Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

'Scooting' to school

65 replies

supersop60 · 31/01/2020 19:12

On my commute, I pass 2 infant and junior schools, and I see more and more children on their scooters. On a surface level it's cute.
In reality - the parents will have to carry the damn things back with them (unless, I suppose the school has a scooter park).
Also - the children are getting LESS exercise than if they were walking. I saw a small child today standing with both feet on the scooter while the poor mum was bending over at an awkward angle, pulling him along.
AIBU to think it's unnecessary hassle?

OP posts:

Curiosity101 · 31/01/2020 19:16

AIBU to think it's unnecessary hassle?

Surely you'd only care if it was your child requesting to scoot to school? In your case it sounds like it probably would be an unnecessary hassle.

But if it's other parents children then I kinda think YABU for caring enough to ask this question.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 31/01/2020 19:16

I dislike them as you have to frequently jump out of the way of a runaway child... Same with bikes near the school gate. Further away from the gate it isn't too bad... I'd happily have an exclusion zone within 50m of the gate. But it's better than being driven short distances.

TheDarkPassenger · 31/01/2020 19:17

Our school has a bike shed

Ciwirocks · 31/01/2020 19:18

People can’t win, it’s better than driving to school and clogging up the roads 🤷‍♀️. They should come off them at the gates though

newbingepisodes · 31/01/2020 19:19

Stop the parent shaming! They are out in the fresh air in January not in their cars! Shame on you - butt out!

sendcoffee · 31/01/2020 19:20

Our school has a scooter park and a bike shed.
It makes the walk to school quicker and it means my 4yr old isn't being driven so in my eyes it's a positive.

If he could ride his bike without stabilisers he'd cycle, but he can't. So the scooter is easier and quicker.

PlugUgly1980 · 31/01/2020 19:21

Mine have scooters, 1 in Infants and 1 in Pre-School, we have a long walk, they can do it on two feet but it's much quicker on scooters - they're faster and we all stay warmer. I do hate the congestion around school though. Our school has a covered bike she which we leave them locked up in during the day and I refuse to push / carry.

BendingSpoons · 31/01/2020 19:21

They can make the walk quicker and it's more fun for the children. DD is 4 and it's a long walk home when tired and hungry! Her school have stopped allowing you to leave scooters unfortunately, so we are back to walking. Although sometimes I will hook it on the buggy.

TulipCat · 31/01/2020 19:21

Better than driving.

Skyejuly · 31/01/2020 19:22

Our school has a bay for them. I love seeing all the kids scoot along.

Aragog · 31/01/2020 19:22

Scooting is one of the methods of getting to school encouraged by our LEA's get active type week - cycling, scooting and walking, combined with park and stride for those living further away.

Scooting, and cycling, means those who live further away are more encouraged to still leave the car behind.

We have bike and scooter parking in the playground - all left at the owner's risk. Children are told to get off and push them through the gates and playground, no scooting/cycling on school grounds.

More fool the mum who was pushing their child along. Not seen any of the children at my school coming n like that - they all appear to scoot themselves. I never pushed dd on a scooter either, when she was small.

CuckooCuckooClock · 31/01/2020 19:23

Oh yes I agree. It’s just awful to see small children enjoying themselves isn’t it? Dreadful.

thejoysofboys · 31/01/2020 19:24

It can’t possibly be fewer calories to scoot as the child still has to move their body mass over the same distance. The difference in friction will be out weighed by the energy taken to move the scooter along with themselves.
If it helps them travel a longer distance quicker then leave them to it (plus it can be quite fun to ride the scooter home -not that I’ve tried it )

NannyR · 31/01/2020 19:24

Our school has a bike and scooter shed. It's just over a mile each way to school, sometimes the kids (6+4) scoot, sometimes they walk or run or bike. They get plenty of exercise! Their 2 year old sister has just started scooting - funnily enough she gets a bit tired after doing four miles a day so I do give her a pull along every now and then.

Emmelina · 31/01/2020 19:24

They get left in the bike shelter at my younger DC’s Primary, and the Primary I work at. The kids are expected to dismount at the gate though to avoid accidents.

Helmets are my bugbear, or rather the lack of them. Nobody plans to fall off, but the speed some kids whizz along on them they’re going to get a serious head injury if they catch a stone in a wheel and fly off. We’ve just had to up the assertiveness on our regular newsletter reminder that our pupils must wear helmets.

Original poster

supersop60 · 31/01/2020 19:24

Oh fair enough - It is definitely better than travelling by car!
I'll stop moaning!

OP posts:

soontobeanana · 31/01/2020 19:25

My Grandson is not a fan of walking - he started school in Sept and its 1/2 a mile. I know that's not far but when they are not keen its a long way to cajole! He happily scoots along therefore well worth it and school have a place to store them during the day

RachelEllenR · 31/01/2020 19:29

I have one in pre school and one in year one and we like scooters for speeding up the walk! My eldest now cycles and thankfully there is somewhere to leave the scooter/bike or I wouldn't be so keen! (They both have to wear helmets too). It wasn't so good when they first leant and we had to help/push but quickly gets easier for them and the adult.

Love51 · 31/01/2020 19:39

My kids' school encourage it. For some reason though, they only open a tiny gate into school, not the big one, so it does get very congested.
The pulling thing - never when I lived in a flat area. Round here where most adults struggle with the hills, yeah some kids get a tow up the steep bits,!

Reginabambina · 31/01/2020 19:40

It might be a case of living quite far from school and saving time by scooting which is generally significantly quicker for young children.

Deelish75 · 31/01/2020 19:44

Our school is at the bottom of a hill. We walk to school, but of an afternoon I’ll take dd’s scooter for her to scoot back. I have no problem carrying it and it beat listening to Dd moaning on the walk home 🤷‍♀️

Hadtoask · 31/01/2020 19:50

We scoot mostly. It’s great fun.

NotTheOriginalGreen · 31/01/2020 19:56

I may have been the mum bent at an awkward angle pulling my child along. DS has severe SEN including co-ordination issues and tires very easily. This is much easier than walking as he can rest while we continue moving forward. Also, he really enjoys scooting, although he can’t keep it up for long, and it’s an enjoyable way for him to exercise.
Funnily enough, we started taking the scooter because I was tired of being judged for having a 5 year old in a buggy. I guess I’ll be judged for this, too.

Dagnabit · 31/01/2020 19:56

DD walks home with her mates so I carry DS' scooter on the days I pick up (couldn't carry two!) - kids do leave them in the playground but DS isn't keen because he's worried about it being pinched! It means we get home faster and DS enjoys it. I carry it on my shoulder because it's quite bulky but I see it as an add-on to my weight workout plus I do a bit of cardio as well.

MargotLargot · 31/01/2020 19:58

I live in hipster central where it’s usually adults on scooters, hoverboards, and the occasional unicycle.

Flip

1 2 3