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?

@DHdoingmyheadin I didn't know about Great Park farm, what's there? Get my Christmas trees from Catsfield could do with a nice cup of coffee and cake after trudging around

@Avie29

do I believe you walk 2 miles in 20 mins? Absolutely

do I believe that it feels to you “just like normal walking speed”? No I don’t.

You will feel (and certainly look to any bystander) as though you are speed walking

My DH walks freakishly fast and walks 5km (which is about 3 miles) in a bit over 35 minutes, which I find very annoying as it's about the time I can run 5k in. He's fit but certainly not Olympic standard!

Walking 3 miles shouldn't make a healthy 12 year old exhausted and miserable! Walking 12 miles in hilly country doesn't make my 80+ year old friends tired and unhappy. 3 miles is perfectly reasonable and a good way to start the day.

A long time ago I walked 3m each way to my High School (zero choice)
I live rurally now (but just inside the limit even SN) so drove my kids mostly as a. no pavements to walk b. twisty roads/heavy lorries re bikes so not any choice.

A friend had her kids cycling 4m to the A1, pushing their bikes across the A1 (!), 20miles on the public bus to School (as it was the catchment one she liked And back. From ages 11/13. I thought that was crazy & and felt really sorry for them.

A primary school was much lauded a few years ago - for getting its whole population running/walking/hobbling a mile a day round its playground before school. This was for improved learning - physical health -and to counter things like anxiety.

3 miles isn't so far for secondary schoolers and might have some unexpected positives.

I'd give them additional pocket money for saving on car-miles and for helping the planet.

It depends on how old we're talking about.
I would have no issue with a pair of 'teens walking 3 miles if it's along roads with proper pavements, and it's suitable weather. If nothing else it'll make them a bit fitter!

They can do that. Maybe not ideal but as long as they are not dawdlers its less than 1hr each way.

Is there an option to drive them part way?

Well you were hardly likely to say “me? Fit? No way. I don’t walk more then 2000 steps a day” 😆

I am way too invested in this and googled how long to run a mile. Apparently an averagely fit person takes 9-10 minutes to run a mile. So the pp who said she walks two miles in twenty minutes....hmmmm. I think she's either underestimating the time it takes or over estimating the distance. Or she is actually pretty much jogging.

6 miles a day for a limited period of time is not ridiculous. However they will be carrying their school things and potentially getting to school soaked. Crazy if there are no public transport options.

You sent him out this morning to try the journey op.

And? 90 mins?

Not remotely local but wondering if they could walk part of the way and then get a bus?

You're the one accusing people who think the kids walking is no big deal of never having done it. I'm one of those people and I'm telling you I have. If you've also walked to school why are you doubting the people who think three miles is not a big deal?

I think it's a bit far in poor weather they'd arrive to school soaking, according to Google it would be around an hour. I would find that tiring walking that twice a day but each to their own.
I'd give them a lift if I could manage it.

So you used to work in London when you were 12 and 13? Gosh!

So many people just can't read or can't be bothered to read.

The OP says this issue is going to be for a month while they do roadworks. Now I know the weather can be crap in autumn but we are not going to get snow in September. Also yes it does get dark in winter earlier, but at the end of September it still isn't getting dark to 7.30/8pm.

I used to walk this to school and back every day at that sort of age, but I don’t think I’d make my kids do it. Although not really sure why. It is good for them.

So long as the road is safe, they'll be fine walking 3 miles. I used to walk that distance to school from the age of 12, on my own, and arrived brighter and readier to sit down and learn than my friends who had just crawled out of bed into the car.

I think I'd be working on a compromise solution, but then I'm a fence sitter 😂 It's not just 3 miles, as some are saying. It's 6 miles in total - 3 miles twice a day. Which is a lot for kids, however fit and healthy they are. And yes, I know that many years ago children did long walks to and from school and nobody batted an eyelid etc but then we also used to shove children up chimneys to clean them.

Assuming we aren't talking particularly dangerous roads with no paths, I'd be working to give them a lift one way, and telling them to walk the other. If you're adamant about making them do the full 6 miles both ways then I'd encourage them to ride their bikes to school (which you imply may be downhill?) and then walk back pushing their bikes when necessary on the way home.

And the fact the poster said she/he doesn’t even feel like it’s fast walking but just “normal walking speed” is the icing on the cake!

At age 11 I walked to secondary school and home (2 miles) with a group of friends. We were never given money for the bus unless the weather was really bad - thick snow. We walked in rain, hail and sun. But kids were not so lazy and wrapped in cotton wool back then.

🙄

It’s on the Catsfield road! So when you leave Catsfield followed the bend around rather than going down Powdermills. Officially it’s called ‘Great Park Farm Nursery.’

They sell plants, like any nursery etc, but they also have a small farm shop with homemade quiches, cakes, locally sourced fruit and veg and have a cafe that does amazing coffees and cakes! Huge portions. A slice of cake feeds two comfortably and they have a huge selection of gluten free or vegan options. I’d recommend going early though. I went at 11am last weekend and it was heaving plus they’d run out of cake! You can also order their cakes well and pick them up from the shop.

(And sorry to everyone else who is being notified every time I post and is not at all invested in this farm shop - but seriously if you are even in the area the cake is incredible).

Just over 70! He’s now in agreement the kids walk.

We’ll reconsider if it’s due to throw it down, but a light sprinkle of rain never hurt anyone.