Cars or walking

**grindal** · 01-09-2009, 12:06 PM

Hi
At the moment I do not use my car for minding. I live in north London and the roads are busy and there is a lot to do within a 20 min walk of where I live, and I believe that exercise is good for kids and adults and want to set a positive example. However, DS1 will be going to nursery 5 ams a week as of next week - and it is a 20 min walk away. We have 3 childrens centres near us, but they are all 20 mins in the opposite direction - so would be about a 35 min walk from his playgroup to get there. But there are loads of childminder drop ins and craft sessions and toddler group sessions there. So, should I put mindees in the car and drop DS1 at playgroup and drive there or should I put mindee in the pushchair and spent most of his mornings pushing him around? Mindee is 11 months at the mo. (Obviously I would get car insured before I put mindee in it

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**youarewhatyoueat** · 01-09-2009, 12:13 PM

Only you know what you want to do but if it was me on a nice day walk and then insure the car for business, which many don't charge extra for, and then if the weather was awful you've got the car.As a parent if the weather was really bad I would prefer them in a car.

**Mollymop** · 01-09-2009, 12:15 PM

I don;t drive so I have to walk every where. I can't take driving or granted, so I just get on with it. Our schools are 20 min walk away, the town is 30 mins, toddler group about 20 mins, but i am used to it. I couldn't imagine childminding without our walks.

**fionamal** · 01-09-2009, 12:23 PM

I walk everywhere as it takes me longer to load the kids in the car, find somewhere to park it , unload the kids, plus its healthier for the kids to be out in the fresh air getting exercise. Our schools are about a 20min walk each way so its not too bad

**sweets** · 01-09-2009, 12:27 PM

i have a car and use it too much! i am determined from next week when mindees are back that we are going to walk to lot more places, its just too easy to jump in the car!
one of my mindees is not a brill walker tho, he's 3 1/2 and gets driven everywhere by parents, how far would you expect a child of this age to walk, would 20 mins be ok? i feel guilty sometimes dragging him along when he's moaning away that his legs are tired, am i expecting too much?

**grindal** · 01-09-2009, 12:28 PM

Thanks for the replies - interestingly, one of the reasons I never bothered registering the car was that I felt it was quicker to walk than load kids, find parking, unload kids with pushchair cos parking was nearly as far away as home would be, and then walk anyway. However, getting car insured for really cold wet and windy days does make sense. Maybe I will look into it - but then my lazy gene might just start to get the better of me

**grindal** · 01-09-2009, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by sweets

i have a car and use it too much! i am determined from next week when mindees are back that we are going to walk to lot more places, its just too easy to jump in the car!
one of my mindees is not a brill walker tho, he's 3 1/2 and gets driven everywhere by parents, how far would you expect a child of this age to walk, would 20 mins be ok? i feel guilty sometimes dragging him along when he's moaning away that his legs are tired, am i expecting too much?

Sweets, my 3 and a half year old walks for ages and ages, as does my 23 month old. They will both walk the 20mins to DS1s playgroup, and DS2 will often walk home again and attempt the collection walk as well

**Rubybubbles** · 01-09-2009, 12:30 PM

I only drive if the weather is horrid

It takes a good 30/40 mins to walk to school, and yes it does mean the baby can be in there for a while, but as long as you are using the environment then I see no reason why not!

I just signed with a 11 month old and they loved the fact we all walk to school and back each day

**mandy moo** · 01-09-2009, 12:33 PM

my oldest was walking for England at 3 1/2 simply coz I had a 6mth old baby in the pushchair , and couldnt afford a double.

**grindal** · 01-09-2009, 12:34 PM

I am just thinking about this myself and have realised that I could actually use a bus for a bit of the journey - DS1 and 2 would love that. They have never been on a bus

**sweets** · 01-09-2009, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by mandy moo

my oldest was walking for England at 3 1/2 simply coz I had a 6mth old baby in the pushchair , and couldnt afford a double.

Right thats it then! i will persarvere(sp?) with the pulling him along then! lol. he will just have to like it or lump it and get used to it.

**helenlc** · 01-09-2009, 12:38 PM

I drive too much but am going to start walking more. I used to pick up a mindee on the way to school but dont have him anymore so have no excuse really. It is quite far but then I think even if we did it once a week, it would be better than nothing.

I am also going to start walking to toddler group and back as well. I should be setting an example to the children really.

The childrens centre where our drop in and messy play are held is too far still so I would have to go in the car to there though.

**LittleAcorns** · 01-09-2009, 12:54 PM

I walk everywhere, and to be honest the younger of the mindees love it as its all they know, I used to drop a little one off at nursery a mile away (30 mins walk) then walk other mindee home, In home for about an hour then set off on the same journey, to collect and the days fly by, you and they get fit!! and it teaches them to appreciate walking, the older of my mindees used to go in the car all the time and hated walking!

Another positive point is you get yourself out there noticed, everyone within that 1 mile radius knows me and my trail of children and they all know Im a minder not a crazy mum with 100's of kids lol x

**grindal** · 01-09-2009, 12:59 PM

Walking is getting a lot of votes here. I have just rejigged my schedule a bit and will now only have a very long walk on 1 of 5 days so I dont think I will bother with the car - but still might look into insurance for business use (just in case

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**chewy sweets** · 01-09-2009, 01:56 PM

I walk everywhere too! I can drive but never registered my car. Because we live in a small town you can walk to anywhere within 15 min(Schools/shops) I love walking and think the is good for the kids. And the ones in the buggy enjoy the sights!

**CherryBlossom** · 02-09-2009, 08:45 AM

I haven't started minding yet, but wasn't planning on registering my car.
My OH is selling his car, as mine runs cheaper and we are trying to save money, so OH will be needing it for work anyway.

I am close to a few schools, 10 minute walk from a big park, shops also really close by. So i am hoping this won't be a problem.
I really don't like the idea of having to load all the children into the car, then try and find a parking space etc.

The main thing is getting the fresh air and exercise though, and unless we wanted to go to the Zoo or somewhere far away for the day I would feel really lazy driving lol.

I am glad a lot of other people don't drive, as I did worry that this might be a problem, but registering the car seems like lots of hassle!

x

**FizzysFriends** · 02-09-2009, 08:59 AM

I would insure your car anyway, you don't have register it with ofsted as far as I know just incase you needed to get their quicker like if you child was ill and had to be collect.

**devoncm** · 02-09-2009, 09:13 AM

I walk almost everywhere as i cant drive yet,dont think it would change much when i can drive as marc will still need car and id only really need it in holidays just to get further a field. Sometimes ill treat the kids to a bus ride if its raining.

when marcs son was 3/4 he would walk for ages and ages with us, his mum would always take him by car as she thought he was always naughty when walking but he was always fine for us, maybe you try walking a little bit first and increase how long it is

**FussyElmo** · 02-09-2009, 09:17 AM

I don't drive and although I think about learning wouldn't be able to run another car anyhow as dh needs it to travel to work.

My ds and mindee are both 2 and 1/2 and walk for england. If it rains well we have waterproofs and wellies!!!

I sometimes think that it would be useful to have a car in the holidays but if we want to go somewhere further a field then we get a bus or a train - children love it!!!

**rickysmiths** · 02-09-2009, 09:30 AM

I walk quite a lot and always to school and back. Even when years ago we only had one car and dh used it for work I still insured it for Childminding for the holidays and incase there was an emergency. It doen't cost anything, you just phone your insurer and ask for Class 1 cover for Childminding.

You don't have to register your car, not sure what you mean by that?