2 mile walk to secondary school too far?

[Somewhereonlywego]

I'm not sure how long it would take, 40, 45 mins?

I could give lifts where possible on WFH days, but that wouldn't be every day.

There's a bus, but only one an hour and not sure how reliable it would be. But could be an option for super rainy days?

And if you don't have. a car ?

My DD chose to go to the school 1.8 miles away. Told her she was in charge of getting there and back. Maybe gave her 5 lifts a year.

I used to do that. I also played Baritone Horn in the school brass band.

It was fine. Tbh didn't have much choice as we didn't have a car but I don't remember feeling terribly hard done by.

On one level, it's fine but children do carry quite a lot to and from school. You might need a contingency plan.

30 mins not far. You walk about a mile in 15 mins. It does however depend on the walk...are their pavements etc. we walk 2 miles and back again to primary school and all the kids do it alone or in groups for the secondary next door. However there pavements. If country lane no pavements I'd say it's unsafe

My son does a 25 minute each way walk to school. He'd rather walk. I mostly can't offer lifts. It's good for them mentally to walk as it's good to get going on the morning and then decompress from school ln the way home. It's also helped him stay fit at a time when some teens get more sedentary. I'm glad he's got that walk each day. He does carry books to and from school though. Just pE kit and sometimes a violin.

They could use the pavements for the busy bits

When I was at school it was 4 miles. Anything under that, you were expected to get there under your own steam.

It wasn't fun in the bad weather, which was when I will have appreciated a bus or a taxi ride. But when you have no money, you get on with it and walk. Builds character.

My three have walked two miles to and from school for a total of five years now.

It's fine.

If they need picking up due to illness, then I pick them up. No different to primary school. If the weather is hugely shit, if I can drop off or pick up, I will - but sometimes they just have to deal with it.

Mine have never carried a text book in their lives. Maybe it's different at different schools, but they take PE kit and pencil case and everything else lives at school. Worksheets are provided for homework, or it's online.

Part of it is through a park, part is along a busy main road, in the depths of Liverpool. They actually had police in school this week doing a talk about knife crime and drugs, but as far as I know there's been one incident in those five years (this year) which the remaining child at that school had no awareness of - I saw it on the news.

TL;DR no I don't think 2 miles is too far.

Yeah agreed it does. Would have been nice to have a lift now and then though wouldn’t it? 😂

I walked nearly 3, took 45-50 minutes. One of my dc walked 2 miles (bus option but didn’t like the crowds) the other either road her bike 4 miles or got a lift one way and walked home over an hour, her choice to go to that school

I think it would be a bit longer, more like an hour, going off experience, but I am a lot older.

I assume you're taking the piss? 😬

Sorry but unless you were running that's not realistic, 2 miles in 30 mins !

@RoseAlone. I’m guessing you live in a city? We have one secondary school, it’s on the southern edge of town, dc are walking up to 3 miles or cycling, it’s normal

Only when needed, such as in bad weather. There were many occasions I walked in soaking wet, huffing and puffing, red in the face, looking like a drowned rat, worried that all my books and pencil case were wet, they usually were but my bag wasn't the greatest and I stopped caring around year 10. And yes, the little scrotes took the mick, but then they did that rain or shine. Walking every day didn't hurt me.

I had that and then a five mile bus journey and the school day finishing fairly late too.
My friends used to walk a couple of miles and it took just under 40 minutes. Is there anyone your DC could walk with?

@Teddybear23. 4 miles an hour is a fast walking pace, possible on the flat without too many roads to cross

My children have done the 2 Mile walk to and from school with me since they were in reception. Now they're in years 4and 5 it only takes us 45 mins each way. 40mins on my own once they're dropped off. If a 5 year old can do the walk secondary age kids definitely can

I don't think they were trying to start a bunfight. We all walked to school rain, sun, hail, snow, ice, wind/gales, dark etc Now we see many kids getting a lift as if their legs don't work and we're wondering why.

I do think perhaps it's because society isn't as safe as it used to be.

This was my commute to work until recently, bout 35 mins it took me. It was routine to me and I enjoyed it a lot more than the 1 hour+ drive it used to be to school when I was a kid!

It shouldn't take more than around 40 minutes to walk 2 miles. My 78 year old mother can do it in that time.

I used to walk 2.2 miles to work (and back). It was actually quicker than driving which wasn't possible due to parking anyway.

One of the good things about being a little better off than our parents is we don’t have to do the “it builds character” thing to justify the shit stuff they had no choice about.