Long ago, in saner days, I walked to & from elementary school. Usually alone, 12 miles per week, starting at age 6. Distances varied, but 95% of the other kid

Long ago, in saner days, I walked to & from elementary school. Usually alone, 12 miles per week, starting at age 6. Distances varied, but 95% of the other kids did likewise. Theory: This sort of "any excuse to punish parents" sh*t is a major reason why so many Americans are deciding that they'll never have children. EDIT: Yes, obviously this effect would be a feedback mechanism that could only really kick in after parents had gotten relatively scarce in a jurisdiction.