride to school. 'Twere grim, but I survived :-D

Mine have a similar journey. They walk to and from the station unless I'm around and not busy then I pick up because I'm nice.

I never got a lift like Ellen and it was a long journey. I'd have appreciated some care-taking that I didn't get. I was expected to fend for myself like a young adult from starting senior school in Year 7.

I would probably do Option A but that's because I wish I'd had it when I were a lass.

Also your DD still has train journey and uphill walk at the end.

So if you can give her a lift to train station and it fits in reasonably, I probably would. But as she gets older/in summer weather I might get her to walk some of the time.

I'd drive them to the station in the morning if the weather was bad/had heavy bags/special project and it fitted with work.

I'd pick them up quite often if I could for random reasons such as "I was passing"/"finished work early/late" but not commit to it every day.

Presumably child was involved in the choice of school and the journey involved?

My children go to a local school but we still do occasional 'school runs' when it's really needed, and because it's nice to be nice!

I am surprised that DD wants to be taken in the car. Wouldn't she rather be independent? (Unless it's raining of course. Then you'd want a lift)

I'd probably do E