lori My son started cycling to school this year. At 9 years old and in grade 5, he biked through a Calgary winter and only rode the bus twice all year. He travelled side streets, back alleys, along river pathways and crossed two somewhat busy roads at crosswalks on his route. He LOVED IT! He met up with his best pal en route, and in warmer weather many more kids joined in. His 3.5 km ride took him about 15 minutes, except on really snowy/icy/rainy days or on days when he and his pals biked in circles to chat a bit longer.
As childhood obesity rates continue to rise, schools and parents look for ways to get kids off the couch. But the number of students who walk or ride their bikes to school has dropped from 48% in 1969 to just 13% in 2009. David Darlington talks about this in his Bicycling article, “Why Johnny Can’t Ride.” And while this article applies to the US (thank goodness we are not as lawsuit oriented in Canada) it is also becoming quite rare to see children walking and biking to school in Calgary. And it is becoming quite common to see parents picking their kids up and dropping them off.
The parents I chat with in Calgary about biking and walking say things like, “my child is not ready”. A fear of abduction or traffic are the two top reasons for holding their child back. However, when push comes to shove, the real reason sneaks out. Parents have a real fear of their child missing out on after school programs if they bike or walk. Their child would not get home in time to be whisked away in the car to their next life skill in waiting. Parents have a real fear of their kids FALLING BEHIND.
I think the real life skills are learned while walking and biking.These skills will propel kids ahead; light years ahead!
- independent thinking (icy route, take the sidewalk)
- problem solving (flat tires, wipeouts, first aid for a friend)
- responsibility
- fun fitness (friends, laughs and hills to climb!)
- self-propelled living (fit forever as a way of life; active living becomes part of who they are)
Here’s a great interview on NPR about what’s lost when kids don’t bike and walk to school.
Kids can do it and they love it. Walk and bike there Calgary!
