Migrating to different countries, I never really thought about this until one day when I start picking up my niece from school. I guess, there’s many other factors that influence this practice. So, let me try to explain this notion of “Who’s picking me up today?”
HJ, do you remember how you travelled to and from school?
Interesting topic Lily. Yes I do remember how I travelled to and from school. In my primary years 1 – 7 I lived across the road from the school so I just took my self to and from. Many times coming home for lunch. My mother would ask if I had permission and I always said yes! I still don’t know if anyone at the school knew I did that.
High school Year 8 – 10 I either rode my push bike (it was a long way away and there were no school buses) or got a ride with friends parents.
Let me share how this notion emerged. I do think this may be a cultural practices.
I am dropping-off and picking up my niece from her primary school everyday. However, one day I realised that wasn’t what I used to do when I was at her age.
Yes I hear what you are saying. When my daughter went to school I dropped her off and picked her up or I would take in turns with parents whose children were in her class and lived close by. We would sometimes walk to school and home. It was something I didn’t let her do as it was not safe for many reasons. Too far, wandering dogs and unfortunately those people who targeted children.
High school for my daughter was the school bus there and back as it was quite a distance. The only time I picked her up was if we had something to do after school. She enjoyed the extra time with her friends and I was working full time so it was a wonderful option.
When I was attending primary schooling in Japan, I used to walk to the school by myself or in a group of friends. I remember a friend had to walk 30 minutes from home whilst I was about 5 minutes. Yes, the situation changes if I was attending private school yet majority children of primary school age would walk to the school. Even with children attending private schooling, they may travel to and from school themselves using public transport.
Children don’t seem to walk these days whether to school or not. I feel it might be due to their parents not wanting to walk with them. It’s so much about our children not being safe to be out of their own these days. Many children get dropped off in before and after school care and parents drop off and pick up due to their work commitments. There were the children called “latch key kids” who went home to an empty house. My daughter would get off the school bus at my work place and then walk about half a kilometer to our home. Luckily I had wonderful neighbours who would keep an eye out for her and she rang me when she got home. She didn’t go home to an empty house during her primary school days Year 1-7. I was working at another school and would have her dropped of to me or go home with a neighbour till I could pick her up.
Yes, these days in Australia, children may attend schools that are out of their catchment area. This means that they can attend school at the other side of the town if they are accepted. This has contributed to the increased physical distance between home and the school.
Are children able to attend school outside their catchment area? This was not something I experienced myself or with my daughter. Back in my day (don’t you hate that statement) it was about attending the school which offered the subjects you were wanting to follow through with to set you on your career path.
I remember my auntie who had lived in Taiwan, used to pick-up my cousin from her primary school. My auntie used to send a lunch to my cousin around the lunch time too. She explained it is a safety reason as well as practical reasons.
Oh yes, that makes so much sense. It was always a worry going to school with food that would not go off not being refrigerated. These days most classrooms have a fridge for the children’s food. I put the freezer blocks in my daughters lunch and for me, well my lunch was always a vegemite sandwich, homemade cake or biscuit and water. I often went home for lunch so there was no worry.
Safety of the school zone is another aspect of this issue. In Japan, we used to have mandatory school name badges. Yes, this is now an eliminated practice because of privacy issues. Let me share a news with you about my primary school.
Yes I think we had names tags when I went to school. My daughter did too. Yes, there is the safety concern these days. Children being lured by others who could see their name and use it to try to make the child feel safe when they weren’t. It so sad that we need to take these precautions these days. It can limit the children ability to develop resilience, problem solve and more. This was called Protective Behaviours back in the 80’s and something we taught in Primary School.
I have attended a primary school for 5 years (a year in the other school). This was in Japan. Never had an issue with safety, walking from and to home. Years after my graduation, I heard a girl was kidnapped after school, on the way home. I was so devastated for the safety around the area. This has enhanced many school to emphasise children to travel as a group.
Safety and security don’t just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear.
Nelson Mandela
Such an important quote you’ve shared Lily. It is the responsibility of everyone to keep our children safe. Yes there were those things going on when I was at school and also when my daughter was at school. Educating our children about not going with anyone they don’t know regardless of what they say; to have a password so that if someone else is picking them up they need to know it and so many other strategies. I think most school are so conscious of the issues surrounding custody of children that they have plans in place. It would be one of the first things I would check with the school my child was attending.
Many children are attending after school curriculums. This may be one of the reason why children need a pick-up. In my auntie’s case, my cousin was attending after school curriculum every night, many teacher made it mandatory, so my counsin had a small potion of time to eat, and get ready for the next activity. I remember some of my counsin came home after 9pm.
Yes, it’s a safer alternative to the children going home alone. I often cared for foster children who were in after school care and I had to be approved and checked and sign in to pick up the children. I was so impressed at this process to keep our children safe.
What’s your experience like for after school curriculums HJ?
That was not available for me. Back in the days I went to school there was always someone home. During my daughters days, there was no after school care. She either got dropped off to me or went home with friends. It wasn’t until Year 8 – 10 that she came home on the school bus to my place of business, checked in with me and then the short walk home (watched by very safe and reliable older neighbours) and then rang me when she was locked inside. She was usually only on her own for an hour. She knew the rules. No going outside or answering the door.
Moving to Australia, I experienced school bus and public transport. Well, both method provided different experience. It was an effort to walk a very long uphill in hot summer afternoon.
Yes the introduction of school buses certainly made it easier and safer for our children to get to and from school. Although I think there are still schools what don’t have that. For me it’s all about what is the safest option for our children.
Who’s picking me up today?
Great question Lily. That would be me picking me up.
In Conversation 