Children walking to school

I suppose it depends on how far, are there pavements etc, but doesn't surprise me as USA often seems OTT in its responses to various issues.
My DCs didn't walk unaccompanied because of narrow country lanes and being 2 miles from junior school but I'd often walk along to school with the dogs and we'd walk home together, often across the fields.
Senior school was 10 miles away but they'd usually walk to where the coach picked them up, half a mile or so, unless it was wet.

I don't think all 9 year olds are responsible enough to be left in charge of a 6 year old. My mother, having 2 younger children at that time, made me walk to school on my own at 5, and I was bullied. I remember feeling very 'inconvenient' when my father had to walk with me a few times before the bullies gave up.

The following year, my sister started and I was only 6, she was 5. I was so frightened at having to be in charge of her. It really wasn't fair, I could see other women walking into school with their families and wondered why my own mother wouldn't.

I didn't allow my own DCs out on their own until they were 9, as a result, and they were certainly never allowed to be in charge of anyone else. A friend tried to make DD aged 8 be in charge of her 2 year old when they were both out in her garden once. While DD was up a tree, 2 year old fell in the pond. As DD was an incredibly sensible child, I could see how she would think it possible to trust her, but children of that age have the attention span of a gnat.

The woman's OH had refused to cover his pond, but he did give in after that incident.

Here it is positively encouraged, and an expectation- almost part of the Curriculum- much to the surprise and idsmay of expat parents.

I remember walking to and from school with all the other kids from the neighbourhood right from the start. But that was in the 1940s.

Is there less traffic? I was always so worried that my sisters would step into the road.

To add I had to catch a bus alone at 9-10 to go to junior school as mum worked. At infants school I lived right opposite the school gate. Mum would see me across the road and watch me go through the gate from outside our house.
I agree, country lanes and no pavements are a factor. My DC route was through residential streets in town. A journey of about 10 mins.

I was going to school by bus and taking another girl of 5 when I was 6. No-0ne thought it was odd.

When mine were small they did not walk to school as the schools were too far away, as we live out in the country.

It was very different when I was young, I walked a mile across fields after mum had crossed me over the road, and she'd be watching for me when I came home. Occasionally my dad would take me on his motor bike.
I guess I was doing it solo from about 5 years old? Scary to think about it now!
Once my siblings started school mum would walk all of us the 'long way round' by road, both ways.
Senior school was a 30 minute walk in to town to catch the bus.
I never expected my DD to look after her brother, it just didn't happen for some reason.

I walked to school alone on my first day (it was my 5th birthday) and every day thereafter. I had only one road to cross and I walked with my older sister and brother (aged 7 and 6). It was the norm. When I moved house at age 7 I still walked to school with my siblings, then including my 5 year old brother, and that meant crossing many roads. During the summer holidays we went for free school meals, unaccompanied, to a school that was two bus rides away.
My own children were walked to and from school every day until they started secondary school.
In terms of the OP I think it depends very much on the context, but no, I wouldn't think it was appropriate.

Mine are in their Late 40s now and they all used to walk on their own, from 5-6, a 10 minute walk. They always had friends to walk with, and back home.
There was one minor road to cross, and a main road with a lollipop lady.
At one time one daughter started to go home with one of her friends without telling me, so I had to step in for a while. Another time she arrived home with a doll's pram she had "found"! So that had to be taken back.
I would be more protective these days as there's a lot more traffic on the roads.

ps to the question asked - it all depends on the nature of the route and the maturity of the children.

Nobody walks anywhere in America (unless it is Bill Bryson in the woods)

Yes, it was the norm for our generation to walk or get the bus to school from an early age. I was getting the bus alone from age 5, and at 7 was in charge of getting my younger sister there and back too.

Of course there was far less traffic.

Sadly, our kids are often suffering from being 'over' protected- some never walk, have no street or traffic sense, physical balance, and suffer from obesity. Of course it depends on the area. I just love to see the kids walking to school here, chatting away and getting plenty of fresh air. Thinking about the route my kids walked when they were little (in the UK) I don't think it is any more dangerous now than then.

Some areas of Bootle and Crosby had 'walking buses' ..these are organised by the schools and manned by trained parents or TAs. Following specified routes, they walk the children to school in an ever-growing crocodile from specified pick up points. The children all wore bright tabbards which read 'Walking Bus' on them.

This was about 2000-2006. I don't know if they still operate.

I watched a documentary the other day about two little unwanted Chinese babies who were adopted (sadly) into two different families, in different countries. One was brought up in the States, the other in a small Norwegian village. The little American girl was taken everywhere by car, whilst the Norwegian girl, (looked about nine) was expected to walk -in the pitch black darkness, through ice and snow - on her own every morning!

Talk about different societies!

(to school, that was. Sorry - left a bit out)

As others have said in USA people don't walk anywhere in towns and most of the kids catch the school bus . I don't think any 9yr old should be responsible for someone else..

My children travelled to school, in the next city, on their own from 11 years old. The local primary school was just round the corner so after the first week they went on their own even at four.

Anya walking buses still operate in this area.

They're a great idea.

Myself and my brother and sisters all walked to school on our own or maybe with pals, a distance of about a mile, thought nothing of it. When our children started school, we lived opposite, so no problems there. But when we moved here we were living, to start with, out in the countryside, about a mile and a half from the school, with 2 children still at primary school age, and we started work at 8am. They went to a neighbour till time for school, then walked about a mile down a country lane, then past houses, till the main road and lollipop lady, then another half mile to school. This was in the late 1970s, I know it would be frowned on nowadays.

In many areas, walking buses have stopped because there were not enough parents or GPs to volunteer, sadly. The dangers of cars parking near the school, often on zebra crossing or zigzags- seems far greater than that of walking on pavements to school. All the schools I taught at, and the ones my kids attended and now GKs- write to parents again, and again, and againg and more- and some parents totally ignore all the requests, speed up to and from school- practically take off at the 'sleeping policemen', park where it is really not safe to do so, and obscure the zebra crossings, etc. It is appalling- really shocked to witness this again when we go and GCs sit.

Traffic and more awareness of stranger danger (I keep my counsel about that), along with working parents means many more children are driven to school. Cars are the main worry for most parents I suspect. Traffic is so heavy and so fast, even in suburban or country areas. I accept that some parents can be considered over protective, but I sympathise with them given the way in which parents are blamed for almost everything that goes wrong in the lives of their children.

Where we live in rural France there's no question of children walking to school. It's too far. The school bus picks them up at the nearest point to their home - very early. And they come home late - it's a long day.
I wonder if this makes them less independent, overweight etc?