To think that almost two miles is too far to walk back to school after an Easter service?

[Aero]

All infants with no parent to transport them back to school will be bussed back, but all juniors will be expected to walk back along a busy main road, with a major roundabout to negociate, with heaps of traffic and fumes.

There is no bad weather contingency plan (I asked this morning). They will walk whatever the weather. Now this distance is no problem for ds1 (10), but for dd, it will exhaust her (she is 7.5), never mind breathing in 2 miles worth of traffic fumes, so I feel under pressure to change my plans so that I can bring her back myself, but it's not so easy for working parents and imo, the distance is too far and if it rains like it has for the last few days, the children will be drenched!

I'm sure this is a cost cutting exercise as in the past everyone left with no lift back went by bus. The bus just made two journeys as there are a fair few children in this position.

She could play some games, like spot different colour cars, or spotting different types of flowers in people's gardens. Doesn't need to be boring!
Hope that the tests will shed some light on why your dd is so tired.

Bree, smile. Thank-you my lovely.

It's just that I know dd, and like mps dd, she'll need a fair amount of mollycoddling by the end of the school day.

2 miles? Good god no. Sounds fine. My third could walk 12 miles from 5 or 6. Most 7 yr olds even with little training are easily capable of at least 3 miles.

How did that happen - meant !

The boring route bit was just in answer to someone's post. You just wouldn't believe that for the majority of the walk though, it is a just long straight road with nothing but a 10 foot high army barracks brick wall to look at on either side. Not an issue really, more of a fact. They'll be chatting, I'm sure and won't even notice the boring route factor.

It's ok. I might even change my plans to do the walk with them. Mn has the wonderful ability to encourage the over-concerned parent in me not to be so daft. If it is bucketing though (and I don't just mean a spot of rain), I'll make sure she gets a lift somehow!

Is Bree okay?

LVT

I am fine, I was having a rather fine supper and did not rush back, thank you for your concern.

LGJ

So if it's raining she gets a lift back? Puzzled. What will happen to her if she gets wet?

As my dp's glorious youkshire grany used to say
"She's not made o'sugar, love!"

"Bit a rain never hurt anyone"

LVT

Was that for me or Aero ?

It wasnt for anyone I was just following on from seekers Grannies sayings I thought I would add one of my grannies sayings

my 5 yr old has walked anything up to THREE miles (shock horror) since the age of 4 - easily done with walking through the woods for an afternoon with the dog.

We walk 1.5 miles to my parents from my house and back again if it isn't too late/dark (usually coming home just before tea)

It won't kill them - it's only using their muscles!

My mother had to walk seven miles through deep snow when she was that age just to get to school... it shocks me how little kids walk and how it is considered too hard on them; the more they do it, the better they get at it!

The mile long walking bus was scoffed at by the parents at DS school (instead of cars blocking roads etc) as it was "too far" - it only takes 15/20 mins!

Aero, totally off-tangent, but I thought I'd mention how refreshing it is to see a thread which starts with AIBU? and ends with 'Oh, yes, perhaps I am, thanks everyone for letting me know'.

Hope DD enjoys her trip and doesn't get too tired.

Lol squiffy! Thanks.

Interestingly, just as I had decided you are all right and I was being a bit precious, we've just had an email from the HT to say that the walk is proving to be neither safe nor practical and now the older children will use the bus if parents are not collecting them. If you knew the road, you might agree - it is extremely busy and the footpath is quite narrow, but I was prepared to go for it despite that.

I wouldn't have wanted her to walk in driving rain and high winds though. I honestly feel that could be unsafe, not to mention uncomfortable. She wears a pinafore and knee socks and refuses to wear trousers or tights to school or anything which feels constrictive to her. Getting very cold and wet would only make her frustrated,miserable and uncomfortable, and for dd, tbh, the fallout that would result in would last all day. Not worth it imo, just to say she should walk in rain. Normal rain, yes, ok. Her raincoat would offer reasonable protection and she'd just get wet legs etc. Very heavy rain (where you are soaked right through within seconds of stepping out into it) such as we are experiencing much of atm, no. She really wouldn't find it fun in any respect, and I wouldn't put her through it for that sort of distance.

Just to re-iterate though, that we do walk, often, quite long distances, at weekends and ds2 (4) walks to playgroup with me which is a 20 minute walk each way, so it's not about laziness, but walking at her own pace through a park is fun and we want her to keep enjoying it, but I wouldn't enjoy a walk in driving rain myself - more than happy to admit that, but I was being precious about the distance perhaps.