how odd?or is it?

Aged from 4-7 years I walked to and from my first school with my mother - a good mile away. She, bless her, did it to and from twice a day - certainly didn't do us any harm.

That's the difference though.
A child who has mobility problems in a pushchair, or wheelchairs, or strapped to its mum in a sling.
Common sense says its ridiculous to carry a school age child.

I don't understand why children of that age can't walk home! Back in the day when my kids were in primary school we always walked.

My son was taken in a pushchair for most journeys until he went to school and had you asked his teachers they would have said no medical problems too. However, we now know why he found it difficult to walk and was so tired. He had undiagnosed Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. It was why his hand ached when he was writing (just lazy said the teachers), couldn’t read for long (lacks concentration) and always felt sick (just trying to avoid school). To all intents and purposes he looked a normal, healthy child but his diagnosis explained it all. You should not be so judgemental without knowing the full facts.

I saw a mother and child this afternoon, the child looked about 4 and had obviously just been picked up from school. Mum and child were walking home along the cycle path (old railway path, no traffic in the area). The child was skipping along happily and mum was wearing an empty baby sling. I wondered why she was wearing a sling, I guess now I know.

stupid idea, bad for the mums back and its not helping the children to build up strength by walking. Just a case of over mothering.

We had a pupil, with no medical conditions, who was taken everywhere in a pushchair until he started school.
The lack of exercise and opportunities to walk, resulted in all sorts of mobility issues when he began school.

I suppose it leaves the mothers hands free for their phones!

grannyactivist I could imagine a child being upset if due to not having to walk any distance normally, not enough care had been taken over the fitting of their shoes

All this bonding going on in a sling. Why do parents send their "just 4 "year old to school in the first place. Why do they not wait until their next birthday before sending them into the battle of school. A lot more bonding could then be done at home.

Why can't they walk!

You have no idea whether these children have conditions where they get over tired so need additional help.

I wonder who was holding the gun to Mabon1's head, forcing her to read this thread?

DGC's primary school regularly walk their pupils an mile and a half into town when they attend any event there and, of course, the mile and a half back again. DGC took it in their stride (sorry) because their parents are walkers so the distance didn't bother them, but I must admit, I did wonder how some of the children who weren't used to walking managed. I will have to ask DDil.

In these cash strapped times, it is cheaper than a coach and much better for the children's health.

As for the comments about bonding..... if you haven't built a close bond with your child by the time they are five. It is a bit a late to be trying, and anyway, I cannot see how tying your child on your back is going to help. Sitting down with them on your knee and talking to them when you get home will be far more effective.

But it’s hugely different to carrying a sleepy 3,4 or 5 year old which isn’t a daily expectation it happens occasionally if the child’s not well or very tired, Putting a 5 year old automatically into a sling after school is ridiculous they will not know what their legs are for and the mother will do untold damage to their backs children are growing obese through not enough exercise and mother are back carrying them What a disservice these mum s are doing
If Jayelles theory is right maybe have the sling in case but much better to scoot or ride a bike which most 5 years olds love doing I d be surprised if they don’t get the mick taken out of them for being a baby The the only thing I can think of to justify it is if they have a disability

I do the school run at least once a week and have to pick up 1 GC at 3:10 then face a ten minute fast walk to collect second GC from a different school at 3:15. The 1st GC, (6.5 years) either 'power walks' or we use a micro-scooter that she scoots or stands on while pulling her along, (she wears a helmet!). 2nd GC, (10 years), waits on the playground with teachers and is invariably picked up around 3:25! Carrying, by myself or my daughter, was never an option and 2nd GC is perfectly happy to wait.
It might be that the two mothers carrying the children have to be at another school at a specific time,, and this is the easiest way for them. It is an unusual occurrence and one i'very never seen before. Equally using a pushchair for older children is not unusual, especially when infant and junior schools are a mile or so apart and you can't drive to collect the second child.

And they wonder why kids won’t walk anywhere these days !

What a little ray of sunshine, you are, mabon1.

very strange.

Non of your business

Reading that link, the mothers all say how it improves the bonding them and their child, and helps with conversation.

It can't be good for the Mums' back, or for the childs fitness and self confidence.

A much better way would be for all phones to be put away. Talk to your child as you walk, play games, sing together, connect.

JackyB I was actually living in Germany when I was using my baby sling and German mothers were fairly horrified by it, but then the trend where I lived was to keep children in pushchairs until they were about five years old!

I'll admit I was shocked when I read the OP and the article linked to this, but on reflection I suspect we've all carried a sleepy three or four year old very occasionally. Doing it regularly is for me a step too far and I wonder if it is maybe meeting the mother's needs more than the child's. However, no child is going to be harmed by being carried as long as they get plenty of opportunities to run around, so if mum's can cope with the back strain(!!) good luck to them.

I was the first person in my cohort to use a baby sling in 1972 (the little blue one from Mothercare, remember those?) and I got lots of derogatory comments, but I couldn't afford a pram. My daughter went from a carrycot on wheels, to a sling, to a pushchair. Using a sling was lovely, but I think I probably stopped using it by the time my baby was about nine months old. Three years later my second child had a pram (we'd gone up in the world by then) and so I only used the sling for short bus journeys with her.

I know the mums in the article say that their children can walk long distances, but I'll never forget the shock I felt when taking a class of primary school children for a walk to the sea. They were all 7 year olds and the journey from school to the sea is just over a mile, along a beautiful river meadow. We had done about a third of the walk before some of the children were asking to be carried and two were actually in tears because they had never had to walk so far.

i did wonder about both children having some sort of issue meaning thier mobility was restricted. but it seemed so much of a coincidence that two children, in the same class in reception both needed a sling.never seen it before. just wondered if it was a growing trend

Remembering my au pair experience of walking a 3-year-old and a 4-year-old to Kindergarten in a busy urban district in Germany I can well understand this - however much you watch them, they can easily dash off and do something dangerous. With another child in tow, it's difficult to run off after them. One of my charges nearly ran under a bus - scared me stiff. A harness would have been useful - so, if the child is cool with being transported in a sling, that's one less worry for the mother.

I wouldn't recommend it to anyone though - the damage to your back must be awful.