Should you also practise walking to school with older children?

Mrs Schürch, the big holidays are coming up soon. Should parents practise walking to school with their child before they start in August?

With small children in any case. If older children are assigned to the same school as before the summer holidays, there is no need to practise the way to school again. Nevertheless, it is worth revisiting the most important rules of behaviour. Perhaps a change of school building is imminent. In this case, walking the new route to school together will also contribute to the safety of older children. Basically, safe behaviour in road traffic cannot be discussed often enough with children!

What should you do if your child wants to go to school by scooter or bike at the start of the new school year?

We recommend walking to school. Children travel faster on scooters and similar means of transport. This leaves little time to recognise and react to dangers. Depending on local conditions, bicycles are an option after passing the bike test.

Children socialise a lot on the way to school and often get into arguments. What do you recommend?

Disputes on the way to school can be detrimental to safety. However, before a child takes a less safe route just to avoid a conflict, you should seek dialogue with the children involved and, if necessary, with the parents and, for example, choose different departure times. Sometimes the dispute can also be defused by adding another child to the group.