Any other non-drivers out there?

[helendee]

I am just wondering how you manage to get out and about if you don't drive/have a car?

Hubs and I care for six little ones each day but we can't afford to buy an eight seater at the moment so we just take the little ones to the local park and toddler group several times a week.

Is this enough do you think? I get them out as much as possible but because I suffer from rheumatoid arthritis I cannot walk long distances and sometimes I feel guilty that I can't do for more them. xx

[vals]

I have been minding for 17 years, I only learnt to drive last year, and as yet I have a normal family car, so only used when I haven't got too many children. We are lucky to have train stations very near us, and children travel free of very cheap so we have had some really good days out. Also we live near the sea so often go to the beach. There are some minders who live here and have cars that go out less than I do. As much as its nice to be able to take the children to lots of places, its not a neccessity, I have never had anyone complain about not going out anywhere else.

[miffy]

I don't drive either and never found it a problem for parents or for getting out with the children, although I've had children who wished I had a car because they are used to being driven everywhere!!

As long as the children are getting outside play (which you're doing) I wouldn't worry. Personally, I think it's better that children walk places and get their exercise that way.

Miffy xx

[lilac_dragon]

When I've been working, I've had the money for driving lessons but no time, and when there's little or no work I have the time but not the money!

Rural area, buses are now once an hour but when we came here 22 years ago there was one in the morning and one in the evening!
Need the bus to get to a train station and if you miss the connection you have a big problem.

I have a big garden, a local park a few minutes walk away, 2 conservation areas in walking distance.
There's 2 Toddler groups, I've been going to the Friday one of them ever since I moved here, the other - lets just say it didn't come even near to passing my RA so don't use it.
A Childrens centre opened here 18 months ago and I had a part in its layout, furnishing decorating etc. Had high hopes for a CM group reopening, I was Chair of the last one but there's now only me!! but the CM group didn't happen as they felt not enough of us locally - 2 of us between 5 villages. I don't use it for 2 reasons - most of its sessions are invitation/booking only and I don't "Qualify" 2nd reason is the one open session is really cliquey, gave up bashing my head against a brick wall.

The parents dont hassle about outings, they all do things at the weekend with their los. The los are having too much fun to worry about it.

I get frustrated sometimes, but it can't be helped.

[TNT]

I dont drive either, we go to 2 local parks that are walking distance and local toddler groups. We occasionally go to feed the ducks but havent been for ages as it is difficult to work around school and nusery runs, it is a 25 minute bus ride away. We also go to a local soft play occasionally.
I keep planning to go to art galleries or museums in the city but it never seems to work out what with age group of children and parents not being able to afford to pay for outings.

[jackie 7]

I want a car but can't at the moment. I go everywhere using thd 3 sweater buggy. It is better here than London where I got the haven't you heard of contraception questions. We go to the park wander around my complex or town every day. I've I had a car I could move to a cheaper flat but my parents are happy for them to not have many outings. I only do little ones and nos one who screams on play groups has gone we will more. I can't get a bus or train as the buggy is too big.

[mushpea]

I can drive and own a 7 seater but my partner has been using it for work for the past year so we walk everywhere, I'm an out door go for a walk type person anyway so it dosent bother me, we go to the woods, libary which is about a mile away so older ones share the buggy board, parks, allotment, and just for walks in the local areas spotting things like birds, shapes, cars, leads, twigs etc, we spend a lit of time outside, we also go toddler group and the children's center. In the hols we do much the same.

[RainbowDrops]

I drive, but my car is teeny tiny and only fits two car seats and I have two children of my own. I can't afford a new car so for the forseable future I will only be going out by foot/public transport. I don't mind, I have a lovely little park a couple of roads away plus good bus and train links and am in walking distance of a couple of schools. I had a sure start centre at the end of my road but it's closed for upgrades this year which is a shame

[watgem]

I can't drive and even if I could our car was stolen and torched 3 months ago and the insurance won't cover another onesometimes I feel really guilty, about my own kids too but somehow we still manage to have fun walking down the cycle track/woods-playing in the park/garden/other childminders and as all my mindees are partimers they have plenty of time for outings with their parents, I'd try not to worry too much lovelyxxx

[MsVenman]

I can drive but luckily don't have to as I have a good bus service which stops right outside my house.

As I family we have a 7 seater but my partner uses it to drive to work so its good the bus is around!

I do arrange visits to zoo etc in the holidays with my partner so I can use the car then.

[mum24]

No car either, we go to local play groups, park etc. I find that most children nowadays are used to being taken everywhere in a car, and really need to walk more, so I do make a point of telling parents how much healthier it is for their little ones to walk. Of course when they are little they go in the pushchair, but I encourage walking from an early age, even if for a short time. It helps anyway for them to walk on different surfaces rather than just a carpeted floor.
Also we do go out on the bus, and in the holidays when we have more time on the train, so we do get a bit further afield.

[blue bear]

I can drive but hate it, so walk everywhere. I will use the car on occasions but main day to day activities we walk to. There is plenty to do locally, we had a great time in the woods this morning collecting sticks and pine cones, we made up alsorts of stories and sang song. We wrote messages In the mud and had lots of fun, all within a very short walking distance from home.

[bunyip]

I don't drive. We walk everywhere locally and get the bus to anywhere further afield. It doesn't limit our opportunities in any way.

Parents like the exercise their children get and even the lo's in the pushchair get time to look at the world - it isn't all a 40mph blur.

One family was concerned about the danger of walking by a busy road, but were very happy when they saw my detailed risk assessment. In fact I had to tell them that the biggest risk was on the final approach to school: from all the driving parents who are in too much of a rush to look out for children, reverse onto pavements, dash for parking spaces, open doors on cyclists, etc. !!!

[jillplum]

I am like blue bear and avoid driving whenever I can lol. I do take the kids to the network meeting in the car as its a couple of miles away. Kids need to walk and appeciate whats around them. They dont see much from a car window. They need a chance to hear and touch and smell the world.

[mrstom]

I don't drive either and never found it a problem for parents or for getting out with the children, although I've had children who wished I had a car because they are used to being driven everywhere!!

As long as the children are getting outside play (which you're doing) I wouldn't worry. Personally, I think it's better that children walk places and get their exercise that way.

Miffy xx

I agree. I can drive although only have access to a car a couple of times a week. We walk everywhere (school and preschool are 10 min walk away) and our local village has everything we need (shops, groups etc). When the time comes to go further afield then the mainline train station is less than a mile away.

I think it's very important for children to become 'streetwise' and the only way to do this is to experience walking out and about. For example, a few weeks ago a friend came round with her two young children and we decided to go for a walk to our village. Her youngest is in a buggy and her eldest is nearly five so was walking. The five year old had absolutely no awareness of safety whatsoever and she was on pins the whole time worried that he'd suddenly bolt off into the road. I have two children of my own aged 5 and almost 4 who know the rules (holding hands, stopping at roads etc). My friend even commented that it's because her five year old is driven everywhere that he just doesn't know what to do when out walking!

[jillplum]

The road safety side of things is a worry. How will children learn to cross safely if they never get to practice.