What child hasn't heard the story of their parents hiking five miles to school, uphill (in both directions) during a blizzard? Such tall tales may seem even more foreign to kids as fewer moms are allowing their lil ones to walk to school on their own. According to the National Household Travel Survey, child abductions, unsafe traffic conditions, and neighborhood conditions can be blamed for the decline in the number of walkers from 41 percent in 1969 to 13 percent in 2001.
Following the discovery of Jaycee Duggard, the New York Times looked into the dwindling number of school kids who walked to school and found there is a heated debate over the matter. While helicopter parents may escort their wee ones the one or two blocks to class, free-range parents feel the need to cut the cord. Mamas who allow their offspring to walk alone often face the wrath of neighbors and school administrators who scold them for their decisions and require them to sign permission slips that explain their decision to allow solo journeys.
How does your child get to school each day?
