I use elbow crutches and I am absolutely pertified of walking on snow since I have got worse. Trouble is it’s no good when you have a school and nursery run to do! It’s got to the point that the kids have bearly been in school this week.
I drive an automatic car and haven’t taken it out in the snow as the thought makes me hyper ventilate, let alone struggling to de snow and frost the thing! with elbow crutches and mad kids.
I just wondered how you all cope with snow whatever ability and if you use walking aids or not? If you find snow boots an advantage etc
Any advice or encouragement would be gratefully appreciated.
Sorry, I know it might sound like giving in, but I don’t think you should be going out when it’s like this. Can you not come to an arrangement with one of the other mums to help you by ferrying the kids when it’s as bad as this? In return, maybe you could do it for her some other time in the year, when she needs a break for some reason?
Or is there any chance you could stretch to a taxi, just on those days it’s really bad?
Surely there has to be some alternative to you walking on ice, on crutches? I’m relatively able-bodied (no stick/crutches) but I won’t walk on the stuff!
Then again, I don’t have kids - but nothing’s that crucial that I’m going to risk putting myself in hospital over it.
I’m wondering if you would be entitled to any help from social services? Not ALL the time - just when the weather makes it unsafe for you to go out?
Normally, I’d never be in favour of kids missing school, but really, if you cannot get them there safely and with confidence, I think it’s preferable to you ending up in hospital.
l agree with Tina, - you should not be attempting to get out to de-ice the car and drive to the schools. Do contact the school secretary and explain the situation. l am sure the schools would help. l was a school governor - and l know most schools would do all it could to help.
This situation does make me cross. Because families with children who are habitually truanting - can get the children ‘taxied’ to and fro from school. We used to have a family in this village - two daughters that caused a lot of disruption at school [one caught carrying a knife]. The council’s idea was to re-house them to this village - to get them away from an area where this family were causing a lot of trouble. They were escourted to and fro every day to school.
So - you deserve all the help you can get - and l hope it comes soon.
I have to walk my little girl to school daily and I find it terrifying too on the ice. The best thing I have found to help is my littles ones buggy. It is quite heavy and hard work to push (especially as it has a dodgy wheel) but this makes it very stable and if I do slip or lose my footing it doesn’t go anywhere very easily.
I wear a pair of quite heavy boots ( I have big feet, so they are mens) These fit round the ankles and give my a good amount of support. I struggle to walk without them generally!
I would denfinitely agree with the previous posts. Perhaps the school/ nursery could put you in touch with other parents who come past/near your house and would lift share with you or take your kids with theirs?
Best of luck…here’s hoping for better weather soon
I have bought some snow grips for my shoes (cost £5). They strap around the shoe and little spikes bite into the ice. I used them for the first time today (along with my stick). They are great on ice. Not so good on concrete so had to keep to the ice. I felt so much more confident. Neil.
Hi, great advice from the others, someone at my work got snow grips and said they were great, but he dousnt have ms and has no problems walking. Might be worth a try. I think the first thing is to contact the school. When my oldest was at nursery, the nursery was a long walk from the nearest parking place so I phoned the school and the head teacher agreed that I wait in the car and one of the nursery staff would take my son to the car. This worked well ande they didn’t seem to mind. I just took biscuits/cake for the staff to the nursery ever so often to say thank you. The school have a duty too to ensure the children get there and back safely. But, my mum helped me a lot too, she just took the children in her car but I am guessing that this kind of help may not be an option for you. But could another parent pick your children up and return them in snowy weather. You could take their children in better weather to return the favour. Cheryl:)
Seems like you have several problems all rolled up into one.
1 - The kids at school. Like Tina said, how about Social Services? But think about covering yourself. Call the school (or schools) ask if they can offer any help with transport. If it’s a NO, then ask if one of the staff can drop off some work for the kids to do. Get on to Social Services - ask if they can help - “you have already asked the school to send some work home” - if they cannot help, ask who they suggest. Make sure that you have a record of day, time, person you spoke to, what they said. If you can prise an e-mail address out of them, send a confirmation message.
2 - Walking in the snow. I don’t use crutches, so what I say is biased. I use two walking sticks. I have learned to make sure that whichever stick is going to take my weight next is upright. If I have to let go of one, the other must be a support. If I have to let go of both, then I am leaning against something. And, on snow and ice, move very slowly.
3 - The car. Not enough data. Driving in snow is easy - yes, honestly. Driving an automatic in snow is even easier - trust me, I have done a lot of it. And that is in real snow - several feet deep, at times.
There is just one big trick - do everything a lot more gently and a lot earlier than you normally would. There is a bit more to it than that, but gentle and early always works. My old trick when snow came down was to find an empty car park and find out what happened when I pressed the throttle down gently, or hard, and the same thing for the brakes. Simple, now you have some experience (and more than a whole lot of people).
De-icing - the dear old black bag is your friend, here. Cut one or more up into the largest pieces you can manage. One at a time, put them on front and rear screens and side windows. Smooth them out flat (you are probably leaning on the car to do this) and air pressure will keep them there. In the morning, peel them off and the white stuff comes away as well. If you have a plastic bag hung over the hand-grip of one crutch, you can drop the wet bits of plastic into it (and dry them off later).
And, like the others have already said - do not go out unless you have to. If you fall, what will happen to the kids then? Stay safe fore their sakes as well as your own.
I’m a great fan of the babies pushchair, I hate it when I don’t have it! I live in the middle of no where, so I usually park up in the village and walk the short way to school (makes the children so much better tempered if they have had a run), but in this weather I have been driving straight to school and they then walk straight in. Look into school transport services. I only live about a mile and a half from school, but because there are no adequate footpaths they have to provide transport (although I don’t take up the offer as I would miss the contact with other people). I’m sure if you spoke to the Local education authority they might be able to help, particularly if you had the backing of the school to say that the children are missing school if you don’t feel confident enough to go out.
I bought a pair of Spikez last year (little metal studs on rubber frames that fit over your shoes), went against every single instinct and walked on ice wearing them, they’re ace, and worth a shot. I’m in Aberdeen and we usually get a lot more snow than we’ve had this year - I don’t like driving in it, but you can, even with an automatic car, if you’re careful and do everything slowly, leaving a huge stopping gap between you and other cars. Think you’ve had a lot of good advice so far, good luck with it
You could consider a small four wheel buggy that you will be confident on,whatever the weather,that kids,pets whoever are safe around. Have a test drive at the local Buggy shop, see what you fancy then buy it much cheaper elsewhere.There would be issues with warm dry storage,charging blah blah, but NONE of these are deal breakers
I CANNOT wait for it to snow. I can’t walk at all at the moment,but can transfer onto ‘Big Bug’. I’ve done over 2,100 miles on the road in 12 months. It weighs 100 kg and with me on it must weigh…OK have a free laugh,but suffice to say you don’t want it on your foot Thing is though ALL this weight is over the back tyres,which are tall,slightly knobbly and ready to rock.Rear engine traction,we’re talking 911.
I think on the right snowy road I will make some car drivers look very silly,and me very happy.
Wb
ps Your car might have some winter settings on the gearbox,which give you engine breaking between 1st and 2nd. My 19 year old Volvo did…Easy peasy…feet on the dashboard and move aside snowy world
Thank you everyone for your wonderful advice. The school rang today and have basically demanded that I ring if I need assistance and the head teacher will come and get my son. It’s a shame the secretary had to be so rude about it. If they had just of said at the beginning of the week that they could help in this way then it wouldn’t of been a problem.