Character-building Life Events

Kiddo, as you may have read, walks to and from her new high school. She's complained most of the time... about every. little. niggle.
Heavy books and heavy traffic at the intersection are her top two grievances.
I've categorized this into...
#1 - this is a character-builder, not a hardship
and
#2 distress level of whiny teen - 3 out of possible 10

During our school days, Daddy-O never rode a bus, and I never walked - except after I met him, then I'd walk 17 blocks to his house on Fridays. Did it even when there was a snow up past my boots - I kid you not! ("Uphill! Both Ways!" - Bill Cosby, Himself)
...Of course, no amount of rain or sleet, or even snow was gonna keep this teenager from datenight.
sorry...flashback
OK back to Kiddo, last night she tells us that her friend's mom was driving her friend to school, and wanted to know if Kiddo needed a ride in the mornings.
"Please can I ride with her mom?"

My conflicting thoughts:
"Maybe I was wrong. Does she need saving from this terrible walking-12-blocks?"
"Have I not judged this grave situation correctly?"
"If she's going to get a ride to school from a mom, it might as well be me - I'm home. I can do it."
"OK then, gas money or reciprocal services to/with the other mom"
"But wait a minute! My guts still say that it's not a bad thing for her to walk."

Daddy-O has taken Kiddo's side. Not that there's sides, really. He said he hated walking to high school. He can see her point.

I thought I had this situation justified:
She has a cell phone, just in case anything goes wrong.
She is cautious enough not to get hassled enroute, and bold enough to kick 'em in the 'nads if she does.
One of us picks her up or takes her if it's raining.
I keep watch on the time and know her route, also just in case she doesn't come bopping in after 3 p.m.
Sometimes she walks with neighbor kids, sometimes not.
No rotten neighbor kids - no seedy neighborhoods.
Once in a while she snags a ride home with a friend who has a license.

"Country kid learns to push crosswalk button at intersection - details at nine!"

I really think the walking is all good experience. New experience. For her to be able to look back and say, "I did it my whole Sophomore year, and then Dad and Mom let me get my license." and have, hopefully a sense of pride, accomplishment, adventure - or if all else fails - a story that she can tell her kids about "what her parents made her do".

Maybe that's the rub.
Of course kids nowadays have it waaaaaaaaay easier than we did. (Oh, the stories we could tell) Yes, I can make this easier on her, but maybe that's the point. As a mom, I don't think it's my job to necessarily make certain things easier. I'd rather say that I'm teaching her how to buck-up and work though an on-going situation that may not be the most pleasant but...

..."What don't kill ya, makes ya stronger."

Then again, I could be way out of line with this situation.

Maybe I should just shut up and drive!

family

OH, the drama, John-Boy
The Happy Medium