AIBU.. Reactions to walking to primary school?

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Due to a house move, we had a hard time getting a suitable primary school place for DS in September. Thankfully we've now managed to secure one which is 1.3 miles from our new address.

I have a car but I fully intend on walking to school with him. We currently walk to nursery which is about half the distance, and I love our walks and chats together.

The thing that has really surprised me is the amount of negative reactions from other parents about our plans to walk. 'What about in the winter! What if it's raining! They will be so exhausted!' Some of them so dramatic like I'm commiting an awful act against my DS!

We are an outdoorsy family and have plenty of warm winter gear, decent waterproofs, scooters (with pull along strap if needed) and even a bike with large seat if he's really struggling in the first term.

Also it's a big school with absolutely notorious issues for parking/ driving at school run time so I plan to avoid the stress of that! And I will still have my car if there is an emergency/illness etc, but don't plan to use it otherwise.

AIBU to be a bit miffed at everyone's reactions?

At this stage you're fully intending to do something which is not the same as actually doing. When the time comes and you start these walks, you'll know how they go in practice and can give factual answer's to any doubters. Right now it's all hypothetical.

Your kid might walk both ways no problem, or they'll tire midway or simply won't want to walk some days. You won't know before it happens, no matter how outdoorsy you are.

I'd stop announcing everywhere you plan to walk and just do it when the time comes. Why is it anyone's business anyway?

Just ignore those people and don’t be afraid to go ‘against the grain’.

As a society we seem to have got to a point where physical activity and being healthy is demonised and being lazy and not challenging kids/ telling them to no try too hard is normalised.

Walking this amount is basically the minimum level of physical activity an adult or child should do, it’s fun, and you get to spend quality time together. Plus environmental benefits and your kid will be more confident in their neighbourhood

When I was a kid I walked 45 mins each way to school each day!

It was challenging in rain in the winter though and I remember my hands being like ice even with gloves.

It's easy walking distance, but its also justifiable to drive if you need to drop off on your way to walk, so odd for people to have strong opinions either way.

Most people walk to school here...it's such a lovely way of arriving.

Agree, lots of very lazy, very strange people! Great exercise for all of you. I’d get it if it’s absolutely hammering torrential rain but I’ve just almost finished my first year of school runs and I think it’s rained at school run time twice. And not torrential.
I know people that live less than half a mile from our school/literally so close it’s unreal that still walk, or even cycle! It’s ridiculous. They must spend more time getting in and out of cars etc than if they just walked!

I walked my three children to school, including the walk back once I’d picked them up, every school day until they went to senior school. Don’t listen to the naysayers, walking to school can be very social for the kids.

I think kids vary as to how far they will happily walk at a young age. DGS refused the buggy early on and will walk (or scoot) pretty much unlimited distances now at age 4. DGD on the other hand was a nightmare picking up from school/nursery at the same age. It was only a 10-15 minute walk but she would often complain of legs being tired etc by about half way and refuse to walk any further. It sounds as though OP has a kid who is used to lots of walking however and doesn't complain so shouldn't be a problem.

I work with school children aged 4 and 5. By the end of the school day they can be exhausted and a walk home may not be ideal for tired little people.

Although, a walk to school in good weather is pleasant for kids and parents alike!

I remember seeing a mum posting on tiktok moaning she has to get to school a couple of hours before to get a parking space. Then she would just sit in the car with a baby in the back until pickup time.

No it's not unreasonable to walk at all, 1.3 miles is nothing. We live only half a mile away from school but walk whenever we can, I only drive if it's terrible weather or we're running late. When we walk we have to leave at 7.30am to get to breakfast club in time for me to walk back home and drive to work. That's probably weirder than walking 1.3 miles to school 🤣

Totally fine. Our infant school was 1.1 mile away and dd cycled from day 1. Loads of people walked that distance or further. Our nursery was literally at the end of our road (albeit a steep hill going home) and there's a lady who lives on our road who drove there every day. In fact she now works there and still drives there every day.

Many people are extremely lazy and don't think their children can walk at all. I remember by nieces going to school ½ mile from their house and as we started walking we always waved to the neighbour backing the car out of the driveway, then when we arrived at school the neighbour would arrive sometime later and would circle to hunt for parking. Then SIL and I walked home, made a cup of tea and almost drank it before neighbour pulled back into the driveway. But apparently her pfb would be too tired to walk.

I've always walked despite having a car and in rain and snow too!
I love the little chats mine had with me on the way to school in the mornings
Also they now don't find it difficult to get out and walk and do stuff no matter what the weather

Our three children walked to both primary (with a parent) (1.3 miles) and secondary school (1.2 miles). We did not comment on what others did but it was a source of comments from many parents and others in the community.

FWIW both DP and I worked fulltime - we enjoyed the time to talk as we walked to school and the children also enjoyed it (almost all the time!). We were happy with our choice. Our only issue was the very small proportion of drivers who made walking unsafe.

Just because other parents set their kids up for a lifetime of obesity and diabetes, doesn't mean you have to. It's not an unreasonable walk, learning exercise habits young is incredible for kids.

No wonder we are becoming a nation of fatties.
I walk further than that to work and I’m not young!

I'm glad to see you've had the support you deserve here, OP. We have a similar walk to school (albeit involving a steep hill halfway through). My son and his friend were very anxious about school throughout their first term but on days we walked (or cycled) to school, it was much easier to get them through the door. They were emotionally exhausted by the big change, but not physically exhausted. Burning off a bit of stress first thing in the morning benefitted them both.

Yes, people act like we are mad for walking 20 minutes to school. It confuses me.

We walked 1.9 miles to primary in every weather for over ten years and my DC now walk 2.6 miles to secondary school every day in every weather. We have never once taken bikes or scooters (route really not wheel-friendly so no pushchairs either) and we have never taken a bus or the car. Just for all the weird naysayers who say odd stuff about it raining or something.

We walked a similar distance 2 days a week when I wasn't at work. The other 3 days I did need the car for work so would park where it was easier to dodge school traffic and walk a little further on to school.

We live about that distance away from our primary school. If I didn’t have a full time job to get home for I absolutely would walk DD to and from school often. When it’s not raining, she often scooters to school with Daddy and then I go pick him and both scooters up from the school gates after drop off. Still driving but she gets the benefit of scooting down there.

Not when you work 15 miles away there's not!

many people use their car as a metal overcoat

Other opportunities to walk other than to school are available....