Walking the school run.

[allwalkedout]

I live in a fairly rural area. Cool is 2 miles away and I have one child in full time school and one in pre-school every morning.
I usually take the car to do the school run but do walk it a couple of times a week for one run of the day ( I do it 3x) . Yesterday my car was in the garage so I walked all 3 School runs so totalled 12 miles but it took a huge chunk out of my day and I felt like I didn’t get much done.
I’m a fairly fit person and do triathlons so I’m not unused to physical exercise and didn’t find the walks difficult, just really inconvenient timing wise.
When walking back, another Mum commented that she thought it was odd that I didn’t do it every day and that she thought it wouldn’t be too much of an effort for me to do the 3 runs on foot every day. I asked her if she would and she said she would and that most people she knew would.
I know it’s possible...but realistically, would people really do 3x 4 mile School runs in a day?? Aibu to think most people would find that a bit much, especially since I have a toddler who is confined to the pushchair or carrier for large amounts of time and it means I don’t get the time to do much with him...or am I just lazy??

I'd cycle it. I do agree it's too far to practically walk that distance every day, but it feels too close for the car!

Does she only know people who don't go out to work then?

TBh I do a mile one (2 miles there and back) twice a day and it is a time drain. If it was double that I'd look at alternatives.

Presumably none of the people she knows that would, actually work then? Most mums that I know drop the kids to school in the car on the way to work. They wouldn't be able to do that 3 times a day.

Unless they have extremely little to do I can't imagine that may people have the time to walk 12 miles every day

School is about 20 minutes walk away. We do all school runs on foot. However the term that number 3 did half days very nearly broke me. Dragging the smallest out at lunchtime made her drop her nap making her overtired then dragging both back out again to collect the others was hell. Add in a couple of after school clubs too...

@redsky would you honestly cycle with 3 kids? I’d be a nervous wreck. Cycling with the little one on my bike is hard and there’s no way my other two would make the hills on the way back. I’d end up pushing their bikes and mine...and then the faff of getting bikes out and doing helmets etc...I can’t see it being any easier...

I used to do six miles a day, so not close to twelve but a reasonable amount. Apart from the time it took I found it really really boring. I suppose if you’re walking through beautiful countryside or an interesting, ever changing city scape it might not be so bad, but hours of walking down the same quite suburban streets every day was so dull.

I had similar comment about why i didn't just walk (2.5 miles) home from a mums evening . I was driving so I wouldn't have to drink and be questioned into annoucing early pregnancy, so it was double annoying since I couldn't admit the real reason I was driving.

Part of my drive home was past creepy deserted office building sites - really unsafe alone at that time of night. Having slated me, she then demanded a lift home to her nearby house "lessen my carbon footprint!!" CF!

Some people are just so cheeky and maintain that they would do things that you wouldn't. Its hardly ever true. Also this might be a great plan to do in the summer but its November and your kids, esp the toddler would not be happy. You are not lazy as you do triathlons, she's probably jealous of this and this is why she said it in the first place. You'll find you are not the only one she says things like this to. Ignore her.

Not lazy at all. There'd be hardly any time left to do anything else between school runs.

It's a bit like saying why don't you hand wash all your washing instead of using the washing machine machine imo.

You would barely get home before it was time to go back. And then go home. And then back. And home again.

I did it every day because I dont drive.

I’m just looking at the weather now and am glad I’ve got my car back!!!! Just about to do run number 3 of the day. Next week on Friday will be 4 runs since it’s parents evening at 5:30. Maybe I’ll tell her I’m walking and ask for company...it’s only 16 miles 🤣

I’d probably walk it, or at least either drop off or pick up on foot each day, but then I have a lab who needs a decent walk every day so I’d be doing a good chuck of the mileage anyway.

I think you need to tell her to mind her own business. In fact JOG - ON!

I was carless while I had the school/ nursery run which is 2 miles away. I walked there and back 3 journeys, every day. I literally had no time to do anything else! When I got a car again, I started driving there and back. I was so thankful as it freed up more time for me. Sometimes I walk if the weather is okay.

Round here there is a splint infants and junior school about a mile apart. There is a big hill between them.

Lots and lots and lots of families who live where we do (the wrong side of the infants school) cycle all their DC down the 1.5 -2 miles down to the junior school (which starts first) and then a mile back up the hill to the infants school (and then home again if they have pre-schoolers). And then the reverse at the end of school. The DC are used to cycling from an early age so just accept it as normal. (yes, they whine at first)

Not for that many trips, yes if it was just there and back in the morning and afternoon, I used to when I worked a couple of miles from home and would pop home for lunch often.

Nah - don't heed her - I bet the farm she doesn't do it:)

The school run isn't really about you or family fitness, its about delivering young children to school rested, fed, dry and ready for their day NOT wet, cold and tired having to carry books, lunch etc.

Isn't that why UK gov. back in the day provided and still do, school bus service in rural areas for children having to travel over 2 miles?

Sounds like she was a teeny bit jealous of your fitness - now in saying that I walked son to nursery and primary school as I didn't have a car then - lovely on nice days but a nightmare in the winter.

I used to do one way a day, and that was actually a pleasant amount - DP would drop them off in the morning, then I'd walk to get them and take a taxi home (not in UK) it was just under 2 miles (mainly downhill), and there were plenty of alternate routes to take that took the same amount of time but kept it interesting. Occasionally I'd take them in a taxi, then use one of those city bikes you pick up at the side of the road to get myself back.

Doing the same route, 6 times a day, with kids in tow for more than half of them.. Hell no.

Ours is only a 2mile round trip and it’s an utter pain in the arse but there’s nowhere to park so we have to walk!

We walk everywhere as only one car and husband needs it for work. I don't mind walking every where but it's the fact that it takes so much time out of your day that irks me! (Maybe I should just walk faster/get fitter!) I'm lucky that my work is local and I work school hours but how would someone who had a 9-5 job or shifts etc that required driving to/from work manage it? Just not always practical.

I live 2 (short) streets away from school and 3 neighbours take their kids to school and back in the car every day, they literally get in the car, drive to school, then come back home so yanbu!

I have the same amount of school runs to do and I walk them all, I live a 10 minute walk away and it’s a pain in the arse because it feels like that’s all I do. No way would I do it if I lived as far away as you do.