I don't understand......

[Quillan]

...... why on Breakfast TV a family has been mentioned four times (probably more depending what time you got up) as being inspirational and sportive for walking their children to school every day, a distance of 2km (about a mile). I seem to remember that we walked for about 30 minutes to get to junior school  (about a mile and a half) when I was a kid, probably longer on the way back as it was up hill. Likewise I used to walk my paper round every evening which took about an hour and a half when I was 14 years old.

When I was older I used to cycle about 5 miles to school. I can understand why kids cycle less what with all the cars there are now and it being a bit dangerous (do they still do cycling proficiency tests at school these days?). I was wondering why this story seems to have so much coverage on the BBC just because kids walk a mile to school. I then thought that when you hear of parents driving their kids 500 yards to school I have probably answered my own question.

In Wednesdays Daily Telegraph there is a piece on Schools who are now in crisis (a bit over exaggerated I suspect) because school chairs will have to replaced as they are too small and subsequently too weak for for modern children because of obesity which also it turns out causes back pain. I can't find the article online but it was in the DT on Wednesday 5th November on page 12.

Has the world gone mad or what?

[Maricopa]

I think it was in the context of ordinary people doing there bit to inspire people (in this case children) to be fitter.  It's the new "thing" that Mike Bushell (the sports presenter) is focusing on, having run out of "whacky" sports to showcase.

I personally always walked or cycled to school (up to 7 miles each way, in all weathers).  I don't accept the arguement that roads are more dangerous now, but think that is what people think, thereby stopping their children cycling/ walking to school, and driving them to school, thereby the roads appearing to be more dangerous, therefore more people stop their children cycling/walking to school........... a vicious circle.  You only need to witness how much quieter the roads are during school breaks to see how much traffic is generated by people taking their children to school.

Sorry, pet hate[:@]

[AnOther]

[quote user="Quillan"]...... why on Breakfast TV a family has been mentioned four times (probably more depending what time you got up) as being inspirational and sportive for walking their children to school every day, a distance of 2km (about a mile)[/quote]Perhaps because it is Q. The concept of walking anywhere has been lost on most of the parents of the current generation of kids let alone the kids themselves in the same way as has living within one's means or saving up for something etc. etc. etc.

If someone in their own small way can reignite some of these past virtues in the kids then it can only bode well for what otherwise looks like a bleak future [:(]

[Quillan]

I take your point Ernie but is not sad and also indicative of the world some people live in that such a thing should get so much exposure on TV. I seem to remember about six months back on the TV that 14 year olds were being driven to school for their own protection, another sad thing.

I have it on good authority that at present huge amounts of money is being plowed in to schemes to get children back in to sport which is of course a very good thing. Sadly this is outside of school where the days of two PE lessons and an afternoon of sport per week have long since gone. It also appears that in a soon to be released report done on children and sport that sport has become a thing of class. Better off people are more able to take children to activities because a parent does not have to work and they have funds available. People on lower incomes where both parents work don't have the money or the time to take their children to sports although strangely they seem to have the money to send their kids to McDoo's when they want a bit of peace and quiet.

Well if one looks at the bright side of this news item perhaps it may encourage kids to walk more although sadly I am of the opinion that it won't. The fact that the sales of CD's and videos has now been overtaken by video games is another sad indictment of the current situation. I also think the press should shoulder some of the blame for scaremongering articles about pedophilia, stabbings and alike.

 

[Will]

...there were 18 of us living in a shoebox in t'middle of t'road, and after we'd got up at 4am two hours before we went to bed we had to lick t'road clean before walking 25 miles to get to school, and we had to pay for the privilege of doing so...

Sorry about that, it just reminded me of the Python sketch. Not sure where Breakfast TV and the Torygraph are talking about. We have several schools near our place in England, covering the whole age range, and I can asure you that although you see plenty of 4x4s and people carriers, the vast majority of the kids walk to and from school. In fact the numbers on the pavements near my old school at chucking-out time are pretty scary.

No, we never got a lift - back then we relied on public transport which hardly exists now, so for those who are too far away to walk there's not much alternative. I think whatever the scaremongering media says, perceived safety isn't that big a factor. Is it really a "sign of the times"? Yes, you see the odd unsavoury character hanging around the playing fields and swimming pool (they still do sport in primitive West Sussex, too) but that's no different from 40 years ago, when there was a good chance of schoolboys getting propositioned in the public loos or on the train, and scoutmasters, vicars etc had  acertain reputation - even one of the schoolteachers taught rather more than geography.

[Quillan]

I can't find it on the BBC website but I think they were in Bournemouth. The DT article was in general and not location specific.

I agree, I don't think the quantity of PD's has changed over the years its just people are more aware because of the high level of publicity that has now become attached to them hence my comment about scaremongering.

So if many children are already walking back and forth to school why do these people have to singled out and made to look special?

[woolybanana]

Perhaps if parents begin to regain confidence in the streets by letting their kids walk short distances, then they will begin to let them walk further later etc later. But the first PD assault on a child will put everything back to square one, aided by the DM and others.

It also needs examples and incentives, not financial but in terms of becoming 'trendy'. If a kid get street cred because he/she walks to school, then they will do it.

 

[Renaud]

Three things going on here I think.

Firstly our parents grew up in an environment where cars were a luxury and when we were children, car ownership was far from ubiquitous, so parents let their children be more self reliant regarding transport to schools. Aged five I walked over a mile home from pre-school. Aged eleven I biked six miles to school. (At least I did not have to lick the road.)

Secondly with increasing car ownership came the disinclination of anybody to walk anywhere.

Thirdly, parents nowadays with increasing media reporting of paedophiles etc have got out of the habit of letting their children out of their sight. Therefore children are driven everywhere.

[opas]

When we lived in Uk, just about 5 years ago, I had a 8 year old and a 4 year old to get to 2 different schools each morning. The youngest had to walk with me in one direction to take the eldest as the roads were so busy. Then we set off back past our house and walked a mile or so in the other direction........oh and we picked up 2 more 4 year olds and another mum en route, and did the reverse in the afternoon. OK we maybe only did that 3 days per week as on my day off from work one mum did the walk, and another mum did it one other day as our shift patterns dictated.

I did have a car sometimes, when Outie was on nights away so I could get the groceries in, but to be frank it was easier to walk to school than fight with the traffic and search out a safe parking space.

As to getting kids back in sport.

Why doesn`t the UK take up the bourse system that the french CAF offer? each child over 11 receives a form that they take to their chosen activiy.....swimming , Tennis , basket etc. you then get a 50 euro reduction by the organiser of this sport if they are affiliated, if not it is stamped signed and sent off to CAF and the parent gets 50 euros in the same acc that their family allowance goes in.

My eldest joined the keepfit/gym at the salles des fetes this year, I paid 72 euro, bought her weights etc at Decathalon for around 20 euros, got the form signed by the instructor and stamped at the Maires office......et voila, 50 euros back in my account. My daughter and her friends have a laugh every wed evening trying to do the moves and sweat buckets.and get fitter into the deal.

[Kitty]

[quote user="Will"] ...there were 18 of us living in a shoebox in t'middle of t'road, and after we'd got up at 4am two hours before we went to bed we had to lick t'road clean before walking 25 miles to get to school, and we had to pay for the privilege of doing so...[/quote]

 

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe1a1wHxTyo

Anyone for a cup of cold tea without milk or sugar in a cracked cup?

 

[woolybanana]

How long did you dunk the bag? And cups, cups? You had it good. We had a tin can cut in half so you got the tea inside and the warmth of the metal kept you hot all night. You lucky people. I remember on my honeymoon it was so cold that 'er indoors borrowed the can so she could thaw out things so we could consummate things.

Good days, good days.