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?

@Natsku and your 3 year old walked or biked back after a day at nursery?

this was in all weather?

what time did you get to nursery of it took 90 mins

5 days a week?

and they’d walk back in Jan after a day at nursery?

From the age of 11 my walk to school was nearly 3 miles each way. My parents didn't drive and there were no buses. Cycling was more of a hassle as OP describes. I managed it for 5 years in all weathers, fortunately I'm not made of salt so I survived the rain. No one was carrying additional snacks or a water bottle as if 3 miles was a test of endurance for a healthy teenager.

I actually can't even see how on a school day there is even time for this. So walk two miles to school. Then walk two miles home. Then fit in two 3 mile dog walks...are you all up at the crack of dawn?

They sometimes walk, bike or scooter. Dog walks take about 45mins-hour, school run about half an hour

Did you not have a job? I'm not being goady but 3 hours walking just to get to and from nursery seems bonkers.

12 and 13?! I'd not even be questioning their ability to walk it.

I thought we were talking about tiny ones. My DS was doing a mile to and from nursery from 2.5yo.

Can believe some would prefer 3hrs of car use over kids walking for 45mins

But can't you drop them off (not park) your side of the roadworks... Is it still open to pedestrians? If so, they can just walk through, then you have the car?

The solution I’ve suggested does work for them. They’re healthy 12/13 year olds. They have no issues that prevent them walking this distance. Honestly, children should be encouraged to walk and 45 mins+ each way in the car for me v. 45 min walk for them seems like a no brainer.

Either way, I’ve told DH to go out now and try the journey out as he seems to think I was exaggerating how long it took.

And I reckon he’s going to come back showing MUCH less than 90 mins

Do they have bikes? Do you have a bike rack for the car?
If the hill is only a problem on the way home, also they will be more tired at the end of the day, Then they ride their bikes to school and you pick them and their bikes up for the way home.

It's exactly 3 miles to my nearest train station, with a single hill that sounds similar to yours that's particularly steep. I'm slim and pretty fit, I still leave an hour in the hope it's 45 mins. Obviously it's too much to ask for the buses to coordinate roughly with the actual train schedule, so it's as long to walk as it is to get a bus, just miss the train, and then wait for the next one.

It's a hell of a lot to expect of kids before/after a day at school. Driving will take as long but at least you're just sat there. It's bloody tiring, especially for a whole month.

I grew up in the sticks, I was the first/last bus stop on the route. I had to leave the house at 7am for school and didn't get back til nearly 6pm (1 mile walk to bus stop). I get it. I managed all through senior school. But to throw your kids under the bus (pardon the pun) for your own convenience is really off imo.

I'll add these expected walking distances of small children to my MN list of age related contradictions 😅

I always walk if under an hour (around 6km but it does depend on hills), if further that that I look at bus routes or cycle. My last job was 15km each way and I cycled that as taking buses would have meant being incredibly early.
I see plenty of people walking or cycling in work clothes between villages so I can assume their journeys are similar lengths.

When do they start back op?

6 miles a day on top of the school day? Would you be happy to walk 3 miles to work, so your job and walk three miles home? I think not..

Get off your patootie and be a mum.

It's one month, it won't do them any harm, they might decide they enjoy it and do it for the rest of the year. Sounds like a perfect start to the day for me!

It will take longer than 45 minutes to walk 3 miles uphill at that gradient. In bad weather with a heavy school bag it would be pretty grim.

Could you get them to walk there and do pick ups a few times a week?

I'm laughing at some of the more extreme posts - will they be walking barefoot indeed!! I'm also laughing at the idea of them wheeling bags along.

6 miles a day is a significant but doable distance. It would be hard going twice a day, 5 X a week rain or shine. I can't see why you and your DH can't meet in the middle with it though and compromise. Or if nothing else you BOTH get to decide what you do about your own journeys. So op you opt out of yours and the kids walk to school. He picks them up.

I walk 2.2 miles (hilly walk) and it's fine, except in bad weather or if I'm feeling ill. Luckily I have the option of a bus.

Lots of colleagues cycle much further.

I would if they could do it on bikes. I’m an avid walker and an adult and 3 miles is a lot, especially before school and in inclement weather. They’d be exhausted before the school day started and likely walking home in the dark which presents its own safety issues. Sorry, I wouldn’t do it.

It never ever ever occurs to most OPs that there is a middle way.

Nope…. It’s black and white and no possibility of anything else

I agree with this. My last job was 3.2 miles from my house (just looked on Google maps). On nice evenings I’d walk it, one hour door-to-door. I’m a reasonably brisk walker. My colleagues were absolutely incredulous. Doing that walk is pretty unusual for an adult nowadays.
I think 12-13 year odd will be fine, but on wet days will be miserable as sin, and on heavy load days will find it difficult to forgive the OP.

'be a mum'. Honestly, so dramatic. Asking your kids to walk to school is hardly opting out of motherhood.

I’d let them walk. If it’s a massive issue you can always rethink, but I don’t think it’d do them any harm. Generations of children have survived doing this!

Or a compromise - would you be able to take them halfway?