How far do your kids walk to school?

[JVL1018]

We are moving to a new neighborhood 2 days before school starts and just found out there's no bus service to our house. I hadn't even thought about it because in my opinion, we're "far" from school. The transportation office says if you are within 1.5 miles, no bus service is offered. Mapquest and Google Maps say we are 1.55 miles. That seems like a long way for daily to and from walks, especially in IL weather. I am scrambling at this point because we don't know anyone in the new neighborhood, and there is no way dh or I can drive the kids to school. We leave 30 minutes before they start and get home 75 minutes after they get out. WWYD? And don't tell me I'm a helicopter parent because I don't want my daughter and 60 lb. 12 year old son walking 3+ miles a day and crossing a 4 lane road (there is a 4 way stop).

Are there crossing guards at the 4 lane road? I think there should be if that is a regular route to school for kids.

We live very close to the elementary school, 2 blocks away.

The middle school is just about a mile away. My daughter gets a ride there because my husband leaves at the same time, but she walks home. If we both had jobs that would necessitate her walking there and back, I'd be fine with that.

I do think that your 1.5 miles is a hike in the morning when you have to leave a half hour before you need to be at school, not that bad in the afternoon when it doesn;t matter what time you get home.

Sometimes I pick her up as she is on her way home when I am done getting my son(yes I pick up the one who has a 2 block walk home, because I like to socialize with the other moms there ;op), sometimes she walks all the way home.

If it's inclement weather, she walks 3 minutes to the town library and waits in there for me to get her.

But..since you are 1.55 miles away and there is busing for over 1.5, you should get busing. Did you call someone and ask for busing since you qualify?

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

I'm not going to call you a helicopter parent. You aren't here asking our opinion of your parenting style. You wanted to know how far people let their kids walk and what we would do in this situation. I'll give you that.

When I was a kid, if you lived within 2 miles of the school, there was no bus service. Because that is what I am used to, I don't see anything wrong with it. But again, that is what I am used to. Different towns see 2 miles very differently. There is a huge difference between walking 2 miles in an upperclass neighborhood and in South Compton. Use your own judgment.

I would see if your kids could go to school where you teach. I know here schools will waiver tution for students if there parents work for the school systems

You might have to find a daycare that picks up from the schools.

I think that this is a good idea. At the district where I taught, kids could go to the school where their parent taught whether or not they lived in that zone. Also, if the parent taught at a middle school, the kid could go to an elementary that would feed into that middle school and could continue on to the high school with the students he had gone to school with. I was a teacher's kid (she taught at my elementary school) and after school, I would go to her room and work on homework or read until she was ready to leave at the end of the day. Once I hit middle school, would sometimes walk to her school (1 mile away) and other times I would just ride the bus to my house. For the record, I lived three miles from the school and my bus stop was a mile from my house, in case you were wondering.

I would drive them in the morning - a 30 minute wait for school to start is not bad (plus if they were walking they would leave at that time anyway).

Then let them walk home.

This is also a good idea. When I was teaching, we had morning duty that started 45 minutes before school started. Some grades went to the gym and some waited in the cafeteria. I would check with the school and see what is offered.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Do you know if the school has a parent email group? Ours has a Yahoo group where parents can communicate. People frequently set up car pools and after school care arrangements using the group. Perhaps there's a parent who lives nearby who wouldn't mind driving your kids to and from school for a small weekly payment. You might call the school's office and ask if there's a resource you could use to contact other parents.

 

[lovin'fl]

Mine walk .8 miles to the Middle School. Busing is only offered for those 1.5 miles or more away from the school and we have friends whose kids walk darned near close to that 1.5 miles. Our High School is an 18 minute drive, so thankfully we get a bus for that...but wasn't fun this summer taking DS to and from for summer school and not fun for him to catch the bus at 6:30 am during the school year. They sure do have it backwards with Elementary kids starting late and High School kids starting so Early. High Schoolers seem to need loads of sleep. That's off topic though. But, I typically drive them to the crossing guard in front of the school in the morning to make sure they get there. They walk home in the afternoon unless the weather is bad, then I park by the crossing guard and pick them up.

 

[Bob NC]

I'm as far from a helicopter parent as you can find, but I wouldn't want my kids walking 1.5 miles to and from school EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE YEAR.

1.5 miles isn't that far to walk, but would you want to HAVE to do it 2 times every day? I think not. Heck, even if you don't mind it, there has to be days here and there that you just don't feel like it.

How far is the walk to the closest stop that the bus DOES stop at? Heck, if it's 1/4 mile in the other direction, can they walk to that stop?

 

[LilyWDW]

I'm as far from a helicopter parent as you can find, but I wouldn't want my kids walking 1.5 miles to and from school EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE YEAR.

1.5 miles isn't that far to walk, but would you want to HAVE to do it 2 times every day? I think not. Heck, even if you don't mind it, there has to be days here and there that you just don't feel like it.

How far is the walk to the closest stop that the bus DOES stop at? Heck, if it's 1/4 mile in the other direction, can they walk to that stop?

That wouldn't work at many schools that I know of. You have to have "permission" to ride the bus and are assigned a bus and stop. You can not take another bus or use a bus when you don't have "permission" for the bus. Since the OP is within the "no bus" area, they would not be allowed on the bus at another stop. They can not just allow random kids on the bus unless they are supposed to BE on the bus.

 

[Minnesota!]

I would drive them in the morning - a 30 minute wait for school to start is not bad (plus if they were walking they would leave at that time anyway).

Then let them walk home.

This is what I would do.

 

[msjprincess]

In our district it's

k-3rd - 1/2 mile
4th-7th - 1 mile
8th-12th - 1.5 miles


My kids only got a bus 1st-3rd. But all of the schools are less than a 15 minute walk.

 

[JBurke]

OP-I am in the same boat as you.
I also live in Illinois and live supposedly just under 1.5 miles from the junior high.
I say supposedly because it is only less than 1.5 miles if you walk through the park. I am sorry, but I am not comfortble letting my 11 year old son walk through a huge wooded park/baseball field all alone at 7 in the morning. Plus during the winter, there is no way that area will be shoveled. To walk along the main streets to get to school it would be over a 2 mile walk for him (not fun when its 20 below).

School doesnt start until 45 minutes after my DH and I have to leave for work and there is no before-care. For my daughters, we always had a neighbor with the same age kid that could give them a ride, but not this time.

I contacted the school and was able to pay $190 for the year to get him on the bus. He will still have to walk about 5 blocks to get to the bus, but I feel better about that because it is more in the open, its near the elementary school and hopefully the people who own the houses near it will shovel in the winter.
I will see how he does this first year at jr. high. Maybe next year I will be more comfortable with him walking.

It is a sucky position to be in. Try calling the school about paying for bus service or get out and meet your neighbors and see if anyone has a child going to that school that they can ride with or walk with.
Good luck!

 

[disneyfans95]

1.5 miles is fine. You can drop them off 30 min (which is when they will leave anyway).

Then it is one walk a day home. Again 1.5 miles is nothing.

Also leave them $20 in case the weather is THAT bad and they have to call a cab once a month or so

 

[Katy Belle]

We are about a mile from the school...less if you take short cuts through parking lots, more if you stick to all sidewalks . Mine can ride the bus, for free, if they wish to. I don't know how far you have to live from the school...but I see the bus drop kids off a few blocks from the school! I usually drive mine, but DS12 is expressing interest in walking this year.

I bet once school starts you will get a feel for how it works. Hopefully there will be a pack of kids that walk together from your neighborhood and your kids can tag along. You might try to arrange your work schedule to come in late for a few days to get the kids established in their morning routine. You might befriend a SAHM to help you out when its raining and your kids need a ride...and pay her well!!!

 

[VAfamily1998]

Ugh, I'd be unhappy about that situation too.

I'd see if there is a neighbor with kids in the same school as yours, that drives his/her kids, and see if they would be willing to drive yours in exchange for a little gas money. Is your neighborhood part of a HOA? Maybe see if there is a Facebook page for your community or listserve or something, where you can ask--if you don't have any luck with your immediate neighbors.

We live about 1.5 miles away from the elementary school, and I think about 2 miles from the middle school, and all kids are bussed...

But I know the school district where I went to school, many many years ago, does not provide free bus transportation. You have to pay $481/year for a bus pass, and there is a limited amount of passes so if you don't get them early, you are out of luck...plus, I looked at where the closest bus stop was to the house I grew up in--more than 1.5 miles away! I think my parents would have had a fit if they had to pay almost $500 for me to walk 1.5 miles to take a bus to school!

 

[clm10308]

That distance sounds normal to me now.

The district near Houston where I used to live provided busing for all students no matter the distance. When my DD was in the middle school, there was even a late bus to bring kids home after the afterschool activities. Then about 4 or 5 years ago the state started to have major budget issues which trickled down to the school districts.

Eventually, the district could not afford to provide busing for students living under 2 miles from school. There are a few exceptions due to very busy roadways, but it is possible to have a kinder student having to walk up to 2 miles each way.

In reality, what happened is that parent traffic to the schools increased significantly which causes new problems when the streets are not designed to handle that amount of cars waiting each day. I remember the first day of school under this new system. The parent pick up line at the elem school that my DD had previously atTended took over 2 hrs.

 

[Hrhpd]

We are moving to a new neighborhood 2 days before school starts and just found out there's no bus service to our house. I hadn't even thought about it because in my opinion, we're "far" from school. The transportation office says if you are within 1.5 miles, no bus service is offered. Mapquest and Google Maps say we are 1.55 miles. That seems like a long way for daily to and from walks, especially in IL weather. I am scrambling at this point because we don't know anyone in the new neighborhood, and there is no way dh or I can drive the kids to school. We leave 30 minutes before they start and get home 75 minutes after they get out. WWYD? And don't tell me I'm a helicopter parent because I don't want my daughter and 60 lb. 12 year old son walking 3+ miles a day and crossing a 4 lane road (there is a 4 way stop).

5 miles each way, uphill both ways. Oh wait, that is what my parents claimed.

Our district is 1 mile for elementary (k-5th), 2 miles for middle and high school (6th -12th).

I would call the school and see if there is a car pool sign up.

 

[Hrhpd]

Most schools open the building (at least parts of it) at least 30 minutes before bell; otherwise it is tough to consult with a teacher before school.
I think you could probably take turns driving them in the am.

As to after, at that age as long as they are walking together it should not be bad, and they won't be the only kids on the street. When school lets out there are between 300-500 kids streaming through our neighborhood, so there is some safety in numbers at 3 pm. (It's a major bugbear around here because this is the home of the so-called Missouri Miracle. I like to point out that the boys involved in those incidents lived on VERY rural roads, and were grabbed after the school bus rolled away when there was not another human within sight. That is pretty much NEVER the case in our city neighborhood in daylight; there is always someone jogging or walking a dog, etc.)

As to my kids, DD is too young to walk yet (her preschool is 5 mi. away), but DS has been walking alone for going on 5 years now, since 6th grade. We got him a cheap prepaid cell phone to carry with him. Middle school was .75 mi, HS is 1.2 mi. DH or I drop him in the mornings because he is just NOT a morning person and would have a hard time getting out of the house in time to make the 7:45 bell if he walked, but he gets himself home. As his HS has a lot of walkers and bike commuters, the cafeteria is open for study hall and quiet socializing starting at 6:30 am.

PS: Though the middle school has no formal aftercare, there is a little underground economy of SAHP's who host afterschool time in their homes for older kids. No programming, just a place to hang out, do your homework or get in some playing until your parents can come pick you up. The money is strictly under-the-table, of course.

Our district does not allow children on any school grounds more than 15 minutes before the bell rings. And absolutely no children in the building before school. There is no supervision outside and the teachers are usually in meetings or doing planning, so the school cannot assume responsibility.

If you have an appointment with a teacher before school, you check in with the office. If your appointment ends before school starts, your child must go back outside or stay with you until they are allowed on school grounds.

We do have before and after school care arranged by the Y if you need to drop your kids off early. But you have to be registered for the program and you have to pay a monthly fee. You cannot just use it for the occasional drop off.

 

[Hrhpd]

1.5 miles is fine. You can drop them off 30 min (which is when they will leave anyway).

Then it is one walk a day home. Again 1.5 miles is nothing.

Also leave them $20 in case the weather is THAT bad and they have to call a cab once a month or so

Not an option in our district as you cannot be on school grounds sooner than 15 minutes before the bell rings. So, the OP would need to check the school policies before she dropped her kids off that early.

In our district there would not be any supervising teachers outside 30 minutes before the bell rings, so I wouldn't want my child standing around a school without any adults around.

 

[RunDanceSkate]

1.1 mile walk until end grade 6.

2 mile walk grade 7 to 12, occasion gets a ride home if after school activities run late (after dark), or friend has a car.

DD likes to pick up an extra credit in the summer and the nearest summer school is 3.2 miles, she bikes to that one.

My kids always carried a small umbrella, and had hats and gloves in the winter (we are further north then you). Occasionally they came home soaked. DD was caught in a hail storm the other day that actually destroyed her chain guard. Neither really seem to be bother by it once they had a hot shower.

 

[Coconut36]

We are moving to a new neighborhood 2 days before school starts and just found out there's no bus service to our house. I hadn't even thought about it because in my opinion, we're "far" from school. The transportation office says if you are within 1.5 miles, no bus service is offered. Mapquest and Google Maps say we are 1.55 miles. That seems like a long way for daily to and from walks, especially in IL weather. I am scrambling at this point because we don't know anyone in the new neighborhood, and there is no way dh or I can drive the kids to school. We leave 30 minutes before they start and get home 75 minutes after they get out. WWYD? And don't tell me I'm a helicopter parent because I don't want my daughter and 60 lb. 12 year old son walking 3+ miles a day and crossing a 4 lane road (there is a 4 way stop).

So one of your kids is 6th or 7th grade (the 12 year old)..what grade is the other child?

Here busing goes by grade level in regards to distance.

Kindergarten - students who live over 1/2 mile from school.
Grades 1-6 - students who live over 1 mile from school.
Grades 7-8 - students who live over 1 1/2 miles from school.
Grades 9-12 - students who live over 1 3/4 miles from school

1.5 miles for a 12+ year old would = no bus. The way our boundaries are set up for our school the middle school kids have NO busing because the boundaries mean they are less than 1 1/2 miles from school.

I don't think 1.5 miles is all that unreasonable at all.

 

[Coconut36]

Most schools open the building (at least parts of it) at least 30 minutes before bell; otherwise it is tough to consult with a teacher before school.
I think you could probably take turns driving them in the am.

Very much not the case here. Gates open 15 minutes prior to school starting. If you drop your child off before that time they are milling around outside school and there is ZERO staff outside..only supervision occurs once gates open.

 

[NotUrsula]

Our district does not allow children on any school grounds more than 15 minutes before the bell rings. And absolutely no children in the building before school. There is no supervision outside and the teachers are usually in meetings or doing planning, so the school cannot assume responsibility.

If you have an appointment with a teacher before school, you check in with the office. If your appointment ends before school starts, your child must go back outside or stay with you until they are allowed on school grounds.

We do have before and after school care arranged by the Y if you need to drop your kids off early. But you have to be registered for the program and you have to pay a monthly fee. You cannot just use it for the occasional drop off.

Well, I did mean middle school or older. Still, that's pretty draconian -- how on earth do they safely do all of the drop-offs/unloads in under 15 minutes? Does everyone have to park until the buzzer sounds and then shove the kids out, LOL? I can't imagine it myself; the police would never allow that kind of traffic backup on the streets around the school near me when it is entirely preventable; the local residents would riot over not being able to get out to get to work.

At our grade schools, the driveway gate is opened 30 minutes before first bell; the walking gate is always open during daylight hours. The kids are lining up with their classmates 15 minutes before first bell; the teachers are standing on the line numbers at that point. When first bell rings the lines walk, and by second bell the students must be in the classrooms and seated; otherwise they have to be processed as tardy.

With older kids I really don't see how it's that much of an issue, surely a group of them can wait right outside the gate on the sidewalk for 15 minutes without wandering into traffic or killing one another? If violence is a problem, then I would think that a guard should be in place.