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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect my dd to walk to school?

62 replies

hillbilly · 21/04/2010 13:44

She will be 5 in June. It's a 15/18 minute walk. DH thinks it's too much. I think she should be able to do it. AIBU?

OP posts:
Original poster
hillbilly · 21/04/2010 13:45

I walk with her of course!!!

OP posts:
seeker · 21/04/2010 13:46

is that 15/18 minutes of brisk adult walking or 15 minutes of 5 year old walking?

waitingforbedtime · 21/04/2010 13:47

yanbu my 3 yr old walks further than that

Cyd4 · 21/04/2010 13:47

I think that sounds fine. YANBU

VinegarTits · 21/04/2010 13:48

YANBU my 3 year can walk for that length of time, no problem

compo · 21/04/2010 13:48

It's fine
my ds walks 15 minutes to school
we walk slower on the way home but I think it's ridiculous to drive

Original poster
hillbilly · 21/04/2010 13:48

15/18 mins at a good pace for her.

OP posts:
hazeyjane · 21/04/2010 13:49

I walk up to dd1s preschool with dd1 and 2 (4 and 3), dd1 walks all the way (sometimes scoots) and dd2 walks most of the way, but I take the pushchair if I'm in a hurry. It is at best a 20 minute walk, ususally 30 or 40 minute depending on how slow we are being!

I don't think it is too much, especially if you give yourself plenty of time, and maybe have a snack for the homeward walk.

ILovePlayingDarts · 21/04/2010 13:50

YANBU. Let her walk, it'll be good for exercise and give healthy habits for the future.

My dcs walk, and my ds has walked into town (over 1 mile) and back since he was 3; he didn't want to be a "baby in a buggy" any more.

AllBuggiedOut · 21/04/2010 13:50

Our journey to school is similar, and the boys can/will walk it, but the whole experience is better for everybody if they cycle or scoot

ByTheSea · 21/04/2010 13:50

If she doesn't have any physical disabilities, she should have no problem with that length of walk.

Original poster
hillbilly · 21/04/2010 13:51

This morning she complained all the way that either her feet hurt or her legs hurt so I said I would have a chat with her teacher and suggest perhaps she should not play out at break time if she was in pain. She was horrified!! I suggested that perhaps she complained because she did not want to walk and she agreed that was the case.

I simply do not want to have here used to going short distances in the car. IMO it's breeds laziness.

OP posts:
Original poster
hillbilly · 21/04/2010 13:53

She has no disibilities and loves running and climbing. 2 mornings a week DH takes her on the way to work and always takes the car. So I insist that the rest of the time both journeys a day are done on foot or scooter, however she even complains on her scooter!

She is not lazy by nature at all so I am really narked by this.

OP posts:
bidibidi · 21/04/2010 13:57

I reckon that many children get tired very quickly from simple boredom; a 15-18 min. walk on the same route each day is bound to be very boring.
Maybe if you find games to play along the way (I Spy, etc.) that will help her pass the time more energetically.
Make sure she has water to drink along the way, too.

YesYouMust · 21/04/2010 13:57

My DD was doing that at 3 and 4 YANBU

hazeyjane · 21/04/2010 13:58

I find it makes a big difference what the walk is like.Dd1 will happily walk up to school, which is down a long country lane with lots of sticks to find, horses to look at etc. If we walk into town - which is a slightly shorter walk, but down a long boring stretch of the A4, she moans the whole time!

Original poster
hillbilly · 21/04/2010 14:00

We are in lovely part of London but it's not a very exciting route - I agree I need to make it more interesting for her - she is probably bored.

OP posts:
Bonsoir · 21/04/2010 14:01

My DD (5.6) can walk to and from school easily - it's 1.4 km / 20 minutes (lots of road crossings). But I don't make her do it 4x a day.

Original poster
hillbilly · 21/04/2010 14:03

She does it twice a day not 4 times!

OP posts:
YellowDaffodil · 21/04/2010 14:11

YANBU I refuse to take the car for a walk to school that takes DD (4) 15 - 20 minutes.

We do go a couple of different routes for variation and I bring an Apple or Banana for the walk home.

DH always drives on the rare occasions he is able to take her and then moans about the traffic!

Original poster
hillbilly · 21/04/2010 14:13

Yes I always have a snack for her for the way home - she is starving!

OP posts:
helyg · 21/04/2010 14:14

YANBU.

Mine (who are 4, 5 and 7) walk to and from school, which takes about 15 mins. It takes longer if we pop to the park on the way...

AntoinetteOuradi · 21/04/2010 14:15

My goodness. A child is supposed to be able to walk a mile a day for every year of their life. My DS is seven, and walks three miles to school and three miles back. Some parents seem to think this is child cruelty; I think they could do with getting out of their 4x4s.

DD is five and walks/scoots fifteen minutes to her school and fifteen minutes back. She isn't a keen walker, so we play I spy and so on to pass the time.

Original poster
hillbilly · 21/04/2010 14:17

I'm so glad we are all in agreement .

Next time dh complains about me being militant about it I shall present him with the evidence!

OP posts:
MumInBeds · 21/04/2010 14:19

YANBU, quite the reverse as that kind of walk will be getting the blood pumping to her muscles and brain and will do her health and learning a lot of good.

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