Page 7 | To think kids should be able to walk in the rain

MiaMarshmallows · 2021-09-27T11:02:07+00:00

To school if it is less than 30 minutes away?

Fl0w3ry · 27/09/2021 16:59

My grandparents walked everywhere from a young age in wind, rain or shine. Even when they were elderly they walked everywhere whatever the weather. They were all strong and resilient people and lived well into their 90s. Walking in rain does no harm at all it promotes resilience, independence and strength. My DC like walking in the rain. They sing, splash in the odd puddle and then dry out.

seaandsandcastles · 27/09/2021 17:04

Why should anyone be walking in the rain if they don’t have to?

RobinPenguins · 27/09/2021 17:10

@seaandsandcastles

Why should anyone be walking in the rain if they don’t have to?

Air quality, excess deaths, pollution, congestion, traffic jams, petrol shortages?

If all the people who drive 1 mile or less on the school run switched to walking it would make a lot of difference to the quality of life of a lot of other people. I’m sure everyone will be along to say that they aren’t contributing to all that because they are just dropping their kids off on their way to work which they couldn’t possibly get to by any other means other than car, but it isn’t true.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 27/09/2021 17:12

@seaandsandcastles

Why should anyone be walking in the rain if they don’t have to?

Or drive their car when they didn't have to?

Surely the point is about choices.

Walking to school in all weathers is possible. Doesn't have to be the soggy hell many seem to think.

Get wet, add to ozone depletion etc. It's a choice!

icedcoffees · 27/09/2021 17:18

@gogohm

I walked to school 40 mins each way from 11-16, the only waterproof thing I had was an umbrella (school coats were wool). We all survived. If you can't afford a £5 umbrella and £20 jacket for your kids (cheaper from charity shop) I doubt you can afford petrol

But you generally need more than that.

Around here an umbrella is pointless as we're by the coast so it's windy and they just blow inside out and break.

So you need a good waterproof coat (which costs more than £20 if you want it properly waterproof), waterproof trousers and waterproof shoes or wellies. So probably £40-50 per child.

Not too expensive, but considering how quickly kids grow, they will need replacing fairly regularly.

Plus most schools (especially secondaries) have nowhere to store any of that stuff, so you have to cart it around in a plastic bag in your backpack all day, meaning it doesn't dry, and meaning when you go home, you either have to get wet, or put on wet, damp, cold clothes which won't keep you dry anyway.

I mean, yes, it's doable but it's not exactly pleasant. And if you can't afford the waterproofs, or your kids won't wear them (and how many teenagers do you know who are going to wear full waterproofs to get to school), it's miserable walking in torrential rain and sitting around all day in wet clothes with wet socks and shoes.

rhonddacynontaf · 27/09/2021 17:20

My autistic son absolutely cannot

Soupseason · 27/09/2021 17:20

Of course they can. But it's also nice sometimes to get an extra 20mins in bed & arrive warm & dry.

esloquehay · 27/09/2021 17:21

My girls and I always walk the 30 min 'trek' to their preschool come rain or shine. ☺️

BlueMongoose · 27/09/2021 17:42

At the risk of 'going all Yorkshireman' I used often to walk that far back from school back in the day, and the only waterproofs we had back then were awful unbreathable cagouls. And I survived.
In fact, I still rather like walking in the rain.
But I did take the bus TO school. It's not healthy to be sitting about in wet clothes all day.

Plantlady10 · 27/09/2021 17:51

It was torrential rain here this morning- I walked to work (1 mile) and was dripping wet when I arrived, it took till lunchtime for my hair and clothes to dry (and my socks and shoes were still wet at the end of the day). I dont have a car, but dont think it would be unreasonable to drive in that kind of weather!

Rosesareyellow · 27/09/2021 17:53

Yes if they’ve got proper coats and footwear on. No if you let them walk out in black ballet pumps and a fleece hoodie. Some of the children in my class arrive with soaking wet socks and tights which they need to take off to dry, damp jumpers that they need to take off - not great for them obviously but I’d argue even worse for my nose… the whole classroom then smells a bit damp.

WorraLiberty · 27/09/2021 17:56

MumsNet's so strange at times.

So many people happy to pollute the air unnecessarily, to keep little Johnny and Jemima dry.

Neighbour sparks up a cigarette in the garden and all hell breaks loose 😂😂

CheshireChat · 27/09/2021 17:58

My son's primary has very little space to store stuff (I even take the umbrella back as they don't really have what to do with it) so there's no way they could store wet gear for, say 20 kids every day, not to mention the kids have a max of 10 minutes to get into proper uniform.

Or they would have to hand it back to the parent, fine if you're going home, but otherwise what the heck is the parent supposed to do with it all day.

Goldbar · 27/09/2021 18:06

@CheshireChat. Air it in the office? I'm sure everyone's co-workers will love the smell of damp, muddy Peppa Pig wellies thawing on the radiators .

WorraLiberty · 27/09/2021 18:07

But all the parents saying the schools can't accommodate extra clothing/kids changing out of wet clothes...if you were really bothered you'd all be demanding the school did something about it, surely?

As it stands, the parents who would rather add to the chaos on the roads in heavy rain and the parking problems, can conveniently blame the school.

londonrach · 27/09/2021 18:08

Of course they can....bit it was a sheet of rain so dd and I be soaked....we walk most days but today I used the car....

minipie · 27/09/2021 18:10

In heavy rain the traffic is horrific here as everyone jumps in their cars. So it’s a 15 minute walk with wellies coats and umbrellas or a 30 minute (at least) drive most of which will be sitting in various jams not moving.

We choose walking

Auntycorruption · 27/09/2021 18:21

@dogsdogsdogs

we walked in the rain. kids got drenched. They had rain coats and umbrella. poor things. I couldn't wait to get home and get my soggy clothes off, they have had to stay in theirs all day. next time it rains like today il be taking the car.

Same here. I asked them at pickup if they were soggy for long. They said the wet walkers got to sit by the radiator for half an hour to dry off. All good.

icedcoffees · 27/09/2021 18:24

@WorraLiberty

But all the parents saying the schools can't accommodate extra clothing/kids changing out of wet clothes...if you were really bothered you'd all be demanding the school did something about it, surely?

As it stands, the parents who would rather add to the chaos on the roads in heavy rain and the parking problems, can conveniently blame the school.

What do you think schools can actually do about it, though? Speaking to them is pretty pointless when they can't just magic space out of nowhere.

TintinIsBack · 27/09/2021 18:27

@WorraLiberty

But all the parents saying the schools can't accommodate extra clothing/kids changing out of wet clothes...if you were really bothered you'd all be demanding the school did something about it, surely?

As it stands, the parents who would rather add to the chaos on the roads in heavy rain and the parking problems, can conveniently blame the school.

You know if there is no space, there is no space. You can’t create some out of thin air. The ‘cloakroom’ for our primary is small. The one where went before was even smaller. There wasn’t even room for them to store their bags. It was all piled up in a plastic box.

Parents can demand things. It doesn’t mean this will or can happen

TintinIsBack · 27/09/2021 18:28

@Auntycorruption, shoes won’t be drying in half an hour.
I’m also surprised the heating was on tbh.

WorraLiberty · 27/09/2021 18:31

What can the schools do about it?

Well that's a question the parents should be asking the schools, if they're bothered about it.

But like I say, it's easier to carry on adding to the traffic chaos and pollution, so I can't imagine many parents approaching the schools to find out.

SMBH · 27/09/2021 18:33

@WorraLiberty

MumsNet's so strange at times.

So many people happy to pollute the air unnecessarily, to keep little Johnny and Jemima dry.

Neighbour sparks up a cigarette in the garden and all hell breaks loose 😂😂

I see it the other way round actually. Loads of people not on this thread (eg all the people at the primary at the end of my road, almost no one drives), are walking to school with no big fuss. It’s only on here that you get the judgement of “why isn’t everyone walking to school like my children do, the selfish wankers” so anyone who doesn’t walk to school for various good reasons has to defend themselves. People on MN love to make a virtue out of normal activities, as though they’re the only person in the world walking to school in the rain and need to post to feel good about themselves

Plumtree391 · 27/09/2021 18:34

Well yes, I always did but we had school raincoats and outdoor shoes back in those days. A lot of kids hate wearing anything like that now. However rain is no excuse for not going to school, or work (unfortunately :-).

Branleuse · 27/09/2021 18:45

depends how bad the rain is surely. Yes I think its fine to walk 30 mins in light rain if no choice, but if it was belting it down id probably offer to drive my kids. Its not so bad on the way home, but if its going to school in the morning, then its a bit of a shit start isnt it