micky.p. Posted March 16, 2007 Share Posted March 16, 2007 Hello all, My husband has returned to the U.K to work, so i have no transport to get the children to school. So i amhaving a major problem with the school bus , they will not come and collect my children from my home .The Consiel General expect my children aged 4 and 7 yrs to walk in all weathers and in the dark in the winter for 30 mins and then sit on the bus for another 30 mins, morning and night. I dont know what to do , they dont want to change their decision because of insurances and every other excuse they can make.I have the help of Julia Salvat at the moment , but its coming to the point were she can no longer help me any further. I refuse to have to get my children up at a stupid time to make them walk, so does this mean that they dont go to school , when they are doing so well. I just dont know what to do for the best, has anyone also had this problem . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted March 16, 2007 Share Posted March 16, 2007 Well only your 7 year old 'has' to go to school. What has your Mairie said, in our village it was always the Mairie and never the conseil generale who organised transport and sorted out any problems.Also what has the associations parents d'eleves said and done, they usually try and sort something out in such circumstances. You haven't mentioned the actual distance to the bus stop, how far is it? My kids used to have a 20 minute walk to school every day and some kids had to walk further than us, as you said in all weathers as we didn't have two cars. The good thing is that waterproofs and warm weather clothing is good these days, ie a cagoule doesn't have to leave you as wet on the inside as it is on the outside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micky.p. Posted March 16, 2007 Author Share Posted March 16, 2007 Hello Teamedup,My children have to walk just over a km , which takes them 30mins and then sit on a bus for another 30mins to get to school. If they had to walk 30 mins and then be at the school gates , i would mind that at all.I know that my 7 year old has to go to school , but i would still have to walk the 4 year old as well cause there is no one here to look after him.I know there are good waterproofs nowadays , but in the bitter cold weather we do get , i dont think its fair at the age they are at . As for the maire i was told it was down to the bus company, but i will ask the parents association about it as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted March 16, 2007 Share Posted March 16, 2007 It was one of the main things we did as the parents group, sort out transport scolaire. We are a km from our school, on the flat it took 20 minutes when the kids were little, many kids had up to 2kms to walk or be driven. I really don't know how far those kids who were on the school bus would have had to walk to get to the bus, no one mentioned it. Our village has many lieu dit and hamlets up the mountain and there were central pick up points in each. Re the weather, well a combinaison de ski is usually waterproof and warm and lots of the kids around here will go to school in them along with warm boots in mid winter. Apart from this winter, which hasn't been in any way normal, then we get cold winters too.As you live so far out, why don't you have two cars, wasn't this always going to be a problem wasn't it, as usually people have to go to work and when they are in a rural setting use a car. Public transport in rural France can be pretty bad if not non existent. It is one of the things that everyone always says on here when people are planning a move to rural France, preview two cars. EDIT When I said we sorted out the transport scolaire, it was with our mairie. So contact the Parent d'Eleves and the Mairie. The Mairie would be the ones to ask the Conseil General for an extra arret bus which is closer to your home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJSLIV Posted March 16, 2007 Share Posted March 16, 2007 Welcome to the realities of French country living. Many kids are out of the house from seven thirty til well after five each day. Its the norm to see huddled groups of tots waiting for the bus each morning, and getting a lift home on the tractor at night. I'm afraid its all part of the tapestry of rural life. Haven't you seen the opening sequence of "Etre et Avoir"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted March 16, 2007 Share Posted March 16, 2007 So many people say that they came to France because it reminds them of England 40 years ago.Well I started school 42 years ago and my mother used to walk me the one hour to school and then back (probably quicker) and do the same in the afternoon. At junior school the mothers had a rota as to who would walk the kids.When I went to senior school I cycled 20km every day (10 each way), there were no school buses although the school was on a bus route for some children. There were other kids that lived a lot further from the school than me that also cycled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val_2 Posted March 16, 2007 Share Posted March 16, 2007 The onus is onthe parents here in France to ensure their children get to school by one method or another, not the responsability of the local mairie,bus company or Prefecture etc. Wait until they are at Lycée and have to take exams in other schools some 30/40 MILES away and have to make their own way there or else they fail. Most kids round here walk some distance to catch the buses to various collèges and Lycées as well as the primaire, thats the way it is and is accepted. If the original poster has difficulties perhaps they should buy a cheap car to ferry the kids the odd km to the stop, walking never did anyone any harm in any sort of weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaysBasque Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 We had a similar situation in our village with a French family who moved here. The husband goes out to work very early in the morning and the wife doesn't have a driving licence. Well, the mind boggles! Why would you move to a rural community without a driving licence? Anyway, in this case the bus got re-routed, however, it makes for interesting travel as he has to go faster now in order to get the kids to school on time! I'm not sure if I agree with that solution. I realise that this might be a very unpopular view, but I can't see how in this day and age you could possibly be in your situation. Why is your husband returning to work in the UK and leaving you here with two children, a 30min walk to the bus and no car? Why can't you buy yourself a cheap car, even an electric one will do with 2 small children. It is not the responsibility of your local Mairie nor the Conseil General to get your children to school. You chose to live where you do and it is up to you to sort out your transport problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micky.p. Posted March 17, 2007 Author Share Posted March 17, 2007 Could people who have been in my situation only reply please , who can understand what a mother is feeling .As for a cheap car , maybe i can't afford to run another car , or maybe i can't drive,or maybe...... you dont know all the facts , but as usual want to have a go. And yes we moved to rural france its where we wanted to be, so why should we be somewhere we dont want to be.As for my husband going to work in the U.K , well thats where he works, he has no choice on that one.The fact is I am going to battle this one out, as the bus driver starts his route from me first , he can come to the house instead of twiggling his thumbs for 5 mins at the top of the lane.If my children were aged 10 + i know they could cope with getting up alot earlier to travel for a hour , but im not going to do it to them at the age they are at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 I assumed that you didn't have a driving license or would not wish to buy a second car for whatever reasons.But surely your children will not be hurt by a little bit of exercise each morning.It really is quite reasonable to expect you and your children to walk to the end of the lane each morning to meet with the bus, I am sure that the whoever makes the decision will not want to establish a precedent by picking your children up from your house only 1 km down the lane as then all other parents could expect the same and the journey would take longer.They are at a very impressionable age, set a good example to them.Do you really want them to grow up to make a big issue out of a small inconvenience and try to blame others? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beryl Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 My husband told me he saw a program recently in the UK comparing the school run in London and Paris. Londoners tended to drive and Parisiens walked. The interviewer speaking a to Parisien lady who walked her children some distance to their school, asked increduously ' What do you do if it is raining ?', ' I take an umbrella' she retorted disdainfully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 micky.p I have told you what to do........... parents d'eleves and Mairie.Also 1km is not a great distance and I don't know whether they will change the route for you. There are bus stops in France like everywhere else and not a 'taxi' service where the bus picks up on a person's doorstep. The only thing they might do is have a new arret bus nearer you but it is not guaranteed. The conseil general will not want to set a precedent of house calls, I'm pretty sure of that, although, unless you ask properly then you'll never know.As has been said, you chose where you wanted to live. You must have realised, or have asked how kids get to school before you moved too, you did didn't you? The headmistress of our primary school used to live up the mountain behind our village when she was a girl. They had to walk up and down four times a day in all weathers. No school cantine and sandwiches, packed lunches, nah, not in France. Country people are used to having to sort themselves out and walk, it is the accepted thing. You obviously perceive this as an injustice, but it isn't our fault that you find yourself where you are and in these cirumstances either. I can't see the local paysans being that sympathetic about it all, but I may be wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micky.p. Posted March 17, 2007 Author Share Posted March 17, 2007 Part of my argument is that there is only 5 children who get the bus to school the next pick up is on the main route which two of childrens homes are , and the last child lives down a lane which is just a 5min walk to the main route , but he picks the boy up outside his house, if the last boy had to walk the half hour he would be at the school.I just can't understand the logic in their thinking.The other thing is should anything happen , like with small children for example they need toilet last minute, that one minute late leaving could mean the risk of missing the bus.In the evening i don't mind them walking as they can do it at their own pace, i just don't want them to miss the bus in the morning which could happen for any reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opas Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 You mentioned that you walk with your children a distance of just over a KM, this morning on my way to the market , I zero'd my car to see where a KM and a half would get me.........to be honest I was suprised ! You need to walk a little faster, If the distance you say is true, then my youngest had nearly double that in UK to walk to school aged 4........no bus route and we did it in 20 mins. A good coat and shoes is the trick (she had to wear a skirt for uniform) and we lived in the pennines.When we first moved to France, we were a bit last minute and had not sorted out a bus pass so she had to walk to her school in the next village (the distance I timed this morning, 2003.........year of the Canicule, school started at the end of August and it was boiling, the road was not shaded at all, my hubby was finalising things in UK so we had not got use of a car........we used our brolly at midday,( no school diners here unless both parents are working) untill a local mum realised what the problem was and kindly offered us lifts at midday.I hope you get what you ask for, but do not be supprised if you do not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaysBasque Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 [quote user="micky.p."]Could people who have been in my situation only reply please , who can understand what a mother is feeling .As for a cheap car , maybe i can't afford to run another car , or maybe i can't drive,or maybe...... you dont know all the facts , but as usual want to have a go. And yes we moved to rural france its where we wanted to be, so why should we be somewhere we dont want to be.As for my husband going to work in the U.K , well thats where he works, he has no choice on that one.The fact is I am going to battle this one out, as the bus driver starts his route from me first , he can come to the house instead of twiggling his thumbs for 5 mins at the top of the lane.If my children were aged 10 + i know they could cope with getting up alot earlier to travel for a hour , but im not going to do it to them at the age they are at.[/quote]I understand very well how a mother is feeling since I have 3 small children myself. I also do not 'as usual have a go' since I haven't posted on here for ages. All this is by the by, the fact remains that you can try as TU suggests to talk to your Mairie and the APE at your school to intervene on your behalf, but I'm also with TU on the fact that the Conseil General will not establish what they regard as a taxi service. However, you will only find out if you ask.P.S. Electrical cars don't require a driving licence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 [quote user="micky.p."]The other thing is should anything happen , like with small children for example they need toilet last minute, that one minute late leaving could mean the risk of missing the bus.[/quote]There speaks a car driver, by that I mean someone who could drive faster to make up time, in the "school run jamboree" near my old house in England the (admittedly few) parents who walk their children to school always arrive relaxed ahead of time, having left a little early in case of any last "minute" delays. They use the extra time to socialise etc.The majority of those using their cars arrive all together at "the last minute" stressed and parking on double yellow lines, pedestrian crossing zig-zags etc.As an aside one of my most treasured photographs I took while on horseback on an Andean mountain trail in Ecuador, it was of a group of happy smiling schoolchildren on their way back from school to their mountain village, they were of all ages and were absolutely the happiest healthy smiling children I have ever seen, their joy is evident in the photograph. The oldest explained that the group walked 2 1/2 hours each way and of course in all weathers which are very extreme there.Not quite as joyous but still happy are the French schoolkids when getting off their bus after (in my area), a very long journey, chatting with their friends. A huge contrast to the children of my old neighbours in England when they are ferried home, they are bored, squabbling and look like they just want to get onto their games consoles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val_2 Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Firstly we are not "having a go". You have to remember that some of us on this forum have lived here for many years and put our children right through the education system so WE do know what we are talking about. I also know about school transport being a local councillor and to be honest everyone here locally in the outlying farms and areas who have small children to get to the local schools do not bombard us with letters demanding transport from their gate at all, they all understand that it is their responsibility to get the kids to school on time. Wait until your get to the Lycée where the transport is often the usual bus company that serves the public anyway, they certainly do not deviate from the main route and you should not expect it now from the companies being used as transport scolaire. One km is hardly any distance and as for getting up earlier, well so be it,most families have a 5.30-6am start round here so as long as the kids go to bed at a reasonable hour it will do them no harm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chezstevens Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 My wife manages to sort the 2 boys out in the morning then walk them to the bus stop. Our boys enjoy the walk (most of the time). I work in the UK and see the family for 10 days every 5 weeks. My wife will laugh her head off with the idea of changing a bus route. You need to understand and relax into the french system - you are not special and will not receive preferential treatment.Yes I am unsympathetic .... look at the gentler posts telling you the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micky.p. Posted March 17, 2007 Author Share Posted March 17, 2007 [quote user="Chezstevens"]My wife manages to sort the 2 boys out in the morning then walk them to the bus stop. Our boys enjoy the walk (most of the time). I work in the UK and see the family for 10 days every 5 weeks. My wife will laugh her head off with the idea of changing a bus route. You need to understand and relax into the french system - you are not special and will not receive preferential treatment.Yes I am unsympathetic .... look at the gentler posts telling you the same. [/quote] Well your wife can laugh all she likes . its not a change of route as such, he parks at the top of the lane , i just want him to collect the children from home, like he collects all the other three children.And least of all Im not asking for any sympathy, thankyou . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chezstevens Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Between the ages of 6 and 10, my sister was 18 months younger, we walked from the top of East Looe (on the Barbican) to the Primary School at the top of West Looe. This was up and down the steep hills in all weather - 2.8km each way. Why? 'Cos our father had the only car and worked in Portsmouth.Benefits - good heart and lungs that have given us a basic fitness.Dry your eyes and get a reality check. regardsVern Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Why don't you take the children for a stroll along the route if it's good weather tomorrow? You will certainly find that 1km will be acheived in much less than 30 minutes and see how the children (and you) cope with it.Admittedly you will be doing the return trip twice per day, say 4km total, or is that perhaps the real problem?How do you cope with other journeys like shopping while your husband is away? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 I just read again your first post.[quote user="micky.p."] I refuse to have to get my children up at a stupid time to make them walk, so does this mean that they dont go to school , when they are doing so well. I just dont know what to do for the best, has anyone also had this problem .[/quote] Would you really compromise your childrens education over a tiny bit of exercise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimportequoi Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 It takes me and my 5 yr old 15 mins max to walk 1km.I've just had a situation with a newly arrived neighbour in our hamlet. A young French couple with a 3 yr old - he drives and works in a local factory, she doesn't. As soon as they arrived, they asked me if I could take their son to school as he goes to the same one as my daughter, 4,5km from where we live. I did this for a few weeks, as I was never offered any contribution to the cost of transport, and it was also incovenient for me, I stopped. Last week I saw the mother putting the 3yr old on the front of her scooter and taking him home this way. I feel a little guilty I'm no longer helping them out, but really if you choose to live in the countryside you need to have your own transport, it is not the problem of everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 'I did this for a few weeks, as I was never offered any contribution to the cost of transport' so you stopped How much extra did it cost you to transport their youngster? How many Euros per week do you think that your neighbours should have paid you? Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 I think that LTF was making the point that it was the neighbours responsibility not theirs, I also suspect that the "offer" of a contribution would have been a way of showing appreciation like that of a bunch of flowers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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