The Washington Post Examines The Leiby Kletzky Killing and Walking to School

Parenting

by BMWK Staff | on July 19th, 2011 | 4 comments

This week Washington Post columnist Janice D’Arcy takes a look at the lost art of children walking to school. The article which she had written almost two weeks ago may be viewed a bit differently now by many parents. The reason for this is the recent abduction, killing and dismemberment of an 8 year old boy in New York. Young Leiby Kletzky’s life was cut short after walking home alone from camp for the very first time.

From The Post:

In theory, walking to school is a wonderful habit. It can teach children independence, introduce them to their neighborhoods and encourage physical activity. It’s better for the environment, eases traffic and is just generally the most fun option.

Many of us parents don’t allow it, citing the challenges of logistics and distance. What we talk about less often is our fear. Maybe that’s the heart of it.

Entire article can be found here.

BMWK family do you allow your kids to walk to\from school? If not what are your reasons? Is fear a part of the equation? When a tragedy like this happens does it make you reflect on your child being out alone?

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Chrissy0131

I for one would not let my child walk from/to school for the simple fact that the world is too crazy and younger children are not enough aware of the dangers out there. Simply talking to them about avoiding strangers is not enough when a child is actually faced with danger and predators who are getting more and more bold everyday. I felt this way long before this tragedy happened, I feel safer knowing my son is getting safely transported to and from school by me or another trusted family member. I just feel that in this day and time you can’t even let your young children walk down the street to the park alone without the possibly of something terrible happening. Back in the day I know my parents and aunts and uncles walked most places alone and they were just fine but unfortunately parents today can not have the peace of mind parents once had in sending their kids off into the world, sad but true.
Chrissy0131

I for one would not let my child walk from/to school for the simple fact that the world is too crazy and younger children are not enough aware of the dangers out there. Simply talking to them about avoiding strangers is not enough when a child is actually faced with danger and predators who are getting more and more bold everyday. I felt this way long before this tragedy happened, I feel safer knowing my son is getting safely transported to and from school by me or another trusted family member. I just feel that in this day and time you can’t even let your young children walk down the street to the park alone without the possibly of something terrible happening. Back in the day I know my parents and aunts and uncles walked most places alone and they were just fine but unfortunately parents today can not have the peace of mind parents once had in sending their kids off into the world, sad but true.
NTruble62

     I grew up in DC and fondly(and not so fondly) remember walking to school. I went to kindergarten in ’67 , had a door key given to me by my mother and proudly wore it around my neck. My mother had to work, so the routine was, in the a.m. I walked to the corner and met up with a Jr. High girl who walked me to the corner of my school. After school, I walked home, called my mom to let her know I was in, went next door and watched Dark Shadows and whatever came on after that, called my mom again and locked the front door. In 5th grade I walked to another neighborhood to go to school with my friends. In Jr. High and High School, having to negotiate the streets where bad dogs were, or dodging snowball fights were adventures. The awful part was that the snow had to be up to your hip in order for them to cancel school or you had to beg someone to take you to school if it was raining. Walking to school taught you to be independent and how to make life decisions. And for goodness sake you ‘d better NOT get in a car with a stranger! My mother told me that if someone told me that she had died and I needed to get in the car with them, that if she was really dead I couldn’t do anything about it anyway so keep walking! Wow…lol
   But remember back then you had ‘neighbors’ and people who looked out for children’s well being. People protected women and children. I live in ATL now and it is so hard to find ‘old school’ people. The mentality is ‘every man for himself and God for us all’. I gave my neighbor a key to my house in case my kids got locked out and she asked me was I ‘sure’ that I wanted to do that. I let her know that my most valuable possessions are my CHILDREN. I don’t care about the crap in my house.
   Would I let my children walk to school? No, because where we live there are no sidewalks and the traffic is out of conrol. I wish that they could though. Walking builds character and great legs. They have cellphones AND door keys though! )
Angi
NTruble62

     I grew up in DC and fondly(and not so fondly) remember walking to school. I went to kindergarten in ’67 , had a door key given to me by my mother and proudly wore it around my neck. My mother had to work, so the routine was, in the a.m. I walked to the corner and met up with a Jr. High girl who walked me to the corner of my school. After school, I walked home, called my mom to let her know I was in, went next door and watched Dark Shadows and whatever came on after that, called my mom again and locked the front door. In 5th grade I walked to another neighborhood to go to school with my friends. In Jr. High and High School, having to negotiate the streets where bad dogs were, or dodging snowball fights were adventures. The awful part was that the snow had to be up to your hip in order for them to cancel school or you had to beg someone to take you to school if it was raining. Walking to school taught you to be independent and how to make life decisions. And for goodness sake you ‘d better NOT get in a car with a stranger! My mother told me that if someone told me that she had died and I needed to get in the car with them, that if she was really dead I couldn’t do anything about it anyway so keep walking! Wow…lol
   But remember back then you had ‘neighbors’ and people who looked out for children’s well being. People protected women and children. I live in ATL now and it is so hard to find ‘old school’ people. The mentality is ‘every man for himself and God for us all’. I gave my neighbor a key to my house in case my kids got locked out and she asked me was I ‘sure’ that I wanted to do that. I let her know that my most valuable possessions are my CHILDREN. I don’t care about the crap in my house.
   Would I let my children walk to school? No, because where we live there are no sidewalks and the traffic is out of conrol. I wish that they could though. Walking builds character and great legs. They have cellphones AND door keys though! )
Angi