CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!

"Nearly half of British children can’t cycle – and it’s their parents' fault’ "

(8 posts)

No tags yet.


  1. chdot
    Admin

    Oops sorry, er swim -

    "
    Nearly half of British children can’t swim – and it’s their parents' fault’ - Telegraph

    Forty per cent of children in Britain cannot swim, and it is their parent's responsibility to teach children this important life skill, says Rebecca Adlington.

    "

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/mother-tongue/9650491/Nearly-half-of-British-children-cant-swim-and-its-their-parents-fault.html

    For cycling it would help if parents did cycle - they probably know how to.

    I've always found it odd that (many) schools think it's normal/desirable to teach swimming - often with paid trainers - but are more wary/disinterested when it comes to cycling.

    I suspect more children are more likely to have to deal with 'dangerous' roads than fall in the canal.

    They are also more likely to have a road outside their front door than a swimming pool if its about 'exercise'.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  2. crowriver
    Member

    They are also more likely to have a road outside their front door than a swimming pool if its about 'exercise'.

    Quite. However the expectation generally is that they'll be in the parental taxi (sorry family car) when they venture onto the road...

    Posted 12 years ago #

  3. alibali
    Member

    There is a big life-long safety plus in being able to swim. A simple trip can turn into a drowning very easily for a non-swimmer. Schools do teach how to cross the road as well and many give a fair amount of time to cycling.

    Swimming opens the door to other sports too (sailing, canoeing, sufing etc.) and for the competitive types racing is very well organised and regulated in Scotland at all levels.

    If I had to choose, it'd be swimming: not least because children are more likely to have a road outside their front door, but water might well remain an alien and dangerous environment if not introduced at school.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  4. chdot
    Admin

    "If I had to choose, it'd be swimming: not least because children are more likely to have a road outside their front door, but water might well remain an alien and dangerous environment if not introduced at school."

    Good point - I just want both!

    Posted 12 years ago #

  5. PS
    Member

    Not all kids have bikes. A swimming cossie is cheaper to acquire.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  6. chdot
    Admin

    No, but schools that want to make sure all their children do cycle training have them available.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  7. SRD
    Moderator

    The resources that schools put into swimming lessons are definitely disproportionate to whatthey (and the council) are willing to consider for cycling.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  8. alibali
    Member

    Good point - I just want both!

    Seconded.

    The resources that schools put into swimming lessons are definitely disproportionate to whatthey (and the council) are willing to consider for cycling.

    Well, it does take a bit more input to get a worthwhile return on swimming lessons. I would argue that the resource available now is most unlikely to turn a non-swimmer into a confident swimmer, which is what's required. What it can do is take non-swimmers to the struggle across the pool without puting a foot down stage which I suppose has to be enough.

    Children seem to learn to ride a bike pretty quickly and a bunch of old bikes in various sizes, a playground and a few volunteers seems to get to the same level of cycling without much bother.

    Posted 12 years ago #

RSS feed for this topic

Reply

You must log in to post.


Video embedded using Easy Video Embed plugin