Time vs. Money re: walking the kids to school

[simplertimes]

So my children will be attending a school exactly 1 mile away from our home next year.  This will shorten my current 25 mile daily drive to 4 miles, hooray!  Right now I drive 6 miles to take them to school, then 6 miles home, then 6 miles back to pick them up, and 6 miles home again.

In theory it sounds wonderful to walk them to school, but in reality I can already feel myself dreading it.  The 6 and 8 year old will only have to walk one mile each way, but I will have to walk 2 miles each way with a 2 year old in the stroller.

Now I'm a pretty fit person and not too concerned about the physical effort required.  What I am more concerned about is the time!  If it takes me 20 minutes each way, that's 80 minutes a day spent walking to/from the school!  That's not nothing!  In fact it's more time than I spend driving the daily 25 miles right now (12 minutes each way by car).

I'm interested in thoughts and experiences on this.  Bike riding is not an option for a number of reasons, so please assume my choices here are walking versus driving.

I'm thinking of driving them in the mornings and walking to get them in the afternoons, as sort of a compromise. 

[LouLou]

My mom used to walk me to school when I was that age and I have really fond memories of it. Seriously, I drove down some of those streets when I visited my hometown for the holidays and got the warm and fuzzies.  That said, I enjoy walking (more than biking or driving).

I would view the walk as a great time to build memories and get some exercise. Give yourself permission to drive if the weather is terrible (torrential rain, strong winds, etc) or if you have a particularly busy day ahead.

[3okirb]

Do it one day a week to start.  Make it a special Friday thing, etc.  If you like it, do it more, if you don't, you can still feel good that you're doing it sometimes and you don't have to worry about missing out on the memories.

It doesn't have to be an all or nothing, does it?

[QuietlyFrugal]

At 6 and 8 years old, they should be old enough to walk themselves to school.  I might understand not wanting to send a single child alone, but the two of them can do it together (safety in numbers--would encourage you to look for other kids in the area who might want to join in), gain some independence, and have some blissfully unmonitored time that is all too rare for kids now.  I walked to school with my older sibling and friends from grades 1-8 and it was a big part of my childhood.

So maybe do it with them the first few weeks to make sure they understand the route, how to safely cross, your expectations for coming straight home, etc.  And gradually start walking them to school in the morning, and have them walk themselves home at the end of the day (that way you have an expected time they'll be home, in case you think you might worry about them all day not knowing how the morning walk went).  And finally, they walk both ways, and you have even more time than you did before.

[trashmanz]

Audiobooks on the way back. But really if it were me I'd try to enjoy the time with the young one. They will still appreciate all the things you can point out and discuss with them.

[Zamboni]

^We did that when I was a kid and it was about a mile home (a little more I think.)

Now, though, it seems to be frowned upon, which is weird. In fact, my son was able to correctly identify Ramona the Pest as fiction as opposed to nonfiction on his 2nd grade homework assignment. Why? Because Ramona walks by herself to school and she is only in kindergarten. There is NO WAY that could be real in his 2nd grade life experience. He was totally blown away when I told him I walked home from school every day in kindergarten; we all did in a gigantic pack that slowly distributed children at their various doors. No parents.

In any case, I think you will enjoy the walk in nice weather. Just make driving a rare thing and the kids will also start to like it. It's probably the healthiest thing you can do for yourself.

[Adventine]

As others have pointed out, it isn't as straightforward as weighing time vs. money. Consider the exercise you can get and memories you can create by walking with your kids every day. Are these things worth the change in your routine?

[justajane]

I walk my kids every day to school and back, but our school is only a half of a mile. On the walk at 7:00 a.m. I am able to drop one off at the bus in front of the other kids' school. That means I'm back home by 7:30ish. Then in the afternoon, I walk to pick up the older one at 2:45. Takes 30 minutes. Then thirty minutes later I have to leave again to walk to the bus stop two blocks over to get the younger kid. All told, I spend about an hour and 15 minutes on school runs. Sometimes it annoys me, but most of the time I love not having to get in the car. We talk on the way, plus I have a toddler that I get to contain for that amount of time in the stroller instead of chasing him around the house or yard. Win win.

If it were a mile, I'd still do it, but probably not every day. I personally would not be comfortable letting a 6 and 8 year old walk alone, but there are plenty of people in the neighbor who let their kids do that. I will likely explore it when my eldest is 9 and the middle child is 7 but probably only allow it full time when they are 10 and 8.

[Gin1984]

At 6 and 8 years old, they should be old enough to walk themselves to school.  I might understand not wanting to send a single child alone, but the two of them can do it together (safety in numbers--would encourage you to look for other kids in the area who might want to join in), gain some independence, and have some blissfully unmonitored time that is all too rare for kids now.  I walked to school with my older sibling and friends from grades 1-8 and it was a big part of my childhood.

So maybe do it with them the first few weeks to make sure they understand the route, how to safely cross, your expectations for coming straight home, etc.  And gradually start walking them to school in the morning, and have them walk themselves home at the end of the day (that way you have an expected time they'll be home, in case you think you might worry about them all day not knowing how the morning walk went).  And finally, they walk both ways, and you have even more time than you did before.

Given that cops have picked up children of that age, and older and CPS has kept the children away for them walking without supervision, I would not advise this.

[CanuckExpat]

I guess the immediate question to me is what could you be doing better with your time than a nice walk outside: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaInS6HIGo

I actually mean that seriously, in that when I was off work for two months, I replaced my commuting time with long walks with the dogs. I loved it.

[okits]

I would try to walk as a way to force myself to get exercise.  Not only that, your kids are getting exercise.

Otherwise, half and half, as you mentioned.

[Playing with Fire UK]

I also enjoyed walking to school with parents/siblings.

[Shiernian]

I like the idea of one day a week and see how it goes. Just do your best!

[markbrynn]

I like the idea of one day a week and see how it goes. Just do your best!

Not to pick on you specifically, but this is (IMHO) a bit of a lame comment, especially on this forum. OP should be getting lots of support and encouragement to do it every day, because it is healthy, less expensive, less wasteful, less lame, less lazy...

Just do your best? I think doing OP's best would be to walk with the kids every day (assuming you think walking is better).

C'mon, let's motivate each other to be better, not give support for doing less.

Walk every day, both ways. You won't regret it.

[justajane]

I like the idea of one day a week and see how it goes. Just do your best!

Not to pick on you specifically, but this is (IMHO) a bit of a lame comment, especially on this forum. OP should be getting lots of support and encouragement to do it every day, because it is healthy, less expensive, less wasteful, less lame, less lazy...

Just do your best? I think doing OP's best would be to walk with the kids every day (assuming you think walking is better).

C'mon, let's motivate each other to be better, not give support for doing less.

Walk every day, both ways. You won't regret it.

Ever heard of the perfect is the enemy of the good? I think that's the idea here. The all-or-nothing mentality is just usually not as effective as a gradual approach. This applies to finances, diets, and many, many other things including a change of routine like this one. In that sense, I don't think suggesting for the OP to try it out once a week is "letting her off the hook"; rather, it's giving him or her the time and the space to make a change in her life incrementally. If the OP really enjoys it, she/he is almost certainly going to increase the number of daily walks. Your hard core approach, which essentially comes across as "come on, don't be a lazy ass, walk every day!" is probably less likely to lead to long term success and to the results that you (and most of us here) think are optimum.

[AZDude]

I would also ask what you are giving up by walking and why do see walking with your children as a "waste of time"? Maybe changing your mindset and realizing that by walking you get to spend extra time with your children, get some exercise and set a good example for the future.

[KCM5]

I would also ask what you are giving up by walking and why do see walking with your children as a "waste of time"? Maybe changing your mindset and realizing that by walking you get to spend extra time with your children, get some exercise and set a good example for the future.

I think it's important for children to see that they can get around in their daily life without a car. The car is not the default. Our world does not have to revolve around cars. There are alternatives. I know that sounds obvious, but where I'm from it's not. So just getting kids into that mindset sets them up for a different way of viewing the world. One that's healthier for them, their neighborhood, and the planet.

[zhelud]

At 6 and 8 years old, they should be old enough to walk themselves to school.  I might understand not wanting to send a single child alone, but the two of them can do it together (safety in numbers--would encourage you to look for other kids in the area who might want to join in), gain some independence, and have some blissfully unmonitored time that is all too rare for kids now.  I walked to school with my older sibling and friends from grades 1-8 and it was a big part of my childhood.

So maybe do it with them the first few weeks to make sure they understand the route, how to safely cross, your expectations for coming straight home, etc.  And gradually start walking them to school in the morning, and have them walk themselves home at the end of the day (that way you have an expected time they'll be home, in case you think you might worry about them all day not knowing how the morning walk went).  And finally, they walk both ways, and you have even more time than you did before.

This.  When I was in first grade, I walked to school every day under the "supervision" of my friend's brother who was in third grade.
If you are really worried, give the older one a cheapo cell phone for emergencies.

[coppertop]

As someone whose children are now 35, 33, and 31 years old and who all live in different states, it makes me sad that people do not treasure this time with their children while they are young.  I would give anything to be able to take walks with my children every day, as well as my grandchildren.  The time will come all too quickly when they are grown and gone and you will miss them.  Take those walks and savor every moment. 

[LiveLean]

We live six houses down from a Catholic Church, which we attend for church but do not send our kids to the church's K-8 school. (They go to public school.)

Our neighbors, who live two houses closer, sent their daughters there. I once asked them why I never saw any kids walk or bike there (only an endless car line of clown cars). They said it was not allowed and, in fact, every day they had to walk about 200 yards to pick up the kids and walk them home -- even when they were in eighth grade.

And we wonder why kids today are not independent.

[pompera_firpa]

I've been told that having the kids walk to school gets out their wiggles and makes it easier for them to focus in the classroom, and walking home from school is a pretty good way to let them get the post-school-crazies out of their system by the time they get home. I am strongly in favor of both of these results, and when my daughter starts kindergarten next year you better believe we're walking there.

There's also something to be said about this being a method of badassity training for you and the kiddos. My daughter is up for walking pretty much anywhere because she experiences it as a normal mode of transportation. It's something she knows she can do. It's something she takes pride in. It's something she loves to do, because she can hold my hand (or my husband's, or both) and because we talk and play games along the way, and because we get to look at things together and talk about them. It's easier for me to deal with spending time with her, because she's already physically occupied and that makes her saner. Even when it's hot; even when it's cold; even when it's raining; even when it's snowing.

This has, by the way, included the time that we walked to church in a blizzard (it was like three blocks, but still). She was horrified the whole time-- so was I, I thought I'd made a huge mistake-- and I had to talk her through JUST ONE STEP AT A TIME, NOW ANOTHER ONE, and then cheered her for being such a little badass when we made it there.  She still talks about it. She still uses that as a reference for how much she can do when she works at it. She is still very proud. She learned a lot from it, and so did I. I never knew what she was capable of until that day.

Kids need the experience of doing hard things to find out that they can do it, and parents need the experience of allowing the children adversity and talking them through it. We grow so much through that, it's crazy.

Also-- well, it saves money, it automatically carves out time in your day for some exercise, it carves out time in your day for slowing down, and it gets you out of your StressMobile. You will probably get to wave at the same people along the route every day. You may meet people in your neighborhood that you never would have met otherwise. Your kids will become able to find their way home easily, in case of emergency, because they will know the route on foot already. You won't have to split your concentration between the road and the kids.

Seriously, think of how great this would be. Think of the benefits. Think of what a badass you'll be, what little badasses you're raising, and how all the other parents will say "oh, I wish WE were doing that, too! only [reasons/excuses]," and look at you in envy. Think of the relief of being able to physically MOVE while you're in a hurry, instead of being stuck behind the wheel in traffic with the kids losing their tiny minds in the back. You're gonna do, this, you're gonna love it, you're going to grow from it and the kids are going to be magnificent.

DO IT.

[Jakejake]

I would also ask what you are giving up by walking and why do see walking with your children as a "waste of time"? Maybe changing your mindset and realizing that by walking you get to spend extra time with your children, get some exercise and set a good example for the future.

That echoes my thoughts exactly. This is assuming you are a SAHM, of course - but if you have the time to spend with your kids, 80 minutes a day of spending quality time with them without other distractions (chores you're doing and tv or internet they are watching) is a huge luxury, not something to dread. And like pompera_firpa posted, there are studies showing students who walk or bike to school are actually more successful students. Plus everyone gets the health benefits and you are modeling for them frugal/healthy/self-sufficient behavior. It sounds like a win all around.

[mamagoose]

We are in the exact same situation - 1 mile from school - and will be walking unless it's raining, both ways. Right now my daughter's in preschool also 1 mile away down the same stretch of road, and we bike b/c that's a lot to put on her little legs (she can do about 0.75 miles now, we're working our way up). The only times we drive are if 1) it's raining, 2) I'm sick, or 3) I have a meeting or somewhere to be right after pickup/dropoff that requires the car. Yes it will take more time to walk than drive, but not much more when you consider the circus of getting my kid into the car and then waiting in that dumbass carpool line. I hope we'll be the "walking schoolbus" family, since she's an only child & it would be cool to have a group of her buddies walk together. She's also the kind of kid that needs to "get the wiggles out".

[frugal rph]

I live about a mile from my 8 year old's school and have a 10 month old.  On the week days I don't work, he bikes to and from school with friends about 75% of the time.  The other 25%, we drive in the morning due to weather or time constraints and I walk to bring him home.  I don't mind him biking home, but I don't want him to walk home alone.  The older the baby gets, the less she likes being in the stroller that long.  Plus, if we walk in the mornings, she falls asleep in the stroller but wakes up when we get home.  Then she is cranky because she doesn't get a good morning nap.  I would love to walk both ways everyday, but it is not as easy with a younger child.  Before the baby was born, I walked or biked with my son both ways almost everyday.

I think I would only do this one way to start out and see how it goes.  The older the 2 year old gets, the more he/she will be able to walk and you will probably all enjoy it more.

[HipGnosis]

It doesn't have to be a binary decision - you have the option of driving part way. 
And how far you drive / walk is another variable.
Everywhere I've seen, dropping off and picking up kids when you drive is a nightmare that I would avoid if at all reasonably possible.

Drive further on bad weather days, and walk more on nice days.  Even the am/pm amounts can be different. 

And I bet your kids will talk with you a LOT more while walking than while riding.

[mm1970]

So my children will be attending a school exactly 1 mile away from our home next year.  This will shorten my current 25 mile daily drive to 4 miles, hooray!  Right now I drive 6 miles to take them to school, then 6 miles home, then 6 miles back to pick them up, and 6 miles home again.

In theory it sounds wonderful to walk them to school, but in reality I can already feel myself dreading it.  The 6 and 8 year old will only have to walk one mile each way, but I will have to walk 2 miles each way with a 2 year old in the stroller.

Now I'm a pretty fit person and not too concerned about the physical effort required.  What I am more concerned about is the time!  If it takes me 20 minutes each way, that's 80 minutes a day spent walking to/from the school!  That's not nothing!  In fact it's more time than I spend driving the daily 25 miles right now (12 minutes each way by car).

I'm interested in thoughts and experiences on this.  Bike riding is not an option for a number of reasons, so please assume my choices here are walking versus driving.

I'm thinking of driving them in the mornings and walking to get them in the afternoons, as sort of a compromise.

It's not either/ or.

My husband started walking our son to school on Wednesdays a year or so ago.  When our work schedules changed, I picked up that day.  Our school is up over a big hill, but it's only 3/4 mile.  In any event, I walk with my son (9), the neighbor girls (9 and 7), and my 3 year old (in the stroller) to school.  Then I walk the 3 yo home, take him to daycare, then work.  Except on days like today when it's pouring down rain.

My up-the-hill neighbor does not drive.  So, her husband drops their kids off at school on his way to work.  She walks up to get them on the way home.  (Sometimes she bikes, but it's not a very safe route to ride.)  For awhile, she was walking them to school and back, so 3 miles a day (sometimes 4.5). I'd like to add that she is in her mid to late 50's, incredibly trim, and "can eat whatever I want because I walk everywhere."  She has never struggled with weight.

Personally, I love walking to school because I get to hear the little conversations that the kids have with me and each other.  It's amazing!  I also enjoy the outdoors, and it forces me to slow down and not stress about how it's a 5 minute drive and 20 minute walk.

I think if  you do it regularly you will really enjoy it, but again, it's not either/ or.  There is no driving police.  If you are running late and drive to pick up the kiddos in the afternoon, nobody's gonna yell at you.  4 miles a day, 20 miles a week, that beats the gym!

[mm1970]

At 6 and 8 years old, they should be old enough to walk themselves to school.  I might understand not wanting to send a single child alone, but the two of them can do it together (safety in numbers--would encourage you to look for other kids in the area who might want to join in), gain some independence, and have some blissfully unmonitored time that is all too rare for kids now.  I walked to school with my older sibling and friends from grades 1-8 and it was a big part of my childhood.

So maybe do it with them the first few weeks to make sure they understand the route, how to safely cross, your expectations for coming straight home, etc.  And gradually start walking them to school in the morning, and have them walk themselves home at the end of the day (that way you have an expected time they'll be home, in case you think you might worry about them all day not knowing how the morning walk went).  And finally, they walk both ways, and you have even more time than you did before.

Given that cops have picked up children of that age, and older and CPS has kept the children away for them walking without supervision, I would not advise this.

I agree, it also depends on the area.  I told my husband that considering that part of our route does not have sidewalks, and is a narrow winding road that people speed on, I don't see allowing my 9 yo to walk to school on his own.

My husband walked about 0.5 mile to school and back in the morning, after school, and at lunch - every day - starting in kindergarten. 

Times have changed, though.  Honestly, this year I read some research on when kids are able to safely walk to school.  When it comes to crossing the street safely, and waiting for traffic - the answer is 10 years old.  SOME kids are able to do it as early as 7 or 8, but MOST kids are able to do it by age 10.

[mm1970]

As someone whose children are now 35, 33, and 31 years old and who all live in different states, it makes me sad that people do not treasure this time with their children while they are young.  I would give anything to be able to take walks with my children every day, as well as my grandchildren.  The time will come all too quickly when they are grown and gone and you will miss them.  Take those walks and savor every moment.

This.  For a long time, I never walked my son to school, ever, because "I have to get to work!!  I don't have time!!"

You know, I started walking about a year ago, just once a week, and I'm so glad I did.  Not only do I get to talk to him, and his little friends to see what they talk about - I also get some time to chat with other parents at the school, and get some PTA stuff done.  It's been very good for me to not have the binary thing going on.

[I'm a red panda]

Rather than once a week, I would suggest at least once a day; driving in the morning, walk in the afternoon.

To me it isn't a time vs. money things (or do you have something billable you could be doing during that saved time that driving would actually EARN you a lot of money?)

I think you should look at it as time spent with the kids. That's a good thing.

[simplertimes]

I never intended to suggest I think spending quality time with my children is a waste of time! I am shocked that so many people interpreted it that way!  I am a stay at home mother with a 1, 5 and 7 year old.  I spend plenty of quality time with them, and am a very active parent (i.e. minimal tv, no video games, reading together every day, baking projects, outdoor play and gardening, crafts etc.). 

I guess I was thinking of the situation more in direct comparison to driving them to their current school.  When I realized their new school would be 1 mile away instead of the current 6 miles, I thought hooray I won't be spending an hour a day taking them to school!  But my next thought was, hey I should walk them!  And then, oh then that makes the commute even longer!  Surely someone here with kids knows it's not always easy to get out the door on time (with multiple kids, backpacks, lunches and water bottles, hats and coats etc.) and could see the appeal of a 5 minute drive versus a 20 minute walk in the mornings...

And so I was looking for experiences that people have had who are in this situation.  Spending 40 minutes walking in the morning to get 20 minutes of quality time with the older two, then 40 minutes walking home.  I wondered if anyone else has done this and what their experiences were like, or if anyone has done this and found themselves just plain old burned out!  Walking so much every day with such young children is very different than walking 2 miles to work each day alone.  In fact I could see it taking 30 minutes or more for their little legs and my middle son who likes to stop and pick leaves from every shrub haha.

So to interpret my concerns as "jeeze why would you consider spending quality time with your children a waste of time?" was pretty offensive.

I do go to the gym three days a week, mostly for my own sanity as it gives me a break from the toddler-who-gets-into-everything (again, stay at home mom here, with no extended family support) and also for my health and wellbeing.  I would like to continue doing this, and the gym is actually a half a mile from the school.

So I was thinking of driving them on Mon/Wed/Fri in the morning and swinging over to the gym, and then walking them all the other times (Tue/Thur mornings and every single afternoon).  But I may receive suggestions to walk 1 mile to the school, then half a mile to the gym, then 1.5 miles home from the gym (with toddler in stroller). 

Am I really the only person who feels like this might be a waste of time, not because I hate my kids, but because I could leave the house at 8:30am and not return until nearly lunchtime on those days?  Walking almost an hour those mornings so I can work out for an hour on top of that?

I could stop going to the gym and only do the walking, but then when how will I get my little zen breaks, my little moment to myself where I am not needed by children?  Life will be different when my youngest is also in school and I know it gets easier when they are no longer toddlers, but I guess I was hoping for more insight from people in similar situations who would understand what I'm talking about.

[onlykelsey]

I never intended to suggest I think spending quality time with my children is a waste of time!

Yeah, people really jumped all over you for that. 

I've done nannying, but am not a mother, so take this with a grain of salt, but getting more than one child in the car at once is somehow always a 30 minute process for me.  Maybe you're awesome at this, but I would price that in to the time equation.  I suppose you'll have to be extra careful not to forget something for the kids since you can't turn around and drive back, but since they're 5 and 7 I imagine you could continue your walk and drop the lost lunch off a half hour later, no?

[fruitfly]

I think a lot of people forget/don't know how LONG it takes to walk anywhere with children (or maybe it is just mine!). I walk my almost 7 year old to school every morning (on my way to the bus stop). It's 3 blocks. It often takes 15 minutes! Not to mention the delays in getting out the door.

I probably would do the walking myself but only because I hate driving (and my kids hate the car). But your schedule seems like a good compromise between walking and time management. Maybe you'll really enjoy it!

[I'm a red panda]

What's the car line at your school like?
My sister drives puts 3 kids into the car to take her son to school (8 miles) but parks a half mile away and loads up a double stroller for her twins to walk them the rest of the way because driving him in is such a pain. If that's worth it, it seems that walking a mile is.

[onlykelsey]

What's the car line at your school like?

I did not even know this was a thing until I left the Northeast and moved to Texas.  I don't understand it, and it seems so awful for all these 3 foot tall people to stand outside with the idling exhaust of 100 SUVs.  Drop-off lines are no joke, and my neighbor determined that if they lived less than a 35 minute walk from school, it was faster to walk the kid than drive.

[MsPeacock]

Do your kids know how to ride bikes, and is the route kid friendly for bikes? I ask because my 3rd grader *loves* that he can ride his bike to school (or walk). Something about the bike makes him feel particularly grown-up and responsible, and he loves that he has a lock and key for his bike. The distance is less than a mile, and the school is situated inside our neighborhood. I am amazed at the number of parents who drive their children a few blocks to school, or walk them to school rather than letting them walk on their own ( because it is a matter of only a few blocks inside an extremely sedate neighborhood).

For a mile, I'd do it some and work towards having them take more of the walk on their own (e.g. start meeting them a few blocks away).

[Jschange]

My answer in my head is like your solution. I was going to say walk there every morning and do a guilt free mix of driving an walking home, depending on what you and the littlest are doing. Combine drive times with another errand

My other idea is to start a side hustle being a walking school bus, or trade 2 pickups a week with another sahm. That way the kids get both walks, you start your day with quality time and a walk, but you and the 2 year old can keep baking or doing crafts. 

[justajane]

OP, I will admit that I get tired of walking every day, but what keeps me doing it is that driving wouldn't really be much better. Getting three kids in the car with their seats buckled takes a decent amount of time too!

For us, the hardest part about getting the kids to school, however, is what happens before they get out the door. The dressing, the teeth brushing, the shoes (oh, the shoes!!), the lunches, etc. etc. These struggles exist whether you choose walking or driving.

I also have seen the drive through lane at my kids' elementary school, and it looks like a total clusterfuck. People also drive pretty aggressively and there are long lines to get to the roundabout. The thought of that stresses me out more than the walk.

Do other families walk? That's one of my other favorite parts of walking. I run into almost the same people everyday. I often have conversations with other parents and kids. It's a nice touchstone in my life and makes me feel very connected to my school and community.

So, that's my experience. Yours could be totally different. 

[Jakejake]

I also have seen the drive through lane at my kids' elementary school, and it looks like a total clusterfuck. People also drive pretty aggressively and there are long lines to get to the roundabout. The thought of that stresses me out more than the walk.

It's like that where I teach. On days  I drive, I get hugely aggravated when I can't park to get to my classroom because the lot is blocked with parents dropping off their kids, and when the day ends, I'm trapped in the parking lot and can't just leave. My mood is way better when I bike in.

[justajane]

The walk this morning was a good example of why I keep doing it. We were walking as usual and turned the corner to a beautiful pink and blue sunrise. Marvel from all ensured. I guess we could have experienced the same thing in the car, but it felt much more special while walking.

[MrsPete]

About the making memories thing -- yeah, that's great.  Now that my kids are both in college, I do look back fondly on the routines we used to follow; however, I know realistically that those routines were sometimes frustrating and overly time consuming. 

Rather than assume it'll take 20 minutes each way, I suggest you walk it (with the kids, obviously) and be SURE.  Why I say that:  I despise a couple chores around the house -- like mopping the kitchen floor, something I'd put off and put off and put off -- but I read in a magazine somewhere that if you time yourself, you'll probably find that this chore isn't as time-consuming as you think.  Sure enough, mopping my kitchen floor actually takes about 7 minutes ... it just feels like a 30 minute chore because I hate it so much.  So, knowing the actual time, it's easier to force myself to just get up and do it instead of dreading it and looking at the dirty floor for weeks. 

I also agree with the idea of considering the "round trip" time for walking vs. driving:  Measure your actual time -- getting the baby into the car seat, waiting in line, etc. 

Finally, I agree with the posters who say, Don't make it an all or nothing thing.  I would not walk a mile with two school children and a kid in a stroller in the rain or snow.  Just not gonna do it.  But on a nice day?  Sure.  I also like the idea of "starting small" -- and I'd do it on Fridays.  On Fridays more parents "pick up", and the car lines are horrible, so you have more to benefit by walking on Fridays. 

[coppertop]

I have to admit to being a bit shocked at this driving kids to school thing.  Around here, buses have to run whether the kids are on them or not, so buses are driving all over the area half-full while all over the school district, parents whose kids are eligible to take the bus are loading their kids in cars and driving them, clogging up the roadways and burning a lot of fuel.  This morning, I had to stop behind a school bus that picked up one child at a driveway.  Then the bus started up again, drove two houses down, and everyone had to stop and wait again while it picked up another child.  Ridiculous waste of time and fuel, and the taxpayers are footing the bill for this.  I also see SUV's idling at the ends of driveways - mother at the wheel and kids in the back seat.  When the bus pulls up, the kids get out of the car and get into the school bus, while mother backs her car back up the driveway and parks it and goes into the house.  Lord forbid the little darlings stand out in the open air.  I know - I sound like the geezer who says back in the day he had to walk to school uphill both ways.  But the waste I observe on my morning commute just drives me nuts. 

[simplertimes]

To coppertop, that does indeed sound wasteful!  In our town the school bus only goes to houses that are more than two miles from the school I believe, so taking the bus isn't an option for us.

I will definitely explore the walking school bus idea, as well as taking turns with some of the neighbors.  I have one neighbor friend whose child already goes to the school, so I will talk to her to find out more about what the drop off line is like, etc.

There is a patch of woods near the school that will be fun to walk through coming home, on days when we are not very busy.  I do worry about how the currently 18-month-old toddler is going to behave - right now he will stay in the stroller for a little while but then kicks and hollers because he wants to walk with the big kids.  Eventually I can bring our wagon and various kids can get in/out as they please.

The walk is along a tree lined street on the sidewalk, but the street is one of the busiest in our area and a main road people take to get downtown.  There is a bike lane but I wouldn't trust my two oldest on it because of the traffic and the fact that they are still using training wheels (a goal this summer is to get rid of them!).  I want to see if other people's kids ride bikes on that sidewalk or how it all works, something my friend could tell me and mostly I will just have to see for myself.

I love being outside and in nature, and so I am looking forward to walking with them.  I used to take them on weekly walks in the woods when I lived in another state, and cherish those memories.

I just think there is a difference between walking for pleasure at a leisurely pace, and needing to get to school on time and home in time to make dinner etc.  One reason we are transferring to this school is to build more of a sense of community for our children, as their current charter school has mostly kids who live at least half an hour away from us.  I agree that walking will help with this community-building, and I am pleased to read about so many of you who have experienced this firsthand!

When I titled the post time vs. money, I was thinking in terms of the time spent walking as compared to the gas, wear and tear, and environmental impact of driving.  So part of my concern was, what is the financial/environmental cost of driving 4 miles a day as compared to 80+ minutes of walking?

I love that their school is going to be so close.  For one thing, right now if they forget their lunch I have to drive another 12 miles round trip just to bring it to them!  If this happens at the new school I can easily hop on my bike and ride it over.

It has been helpful to read the supportive comments and positive experiences here.  At this point my plan is to:

1.  Practice walking to the school over the summer, to strengthen their legs and build some endurance and see how long it actually takes.  Their playground and nearby woods are so beautiful it would be a worthwhile trip in the summer.
 
I tried to walk with them one summer day when they were 4 and 6 years old, and they complained nonstop once we were halfway there, and then I got lost and we had to come home while they whined the whole time about how hot and thirsty and tired they were (big mistake to try walking them on a 90 degree day haha!).  So I'm sure this negative experience is coloring my perception some.

2.  Practice walking with them longer distances in general.  We already walk to the local library and ice cream shop (.6 miles), but this summer I want to try walking with them to our community garden plot (1.7 miles).  It will take up most of the day, but we can walk there, garden, eat a snack, play on the playground and visit the pond, then walk home in time for the littlest's afternoon nap.

3.  Begin the new school routine of driving them Mon/Wed/Fri mornings and walking all other times.  Then re-evaluate as needed!  I personally wouldn't mind walking in light rain/colder weather, and we have walked to the library before in our snow pants.  But the youngest will have a harder time staying comfortable as he'll be outside 40+ minutes with me.

I imagine it will end up being one of those things that I do whenever possible, but allow some flexibility. 

One more word to those folks who said, "what could possibly be more important than quality time with your children?":  there is enough mommy guilt in the hearts of those of us who truly value motherhood and find ourselves overwhelmed and pulled in many directions without being shamed for wanting to explore the most effective school commute solutions!

Remember I am also trying to live a more mustachian lifestyle in general.  This means I am cooking from scratch and making my own bread now (takes more time), shopping at Costco in addition to my regular grocery trips (takes more time), shopping at thrift stores for clothes instead of ordering on Khols.com (takes more time), and I already grow most of my own vegetables vs. buying them (takes more time).  Now I am considering INCREASING my daily commute time even though the kids are going to a closer school, which once again takes more time.

At the end of the day I really do think these things are a matter of Time vs. Money, these things (including walking to school vs. driving) save money but cost time.  Yes there are countless other benefits besides saving money (environmental impact, quality time with kids, etc.), but just like money, time is a finite resource.

Folks who are reminding me to "cherish every minute" may be forgetting that that is impossible, sort of a fantasy vs. reality situation in which the thought of walking with the little ones sounds so wonderful, but the reality may be entirely different.  I will be doing this daily for eight years, while it will certainly fly by I'm sure there will be days when I will be frustrated!

[golden1]

In your shoes, I would walk them to school then run back, then run to school and walk them back.  Running a mile takes 10 minutes or less, so you would shave off 20 minutes a day just by running.  You would get in good shape fairly quickly doing that and if you are using time to exercise currently, this would multitask that away.   

However, walking two miles a day for kids who aren't used to it would be rough, so maybe do it one day a week at first, and drive them the rest, and slowly work up to more days.

And yeah, the OP runs the risk of having CPS called on her if she lets her kids walk alone at that age. 

[Zette]

I started this year with very good intentions of walking my twin kindergarten daughters to and from school.  We used scooters -- the trip to school is all downhill, and the trip home is all uphill (moderately to fairly steep).  I found it took 15 minutes with the kids to get to school, 15 minutes for me to get home on my own.  Then after lunch it was 10 minutes for me to get to school alone, and 45 minutes to get the kids back up the hill and home.  Since school only lasts 3.5 hours, I was losing a half an hour each day doing my solo part of the trip.  When added to the aggravation of the trip home, it just wasn't worth the time.

People who don't have small children may not appreciate how precious time without the kids (or with fewer kids) is for a SAHM.  We need the break!

[simplertimes]

I started this year with very good intentions of walking my twin kindergarten daughters to and from school.  We used scooters -- the trip to school is all downhill, and the trip home is all uphill (moderately to fairly steep).  I found it took 15 minutes with the kids to get to school, 15 minutes for me to get home on my own.  Then after lunch it was 10 minutes for me to get to school alone, and 45 minutes to get the kids back up the hill and home.  Since school only lasts 3.5 hours, I was losing a half an hour each day doing my solo part of the trip.  When added to the aggravation of the trip home, it just wasn't worth the time.

People who don't have small children may not appreciate how precious time without the kids (or with fewer kids) is for a SAHM.  We need the break!

This is the most realistic response I've received, thank you!  Walking home will be uphill for us, so we will see how that impacts things.  At this point I am going to just see how our walks go in the summer and be very flexible in my expectations for both myself and my kids.

Even if I drove them every single time, I will have cut my total miles of driving down from 3,840 to 640 per school year. 

I really do want to take advantage of the close proximity to try to walk them, but I'm not sure it's realistic to expect I'll be willing/able to do it every time or that the kids (mainly the toddler) will be willing/able to every time either.

I like the idea of jogging the stretch I am by myself with a stroller.  I am working my way up to running a 5K at the gym and I love it!

[KCM5]

The scooters are a great idea. The kids can scoot, you can walk, the 18 mo old can ride in the stroller. And on the way home, if you find it takes too long, drive some days.

Personally, I'd do all that I can to avoid the car line! But maybe other places aren't as bad as the one I go by on my way to work in the morning. (BLOCKS long. Seriously. I'm looking forward to cruising up on my bicycle.)

[SunshineGirl]

You could also pick a halfway meeting place so your roundtrip walk is a mile and their walking alone time is half a mile. As the day warrants, you could go farther or not go at all on their way home, and instruct them to keep walking if you're not there.

[MrsPete]

You could also pick a halfway meeting place so your roundtrip walk is a mile and their walking alone time is half a mile. As the day warrants, you could go farther or not go at all on their way home, and instruct them to keep walking if you're not there.

Perhaps it's different here, but the school would not allow elementary kids to simply leave and start walking home -- teachers would stop them and bring them back in the building.  Of course, our landscape isn't walking-friendly; that is, we don't have sidewalks, so the kids'd be walking in the road or in the ditch. 

[mm1970]

I never intended to suggest I think spending quality time with my children is a waste of time! I am shocked that so many people interpreted it that way!  I am a stay at home mother with a 1, 5 and 7 year old.  I spend plenty of quality time with them, and am a very active parent (i.e. minimal tv, no video games, reading together every day, baking projects, outdoor play and gardening, crafts etc.). 

I guess I was thinking of the situation more in direct comparison to driving them to their current school.  When I realized their new school would be 1 mile away instead of the current 6 miles, I thought hooray I won't be spending an hour a day taking them to school!  But my next thought was, hey I should walk them!  And then, oh then that makes the commute even longer!  Surely someone here with kids knows it's not always easy to get out the door on time (with multiple kids, backpacks, lunches and water bottles, hats and coats etc.) and could see the appeal of a 5 minute drive versus a 20 minute walk in the mornings...

And so I was looking for experiences that people have had who are in this situation.  Spending 40 minutes walking in the morning to get 20 minutes of quality time with the older two, then 40 minutes walking home.  I wondered if anyone else has done this and what their experiences were like, or if anyone has done this and found themselves just plain old burned out!  Walking so much every day with such young children is very different than walking 2 miles to work each day alone.  In fact I could see it taking 30 minutes or more for their little legs and my middle son who likes to stop and pick leaves from every shrub haha.

So to interpret my concerns as "jeeze why would you consider spending quality time with your children a waste of time?" was pretty offensive.

I do go to the gym three days a week, mostly for my own sanity as it gives me a break from the toddler-who-gets-into-everything (again, stay at home mom here, with no extended family support) and also for my health and wellbeing.  I would like to continue doing this, and the gym is actually a half a mile from the school.

So I was thinking of driving them on Mon/Wed/Fri in the morning and swinging over to the gym, and then walking them all the other times (Tue/Thur mornings and every single afternoon).  But I may receive suggestions to walk 1 mile to the school, then half a mile to the gym, then 1.5 miles home from the gym (with toddler in stroller). 

Am I really the only person who feels like this might be a waste of time, not because I hate my kids, but because I could leave the house at 8:30am and not return until nearly lunchtime on those days?  Walking almost an hour those mornings so I can work out for an hour on top of that?

I could stop going to the gym and only do the walking, but then when how will I get my little zen breaks, my little moment to myself where I am not needed by children?  Life will be different when my youngest is also in school and I know it gets easier when they are no longer toddlers, but I guess I was hoping for more insight from people in similar situations who would understand what I'm talking about.

Well, in everyone's defense, it wasn't clear that you are a SAHM of 3 kids, so it seemed like you were trying to avoid the extra time, maybe a little.

Again, I'm not one to say that you need to walk to school and back all the time.  You know, I could bike to work every day (10 miles), and drive home (my spouse and I work near each other).  But I don't.  If I did that, I could skip the gym!  Same with you and the walking to school - you wouldn't need the gym then.

But here's a secret - I LIKE the gym. I can walk, and work out at home, etc., instead but man, when I can get there (not this week, husband is traveling), there is NOTHING like those 40-45 mins in the pool in the morning, solo with my thoughts and my ability to count to 30 laps.  No noise, no crazy kids, etc.

However, like I also said, walking to or from school is a good way to have conversations that don't necessarily happen at home. In your case, I'd probably walk a couple of days, and I'd do the morning personally (my kid is more likely to be tired at the end of the day, so he'd be less likely to complain about walking in the morning).

This is MMM, you are ALWAYS going to get people to suggest that you should walk ALL THE TIME AND EVERY DAY.  But, I'm more of a dabbler.  I'd prefer a little of this, a little of that.  I like walking my kid to school, but I only do it once a week.

[fuzzy math]

You are already spending that time driving. What loss is there by spending the same amount of time walking?