1) Some years ago, I lived opposite from a school with children aged 6–18. Some used the bike – the school was reachable by a bike path–, others walked, took th

1) Some years ago, I lived opposite from a school with children aged 6–18. Some used the bike – the school was reachable by a bike path–, others walked, took the bus or the tram. Then there was the parent-taxi group, who were hauled into their parents' SUV right after school. I wonder how they were ever able to spend time with their friends, be spontaneous or just ... "explore." 2) 1995. In our village, some children aged 6 took the bus alone. As a child myself, I was amazed by that. I would have never imagined to do that (I lived in walking distance myself, so I walked.) But these pupils weren't "alone", of course. They might have felt alone at first, but of course everyone knew a six-year-old with a backpack at 7:30 is headed to school. The other children in the bus know. The bus driver knows. Everyone knows. You can't really get lost.