View this post on Instagram
As Walktober winds down and we get in our last steps, we are highlighting how a the walk to school has turned into bonding time for a mother and son. Watch our video above or read the story below from MDOT’s Active Transportation and Micromobility Director, Kandese Holford.
Hi everyone, I’m Kandese Holford and Happy Walktober!
My son and I use the 5 to 10 minutes a day we have to walk to school, to really get connected, get closer, to learn about what’s going on in each other’s days.
It’s very rare that you get a moment to pause, but if you can pause and actually be extending your life span at the same time while connecting with your kids! Again, a win win win.
My son and I take a lot of time understanding what’s going on in our environment. So our path actually passes a lot of transit stops, driveways and even some businesses. So we’re able to interact on the street with passers by with folks waiting to go to work. And it really inspires him to ask a lot of questions about what people do and what makes them happy.
My son wakes up every morning asking, are we going to walk to school? So I really try to make sure that that’s a priority for me. We’re moving really fast during the day and sometimes we want to just get to work and it might be easier to drive.
But now that we have access to a sidewalk and he is approaching me to request a walk, I think that he’s realizing the benefits himself and through practice can start to implement that in his own life.
Jessie Karangu is the Digital Media Content Manager with the Maryland Department of Transportation.