To make the kids walk 3miles to school?

[DHdoingmyheadin]

Due to ongoing roadworks, the main road through the village to my kids school is closed and will be for c. a month. We are right at the edge of where the roadworks are so we have two options:

(A) A 15 mile detour by car, down the road all the traffic is being funnelled down (a main A road that is congested even when the road through the village is open). Which I trialled yesterday, and took me 45 minutes each way. This was with no school traffic as schools go back tomorrow. So I’d be doing at least 90 minutes of driving each morning and DH 90 mins in the afternoon.

(B) The kids walk to school and back. 3 miles each way.

DH is adamant I can’t possibly expect them to walk. It’s hilly. It’s due to rain. I think they walk. I think it would be insane to drive when it’s literally faster for them to walk. It’s 3 miles. I’m not asking them to swim the channel and then scale Mount Everest. Kids are 12 and 13.

AIBU to put my foot down and refuse to drive?

My similar age DS happily walks 2 miles each way in all weathers and have done for 2 years. There is a bus and I've shown him how to use it, but he says it's quicker and easier to walk (it may well be as the bus goes round the houses and gets full if it's raining). He'd probably be fine with the extra mile. Saying that, I'm guessing by the long detour you're somewhere really rural, so it would depend on how safe the walking route was, as if it's like where I grew up there were no streetlights or pavements and most roads were 60mph.

Ah you're in Hastings. A YouTuber I follow used to live in Hastings and was moaning recently how shit the roads/traffic is and how long it takes to drive a couple of miles across town so I believe you 😀
I think if they're sensible and there are pavements the whole way, nothing wrong with letting them walk for a few weeks, while it's still light enough. I used to walk a similar distance home from school from 13 to save my bus fare.
I'd drive them if it was pissing down though. Or have you considered asking another parent to pick them up?

My 10yo does 2miles in half an hour we leave for school at 8:15 ish and arrive 8:45 ish and she isn’t a fast walker, i can do the walk home without her in 20 mins and biking we do it in half that time, them being 12/13 should only take them 40 mins tops walking xx

12 and 13 easily doable.. But dont they have bikes?

My 12 year old cycles to secondary school (3.5 miles each way) it takes him approx 20 minutes, although he’s slightly faster on the way home as it’s down hill most of the way 😂.
He has been doing this for a year since leaving primary school (youngest in his year) and most of his mates do similar, even those that are slightly further away.
Id personally at those ages get them to bike it as long as it’s safe for them to do so.
Some kids walk it from our estate and it takes them just over an hour each way.

No bus service?

There will be days when they really don’t feel
like it because they have a cold or something but in general walking is the best solution. I’d do it; I’d ask my kids to do it. I would however have an occasions contingency solution. Are there Ubers where you are? An occasional uber to the other side of the roadworks, then walk the rest, would be well appreciated on certain very tired evenings. But maybe keep your powder dry on that option initially.

I used to walk 5 miles a day either side of my train commute and it was the healthiest and most efficient way to travel. But: being a grown up, I allowed myself a taxi from from the station occasionally when I’d just had enough and I think it’s nice to allow that sometimes.

now I drive to work (have to) and the impact on my health is depressing as fuck. Build them up. They can walk and they should see themselves as strong and resourceful.

2 miles in half an hour is 3 miles in 45 minutes which is what I said. Generally you go slower over longer distances (see marathon pace vs a sprint) and I don't think I'd expect a 12 year old to be miles apart in speed from a 10 year old really.

I bet half the people saying "yeah walk, no problem" have never walked three miles in their lives, let alone twice a day every day.

My daughter doesn't drive. My grandkids have walked everywhere all their lives. What's their age got to do with anything?

I walk it every day of my life and I’m old enough to be their granny.

Me too!

You walk at 6 mph? No, you dont.

Three miles isn’t too far for your teenagers…my two youngest GC are doing their DofE and regularly smash over three miles without batting an eye.

Ooops, meant YOUNG teenagers

For over 8s. Our LA guideline for school travel is that 3 miles is an acceptable distance for a child to walk.
I don't think this is too far.

Is there no bus (even if it's a longer route) they can take? Surely at 12/13, you shouldn't have to ferry them forth and back?

Is there any chance your council might consider keeping the road open for commuting hours? Had this during exam season, and the council (under a lot of pressure) agreed to this near us - we got our local ward councillers involved.

They walk when the weather is ok, you drive when it’s raining

Hilarious looking at some of these comments about a 12 and 13 can't possibly walk 6 miles a day carrying book bags and or PE kit etc. I did this for 4 years when I was 12 till I left school at 16. My parents never gave us lift as they were at work already. Rain, wind and snow and dark in winter I either walked or biked it and it was nearly 4 miles. Often even when I did have the bike I would get a puncture so walked with the bike as well. This was years ago so just because I had to do it doesn't necessarily mean these kids Should though. I think a lift one way would be a fairer compromise.

It’s fine, for 6 weeks. Maybe as a concession one day a week you pick them up? But as you say if others will be doing it, they’ll cope and probably enjoy it!

If op gives them a lift, that's 60 miles driving a day - 15 miles each way, 4 times a day. 3 hours of driving (45 mins each way). How would that work when you need to be at work yourself?

I'd be expecting them to walk - 3 miles is less than an hour, each way. Obviously if they're a bit under the weather or it's minus 5 and pissing down I'd give them a lift.

I'd get them to take their bikes so even if they have to push them on the up hill bits they can still pedal the rest of the way and even have a little rest on the down hill bits as they free wheel.

Obviosuly every single pre-teen is not a slow walker. But in my experience quite a few of them walk quite slowly when they are by themselves without a rush or when they're walking with a friend without schedule. So I wouldn't bank on them on average being significantly faster than average adult (meaning they do 3mi in 30-45min as is suggested by some).

Errr well yea i do obviously, my iphone records that i do roughly 3000 steps in 15 minutes.