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Original poster

I live a mile away from ds's school...

138 replies

twentypence · 18/03/2008 20:42

And we usually cycle to school on our cool tandem, but today ds said he wanted to walk. So we did.

When we got to school our neighbour was unloading her child from the car and asked us how long it took us to walk.

How do you live just a mile from a school, go every day for over 2 years and have never walked it?

I find that as hard to fathom as people that don't use their recycling bins.

OP posts:
tensmum · 18/03/2008 21:36

We live a mile from school and I always walked to school with dd, (ds was in a pram) but since ds got to big for his pram and then his major buggy we drive, he can't walk a mile and doesn't want to go in his wheelchair for that distance.

dylsmum1998 · 18/03/2008 21:42

we live a mile from my ds school and we walk. i drive only if i have an absolute necessary appointment etc which means i have no hope of making it if i walk.
i have always done this walking toddlers withme as well when they have outgrown prams. i have never understood people that can't won't walk. i can understand people that have a child who is not capable of walking that far, but out of laziness i dont understand it all

Desiderata · 18/03/2008 21:47

I don't drive at all. If it was five miles, I'd walk it!

My next door neighbour's school is 1/2 mile away. Their car broke down last year ... and she didn't take her son to school

Couldn't make it, you see. No car.

SquonkForgotHerEasterName · 18/03/2008 21:49

I can beat you all.

Where I live, the best place to park when dropping your children off at school is outside my house. We are that close to the school.

My neighbour who, admittedly lives further away from the school than me, is two doors away from me drives to school, parks on the zigzags outside school, drops her son off, then drives home again.

It is a total round trip of about 100 yards.

Honestly.

I am not lying.

rantinghousewife · 18/03/2008 21:50

That's banana's desi, ds walks a mile to school and back in all weathers and I do mean ALL weathers. Dd's school is round the corner but we walk everywhere and she never complains.

hotcrossMonkeybun · 18/03/2008 21:51

well, I helped set up a walking bus to our school but have to admit we do drive sometimes if weather is REALLY bad, or - more often - DS1 is being a PITA, won't get dressed on time, is screaming place down and we have to drag him out the door by the feet. And we have to take other kids in opposite direction to nursery etc. And have appointments at 9 etc..

But yes, she does sound a bit slack. Perhaps her daughter is a PITA too?

BoysOnToast · 18/03/2008 21:52

wish we could walk to school [sulk]

Hulababy · 18/03/2008 21:53

DD's school is about 4 miles away so we always drive - DH drops her off on his way to work.

TBH even if it was only a mile away he'd have to drive - so that he can get to work on time afterwards.

winniethewino · 18/03/2008 21:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Orinoco · 18/03/2008 22:00

Message withdrawn

hotcrossMonkeybun · 18/03/2008 22:02

Winnie, you shocker... Organise a walking bus. It's brilliant and it helps everyone. Nobody's kid is gonna be too tired by a mile and a half. In fact ALL kids who can should walk 3 miles a day, no?

Or are you winding us up?

readytoswiggin · 18/03/2008 22:04

I am about 100 yards from ds's school by the road, so we walk, obviously. The traffic at 'rush hour' drives us nuts, is all of it really necessary? some of them drive like idiots, park like inconsiderate eejits, and I JUST DON'T GET WHY SOME OF THEM COULDN@T WALK??? They bloody managed it the fortnight we had a copper supervising the traffic

libEL · 18/03/2008 22:05

We walk, its about a mile each way. I dont currently drive but even when dp is home we walk, in all weathers.

I overheard a neighbour on monday telling his daughter that 'no, we cant walk home from school, I dont pay insurance and tax on the car to walk to and from school' She looked so sad

My dd tells me everyday that even when I have passed my test she wants to walk to school!

Tickle · 18/03/2008 22:07

at your neighbour Squonk! Not Heather Mills, by any chance?

SquonkForgotHerEasterName · 18/03/2008 22:10

not last time I looked, no

LittleBella · 18/03/2008 22:11

To answer the OP... er... because you're a lazy git?

LittleBella · 18/03/2008 22:12

"You" as in "one" of course - not you

Desiderata · 18/03/2008 22:13

Wow, Squonk! She's a piece of work, eh

kerala · 18/03/2008 22:14

And all the publicity about childhood obesity.. could be dealt with at a stroke with more kids walking to school and cut traffic congestion/fumes at the same time.

I walked a mile each way everyday and was a great opportunity to gossip with friends, walk behind handsome sixth form boys etc. Would have been sad to miss out on that!

JodieG1 · 18/03/2008 22:16

I walk when I can but I have a bad knee which often results in pain the day after lots of excerise/walking. Even kneeling down is painful for me most of the time and the stairs at home I have pain from walking up and down.

I've seen consultants but not much they can do other than exploratory surgery they said :/ My knee cap is split in two apparently, since birth and gives way now and again as well as casues pain.

I'd hate to be judged for driving though as I can't help it but it isn't obvious to look at me. Some days it's excruciating and bad weather makes it worse. It's about a mile to school.

bettythebuilder · 18/03/2008 22:17

lol squonk, your neighbour isn't John Prescotts wife, worried about her hairdo, is she?

horsemadgal · 18/03/2008 22:18

How long does it take to walk a mile?

libEL · 18/03/2008 22:20

Takes us about 20 minutes

pooka · 18/03/2008 22:20

I walk more often than not. Is about a mile and a half. Only drive when am working straight afterwards or have to make mad dash to swimming lesson.
Only problem (though I suppose it's good for me) is that ds still goes in the pram because is notoriously meandering and a 25minute walk can easily turn into a 45 minute walk, and dd (4.5) hops on the board. So I end up pushing both of them, and dd still pretty feeble at walking longish distances.
Saying that, I made her walk half way today and said that we should practice more so she can be fit and strong.
I actually really enjoy the walk - it blows the cobwebs away and I wouldn't be able to leave any later if driving, because parking is nightmare by the school.

aefondkiss · 18/03/2008 22:33

I cycle with two children in a bike buggy, in the howling rain and driving wind, takes about 20 mins to walk but I can do it in 6 on the bike buggy, but sometimes I crave a car... part of the road I go on has no path as well... not sure what I am going to do when my dc are too big for the bike buggy, ds has some SN and I am dreading next winter!

most of the people, who have dc at the school, live right next to it, and I would say 80% drive!