What do you want to bet all the doctors who made this determination walked to school BEFORE age 10? WITHOUT an adult? Join the discussion at Let Grow! Fulminate now!
What do you want to bet all the doctors who made this determination walked to school BEFORE age 10? WITHOUT an adult? Join the discussion at Let Grow! Fulminate now!
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Last weekend my 15 year old and I drove out to the beach. On the way we saw a child who looked to be 5 or 6 walking along the side of the road – there was no sidewalk. We were both so amazed to see that…you just don’t see it – my gut reaction was that something must be wrong, he was lost, abandoned, had run away from home! I looked in the rear view and saw his perfectly content face and thought he probably just walked to the local store for some candy on a beautiful day. Shook my head.
Thank God my kids are 14 and 17 and I don’t have to swim against the tide of infantilizing young children in my daily life anymore. Oh, AAP, you have done a great disservice to children and their health.
Fortunately in the State of Oregon, they are encouraging all kids to walk to school. If kids live too far from school, parents are encouraged to drop them off at a reasonable area, so they can walk the rest of the way. They are trying to get buses to drop the kids off at certain stops, so they can walk to school. They also have a fun “Celebrity Walk” once a month to encourage kids. The kids are dropped off at the fire department, and a local ‘celebrity’ (a police officer, basketball player, mayor, etc) walk with the kids. Sometimes the kids get prizes. Teachers know the benefits of kids walking to school. Their jobs become much easier. Here are two websites from Oregon encouraging kids to walk. http://www.tigard-or.gov/community/safe_routes.php
http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/Safety/Documents/ChildWalkAlonePoster.pdf
Starting next year. Third grade my daughter will be walking to school. It is 1/4 if a mile and crossing three streets. Two streets are quiet neighborhood st and the other is main st with a four way stop in front of the police station and school across the street. She will be fine