Parent Corner - Bike Riding
As all members of our community are aware our parking/pickup situation, like that of most schools, is pretty terrible! Nobody, including the ACT Government seems to have any fantastic ideas of how we can make it better – two schools and a childcare centre on one road will always cause traffic congestion. So, as parents, how can you help and at the same time provide some benefit to your children? Active travel may just be the answer you are looking for. For many years I have been involved with coordinating the Ride to School program at MTS, which now comes under the umbrella of Transport ACT and like me they are often asking the question of how we can get more kids to ride or walk to school and thus reduce the amount of traffic around our schools. Like me, they also don’t have miracle answers but do have some things to help, including the Safe travel partway markers painted on the footpaths (the blue teardrop shaped symbols with a person walking inside them), last-one in and out guides and very handy maps to show the safest and easiest travel routes to our school.
I understand that dropping off and picking up works in the routines of many busy families, however there are many benefits to allowing older children to make their own way to school when they are able. Maggie Dent, one of Australia’s leading parenting educators recently shared one of her Parental as Anything podcasts on the subject of ‘Should I let my child walk to school on their own.’ The podcast only goes for about 10 minutes and is really worth a listen if you think your child may be ready for this step. Maggie offers suggestions of how to prepare your child for this step. With the holidays approaching this might be the perfect time to practice the route and prepare your child for this new travel option. Of course, this may not work for all families or our younger students but if you think your child may be ready for this step, have a listen to Maggie’s podcast.