A MOTHER-OF-TWO has come under fire for considering making her kids, 12 and 13, walk three miles to school every day.
The mum explained that due to ongoing roadworks, the main road through the village to her kids school has been shut and will remain that way for a month.
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As the family live ”right at the edge of where the roadworks are”, there are only two options – either spending more petrol on a longer journey or save money by making the children trek a total of six miles there and back.
The mother explained that the first alternative was taking a ”15 mile detour by car” down the road where all the traffic is funneled down.
But while this may spare the kids from the long journey on foot, the mother said the road ”is congested even when the road through the village is open”.
Looking for a solution, the mum also decided to see how long the extra 15 mile-long drive would take – which was ”45 minutes each way”.
This, however, was with not school traffic, as she trialled the journey during the summer holidays.
”So I’d be doing at least 90 minutes of driving each morning and DH [dear husband] 90 mins in the afternoon,” she explained in a post shared on Mumsnet.
The only other option, she went on, was making the children walk to school and back, which is three miles each way – however, her partner is not too keen on this idea.
”DH is adamant I can’t possibly expect them to walk. It’s hilly. It’s due to rain.
”I think they walk. I think it would be insane to drive when it’s literally faster for them to walk. It’s 3 miles.
”I’m not asking them to swim the channel and then scale Mount Everest. Kids are 12 and 13.”
Wondering what fellow parents think, the mum asked other members of the forum to share their thoughts – and it appears that many agreed with her husband.
One furious person said: ”Would you be happy to do a 3 mile walk twice a day in the rain before and after work? Give them a bloody lift!”
Another agreed, writing: ”6 miles walking a day is quite a lot, it will be dark for the later part.”
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”Agreed especially in the winter. If they can’t cycle then yes I’d give them a lift,” a third shared their opinion.
”My kids have to carry heavy rucksacks (loads of textbooks required) so I would prefer not to make them walk 3 miles given the circumstances,” someone else thought.
However, there were also some of those who didn’t think the mum was being ”unreasonable”.
”I’m sure it would be good for them! Make sure they’re wearing good shoes and coats,” wrote one person who said they ”used to do this regularly as a kid”.
”At 12 and 13 they should be able to find their way and navigate roads, and they’re together. Not a problem. I’d give them a lift in torrential rain.”
”Initially, I thought 3 miles sounded a hell of a walk to school, but then I googled my old route to school from my mum’s house and I was walking 2.8 miles each way,” another agreed.
”Never even occurred to my mum to offer me a lift!”
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