Walk & Roll!!

Tomorrow starts the annual Walk and Roll to school for our district!  We always encourage the kids to walk or roll (bike or skate boards) but this is the day we have the kids pledge their walking days. It’s important to get them to understand the meaning behind it, not only to get moving and exercise, but to cut down on traffic and pollution.

   Right now one of the schools has construction going on, cutting off a major walkway to the school, making our walk longer and right through the dense traffic along the school. This year alone, there’s been a number of students nearly hit by cars,  one of my own children included. Sadly it was not the children’s fault either, but that of the parent drivers. It’s difficult to tell a kid to walk to school, and have them whiteness something like that. They no longer feel safe even right down the street from a school.
 The whole point of Walk and Roll to school is to get the kids to find a different way other than car to get to school, but we cannot enforce that without first teaching them how to do it safely. Which is why this year our school district has made a point that not just the children should be the ones walking.

 This years goal, is to have parents along with their children, take the action on walking instead of driving. Start to carpool even, or take the bus. It cuts down on the traffic,  keeps our walkers safer , teaches the kids to get out and enjoy the fresh air. Grab your walking shoes, and spend some time with your kids on the way to school. Share a story, boost their self esteem and give them a great start to the day. Get the young kids to walk with you as well!

 Team up with other parents or start a “walking bus” is what we call them.It’s when kids in the neighborhood meet up, and walk together with a few parents. Along the way to school we pick up more kids and by the time we arrive  there’s a good twenty kids walking together.
 I made a pledge to walk everyday with my four kids to school, as well as pickup. We will be teaming up with other parents and students to get to the school safely. I’ve got my fingers crossed that more parents take the pledge along with their children to find a better way to get to school, whether it be walking, riding a bike, carpooling or taking a bus.

Does your school Walk and Roll to school? If so, do you make the pledge with your kids? If not, Make a difference in your own neighborhood to cut down on the traffic and start one at the school yourself!

Here’s too a great turn out tomorrow for our Walk and Roll to school, and the continuation of it in the future!