Today is the first day of school for Austin K-12 students and is the first day of kindergarten for my son Miles. Unlike the vast majority of children in town, Miles will not be going to school in a car. Instead, he will be riding everyday on my wife’s Xtracycle in defiance of a recent movement to ban children walking or biking to school.
My wife is the librarian at our neighborhood school where Miles attends and watches parents drive two or thee blocks every morning to drop their kids off. How insidious our car culture is that parents do this without any thought.
I am reminded how we model behavior for our children helping to mold the next generation. Just as a parent spewing racist rants predisposes their children to a certain viewpoint, when we drive everywhere we go regardless of distance we are hobbling the next generation with prejudices that will make dealing with climate change that much harder.
Will showing Miles that you can walk, bike, or take the bus places change the world? I don’t know, but I do know real change comes from the little choices we make everyday. Besides, riding on the back of an Xtracycle is a whole lot more fun than riding in a car.
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on Aug 24th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Looks like Mom and Miles both need to be refitted for new helmets. They seem to be sitting way to far on top of their heads. But what a great way to get to school for you both. Safe travels and many fun miles.
on Aug 24th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Miles is in need of a new helmet as my kids have extremely large heads. As for mom, I’ve told her she’s wearing it wrong, but she ignores me.
on Aug 24th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
I really do love the movement to ban walking and riding bicycles. Wall-E wasn’t a parody.
on Aug 25th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Riding this morning I saw at least 4 or 5 kids riding to Gullett Elementary between Shoal Creek and Great Northern. There is hope!!
on Sep 22nd, 2009 at 2:32 pm
We have a program here in Austin at 10 schools to promote and educate kids on safe walking and biking to school – Austin Safe Routes to School Project. Check our website for more info.