Bad bad mother

[tootles]

I have started to make my three children ride their bikes to school. It is 3km away, they left at 8.20am and are still not back (6.30pm).
And I am not worried

They are out of the house 10 hours a day! hurrah!

Does this make me the worst mother in the world?






(and do I really care!)

[FionaH]

Second in the bad mother stakes Im afraid, I had mine making their own pack lunches in year 6!

[RedThorn]

lol Tottles nope just an honest Mum! lol plus will do them good, indepndance and excersize at the same time!

[dogsbody]

environmentally friendly, good for exercise, peaceful for you, what could be better?

I had to walk for 40 minutes to catch the bus when I went to school, and now walk the 1.3miles to work (and back) every day, and come home relaxed, not stressed.

If only more would abandon the school run........

[Marthaclematis]

Good for you. You're a good mum! I saw on the news tonight a school which is confiscating unhealthy items from children's lunchboxes and sending a note to parents explaining that they (the school) have a duty of care to the children whilst they are in school which does not include allowing them to eat crisps and mars bars for lunch. Good on 'em I say. If the parent's won't do it then someone has to. I'm terrible when I babysit my three year old Godaughter here - I'm always swapping her sweeties for fruit and send the fizzy drinks back home with her. My house, my rules - I cannot bring myself to allow children to eat rubbish whilst in my care.

[sharonr]

Are they back yet? Which I`m sure they are, what time did they get home?

[jackie j]

Although the primary school wasnt very far we nearly always walked to school and home but I did fetch them, no way would they have been allowed to ride their bikes to school, too dangerous around here. My daughter still walks to and from school but on her own now. Good for you exercise and fresh air cant be bad.

[selfraising]

I fully agree with all the comments. My children's primary school was about 2 miles away. Initially I walked them there and then they walked by themselves. It annoys me when I see people who just live round the corner dropping their child off in big people carriers which causes huge congestion apart from the lack of exercise.

[tootles]

Well they got home at 7pm!

They are on pain of death (or worse) to come straight home this eve as we are out to a St Paddy's day party tonight.

Lucky it's on a Tuesday - no school on Wednesdays here in France for primary age sprogs.

[DavidM31]

I have started to make my three children ride their bikes to school. It is 3km away, they left at 8.20am and are still not back (6.30pm).
And I am not worried

They are out of the house 10 hours a day! hurrah!

Does this make me the worst mother in the world?

No of course not, good on you for getting your kids to take the exercise.

Primary School kids round here finish at 3pm, so they are not out of the house nearly as long.

Apology to any teachers on here but I think the Secondary school day is too short, the kids should be there until at least 5pm.
When I was boarding school we had to go back into the school hall to do our prep/homework after supper for an hour and a half 6.30pm till 8pm, then a quick cup of tea and a bun, before going to bed with lights out at 9pm.

[tootles]

When No.1 son starts College (secondary school) in September, the bus picks up at 7am and brings them back at 6.45pm - then he will have homework to do.

I think you're right David, the school day should be a full day. My children have never had any problem with a school day from 9 - 5pm (and they start them here at 2yrs old)

And before people start going on about paperwork - what ever happened to sports afternoons?????

[pipscariad]

I'm afraid I can't agree with you on the longer school days, I wouldn't mind so much if they did more worthwhile things at school, but much of their time seems to be taken up with waiting around for things, or doing fairly unchallenging stuff. My twin boys started secondary school last September, and now hardly ever do any physical exercise during school time, so once they get home it's out on the family bike ride, and I'd hate to not be able to fit that in!

I cycled my daughter (8) to school this morning, first time this year as she is now confident enough to do it (she was on a tag along last summer, as her two wheeler skills weren't up to the main road). I wouldn't let her go on her own as the road can be busy and quite fast, but it's a great start to the day. I'm always appalled at how lazy some families are! I need to leave longer for it tomorrow, as we were a bit late this morning (her chain came off halfway).

[Nicos]

I do voluntary teaching from time to time over here- just to help out a friend- give me a bit of variety and meet other peeps-and to help the kids.
The lessons finish at 6pm- and they all cope well with that!..I'm absolutely nackered by then though!!!!!

Your kids need time to get up to no good- they weren't really late home when you think about what time the lessons finished!

Have fun tonight!

[HayleyB]

Gawd I used to walk a couple of miles to school.......

Mine was making her own packed lunches in year 4

And now she leaves at 7.45am to be taken to the bus stop and doesn't get picked up from the bus stop (next village but one) until 5pm - a long day.......