Walking to and from school

[RCT]

Ok, They built a new school around the block, literally from our house....both kids want to walk home after school....which I am perfectly fine with in theory.......dh gets home at 3:30PM, school lets out at 3:10 PM, we know three neighbors very well on the way home...At what age do you think its ok to let them walk home, its not them I am worried about....its the rest of the world....

as to them walking to school....as much as I would like to think that they are responsible enough to get themselves out and off to school......I know that would be pushing it....

OK someone talk to me....are your kids walking themselves to school? Home? They are going to be 11 and 9 next school year.....and walking together....argh....

[AnnW]

Starting in 3rd grade our kids were allowed to walk/ride their bikes to school.
I think it's a great idea. In the am's why not? Are you saying leave them home alone to get themselves ready? If so, that is alot of responsibility or just walking to school in the am with you or dh seeing them off? If that's it, why not?

[littlesista06]

I can understand your apprehension. I think, if it's just around the corner and they'd be together, give it a try. As long as you are all comfortable with them coming home alone (even for a little bit) then go for it - establish rules from the get go and all should go well.

I think I may let dd be a 'walker' next year instead of a 'parent pick up'. The librarian collects the walkers and gets them to the curb of the school where the crossing guard gets them across. I could meet dd at my side of the road and not have to deal with going into the cafeteria and signing her out everyday anymore.

[Diane]

My kids always walked to school... but there were always so many of them with the day care kids, that I felt pretty safe in letting them do this. Last year when I only had one dck going to school I'd drive him each/every morning... don't believe in letting any child walk alone. My neighbor just recently started letting her dd walk home from school with a group of other neighborhood children, but she has to call her mom when she gets home to let her know she made it home okay. She was apprehensive about letting her do this too... but is now so happy that it's worked out because she no longer has to worry about trying to make it home in time to open the door. The lady who lives across the street from me has always brought and picked up her kids from school. Her youngest will be going into the 4th grade next year and the oldest will be going into the 8th grade. Her oldest "could" take the bus but the mom won't let her. I see a lot of the neighborhood kids ride their bikes to school too.

When I was little my sisters and I walked a mile to get to school, but we had each other to walk with, along with a bunch of neighborhood kids. My mom never had a driver's license so we really didn't have much of a choice. Of course back then you didn't have to worry too much about weirdo's trying to pick up your kids. (there were a few scary moments that I remember though) You're only around the corner from the school though and makes it a lot easier.

Good luck with your decision.

You've got to be so excited to have a school so close to your house.

[RCT]

Starting in 3rd grade our kids were allowed to walk/ride their bikes to school.
I think it's a great idea. In the am's why not? Are you saying leave them home alone to get themselves ready? If so, that is alot of responsibility or just walking to school in the am with you or dh seeing them off? If that's it, why not?

The am would be getting them selves out the door....they would be ready, but I would have to leave about 1/2 before they would have to.....so I am not sure if they could get themselves out the door....but I have time to see, trial runs and all.....

[SpeechMom]

The am would be getting them selves out the door....they would be ready, but I would have to leave about 1/2 before they would have to.....so I am not sure if they could get themselves out the door....but I have time to see, trial runs and all.....

What would you do with them if they didn't walk themselves to school? How far away are you in case something happens and you need to get back to them? I dunno, this would make me uncomfortable - things are always coming up in the morning...."Mom, I'm out of lunch money"....."Mom, can you sign this form"......"Oh yeah, you don't need to pick me up today because I've got play practice". It doesn't matter how much time they've spent lolling around in their rooms before school, their brains don't seem to kick in until they're actually walking out the door.

[Melody]

I only wish my kids would be ready enough to walk out on their own. I'm practically pushing them out the door in the am while they still want to lolligag. ugh! Drives me nuts. They take forever to get ready and need to be reminded steady that it's a school day and to get ready. They walk themselves though and have been for a while. They walk home together. We are down the street from the school but they are out of site once they get to the corner. I understand your apprehensions. It isn't easy to let them go sometimes especially when it's something new like that. At the ages though, they should be fine.

[JAK]

I walked my dks to and from school when I was a SAHM. When ds started K, I had to walk him until he turned 6, that was in Nov of that year so after that the dks walked without me as I was doing daycare at that point and it was a pain to wake up all the dck's and walk to the school. Since I started the dental program my dks are responsible for getting themselves to the bus stop every day. They are home alone and do just fine. My dks are 10 and 12. I figure if my dd is responsible enough to babysit other people's kids, she's responsible enough to get to the bus stop on time.

[Linda/NE]

My kids are 16, 14, 10, 9, & 8 and for over a year they have had to get themselves up, dressed and out the door to school. The difference here is that the older 2 were responsible for making sure the other 3 were up and dressed and my mom was next door in the event of an emergency.

We've never lived within walking distance of a school so I don't know.

I like the idea of trial runs. Are there any other kids in the neighborhood that could walk with them or any neighbors that could stop in and see to it that they leave the house on time?