By William M. Dowd
The latest 5-minute ride that took me 15 minutes got me to thinking:
Ifour kids are, as most studies agree, getting fatter and weaker all the time, perhaps adding a bit of exercise to their daily regimen might be an intelligent thing to do. Nothing drastic, mind you, just something simple to begin with — like eliminating door-to-door school bus service.
I know we live in an era of paranoia about the safety of our kids, but it’s not asking too much to have school children walk two or three doors from their school bus to their home or to where a parent is waiting for them.
My aforementioned longer-than-necessary drive was caused by the latest instance of something I’ve been seeing for years now. A school bus stopping every two or three houses to disgorge passengers. This happens in broad daylight with no danger lurking, with adults posted every few yards waiting to escort the kids home. Yet, rather than letting a bunch of them off at one time and requiring them to walk an exhausting, oh, 20 feet, the bus keeps stopping, backing up traffic, putting additional wear and tear on the bus’s brakes and so on.
Kids Health says, “In addition to the health benefits of regular exercise, kids who are physically fit sleep better and are better able to handle the physical and emotional challenges that a typical day presents — be that running to catch a bus, bending down to tie a shoe, or studying for a test.”
I doubt the “running for a bus” part is applicable, given what I see in this community, but it’s time to stop the silliness.
(Posted 10/30/07)
William M. Dowd is a Capital Region writer and photographer. Besides this blog on current events, he’ll help you keep up with information on food, drink and destinations at Taste for Travel and Dowd On Drinks.