nimportequoi Posted March 18, 2007 Share Posted March 18, 2007 Sorry for the thread creep, but JR is right, even an offer would have been nice. The father could quite easily drop the son off on his way to work and pick him up again after, but as that would mean paying for the garderie, they don't do it. I live on my own with two young children most of the time and have always managed to get by, although my neighbours are there if there is an emergency. I wouldn't have chosen to live so remotely if I didn't have a car and couldn't drive, I have never had to rely on other people (especially those I don't know) for anything, except in emergencies. My other neighbours are all equally frustrated with the behaviour of this family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unknown Posted March 18, 2007 Share Posted March 18, 2007 Its the same for me. I live 5 km from the village, completely isolated. The roads to the schools are very fast country lanes and I wouldn't be happy for my kids to even cycle to school. I drive them everyday, but its something I knew I would have to do.I can sympathise with the OP, its hard work living in France on your own bringing up kids, but as she says they are doingso well, surley if there are no other alternatives you don't really have much choice.On a positive note, we are coming into the better weather and a jiggle round of your rountine will enable you to walk. I sometimes wish we lived a km from the school, it would save me a chunk of cash on petrol and think of the exercise you will get. Can you not cycle? How do you manage with shopping?Good luck and be positive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted March 18, 2007 Share Posted March 18, 2007 Dotty - cycling -what a good idea for the OP. I remember my Dad taking me to school sat on the cross bar of his bicycle. I don't think you would be allowed to do this now in the uk - some Mr. Plod or PC adult would put a stop to it. Pat. ps mazal tov on your millenium of posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unknown Posted March 18, 2007 Share Posted March 18, 2007 Cheers Patf, I have been a member since Sept/Oct 2005 and would have more posts, but for some reason I couldn't log in so had to reregister last year.Dotty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panda Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 Hi I'm a little confused by this post, why would you expect a service here in France that is not offered in the UK? Sometimes people make choices because they expect things to be the same in the country they've just left when relocating but this one is not like that. I lived a distance from the village in the UK but there is not a chance in hell that I could have got any kind of school bus for my child, I knew that I would have to drive or walk. Did the OP have this service in the UK?? I used to walk about 3.5km to school as a child and I loved it. I've just moved and have a similar issue but expected it, the school asked if my son was going to catch the bus and after I explained where we lived they said the bus doesn't go that way as the route is too small to turn the bus. I fully intend to cycle when the weather improves but for now we have to take the car. I really don't want to be unsympathetic but have to agree with everyone else, why would you set yourself up knowing about this issue without an alternative solution. It is your responsiblity to get your kids to school here as it is in the UK.Panda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miszter Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 HiI guess we must just be lucky!! Our children are picked up from the door every day, they are the only pick up in our village and could easily walk to the end of the lane if necessary. I would rather not, because the current situation is very easy!!!I knew, when we moved to rural France, that distances involved in everything (shopping, school, appointments etc) would all be much greater than in the UK. Our children walked to school (20mins) in the UK and I would be quite happy for them to do the same here, except it is much further, so they go on the bus. I think the OP either needs to buy a bike or enjoy the exercise. The better weather is coming and soon the 1 km walk will be very pleasant. I bit of exercise wakes the children up in the morning and allows them to let off steam after school.Miszter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoverfrog Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 we did have pick-up at the end of our drive, but now there is only one pick-up for the whole of the (linear) village. Why? Because someone wrote to the bus driver/company and complained about him stopping for a few seconds 4 times a day! (he does 2 rounds, for collĆØge and Ć©coles)We have gurt big wood lorries that park all along the pavements breakfast-time, lunchtime and evening, and someone chose to complain about the school bus stopping for a few seconds!!We have been lucky, and in some ways we still are as the designated pickup/dropoff point is only 2 (rural) doors away, but when my daughter started at collĆØge we had to walk the length of the village so I feel for the people that now have to walk down to near us! It may be that your bus will come down the lane after the summer holdays, but until then the routes are set and if you want them to change mid-year then it's probably not going to happen.Oh, and round here it is indeed the local mairie that looks after transport scolaire.When we were little (from age 7) we walked an hour to/from school - there were bigger kids that were designated to cross us over the big roads. I wouldn't want my kids to do that now, but not because of the walking but because of the safety aspect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisb Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 Round my way, from September, the bus is actually going to be reducing the amount of stops it makes. It will no longer stop at a previous pick-up point, if there will be only one child to pick up.........that child will have to be picked up from the nearest stop with 2 or more children. Also, it will go from being free to a charge of about 70ā¬/year being made. Most of the children round here, unless they live in the bourg of the villages, are dropped off at the stops by parents in cars. The only thing I would say about walking over a km, is that my sons' bags are so heavy, it really would be a struggle for them to walk that far, but the OP posters children are much younger, so presumably, at the moment, that is not an issue.Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 Our college pick ups usually mean quite a walk for lots of the kids in our village. We used to have to pay for bus pass for the year, I don't know what they do now. And those bags, well what can one say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tourangelle Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 They have great school bags with wheels, these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 I know, my friend bought them for her kids and at school they won't let them wheel them on the 'nice' floors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 This is absolutely mad! The mind boggles! Which planet do these people live on??? [blink] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJSLIV Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 Reminds me of when I was at primary school. We had to take our outdoor shoes off when entering the newly built hall which had wood block flooring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val_2 Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 Our village school prohibits outdoor shoes inside the classrooms and the kids all wear slippers. Many of them come from muddy farms or walk to school,thus cutting down the cleaning costs as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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