I love that it made the front page of the newspaper, but not in a child abuse kinda way.

haha, the little tyke. i like the cut of his jib.

Boy, 5, made to walk two-and-a-half hours to school

By Alyssa Betts

Northern Territory News

A NORTHERN TERRITORY man has been making his five-year-old son walk two-and-a-half hours to school every day, after he was kicked off the school bus.

When Jack Burt confessed that he'd been banned for five days for hitting the bus driver in the head with an apple core, dad Sam thought he should learn the hard way. He and Jack last week were getting up at 5.10am for the dusty 13km-hike from the Darwin rural area of Herbert, all the way to Humpty Doo.

Mr Burt also took the wheels off Jack's bike so he couldn't be tempted to ride to school.

At the end of the old-fashioned punishment, Mr Burt, 38, took out a public notice in the Northern Territory News.

''Jack Burt and his dad wish to thank all the kind people who stopped to offer them lifts in the past week,'' the ad read.

''It's good to see a number of good people in the community. Jack hopes to be allowed back on the bus on Monday.''

But in the battle of wills between tall and short, the smart money's on Jack.

''Shame it didn't work,'' Mr Burt told the Northern Territory News.

''He got back on the bus Monday, and within three stops he was in trouble again. I couldn't believe it.

''I don't understand - he's good at school, he gets awards all the time.''

However, a breakthrough might be in sight.

When Jack this week said he didn't mind walking - because it made him strong for fighting - he was told if he started fighting he might have to walk home in the afternoons too.

Jack's eyes got a little teary. He said he might not get home before dark.

Mr Burt told him not to worry - they'd leave the key out for him.

Oh the news.com.au readers have found their new hero, that's for sure

hahaha, when he gets big and has kids, he can actually do the 'when i was a kid, i had to walk 2 and a half hours, just to go to school...' thing.

He's a pint sized Aussie battler!

Mr Burt told him not to worry - they'd leave the key out for him.

Ha!

dad could use the walk too, by the look of him.

Imagine being Jack's kid. ''Back in my day, son, my dad made me bloody WALK to school. TWO HOURS through the flamin' desert!!!

hahaha, when he gets big and has kids, he can actually do the 'when i was a kid, i had to walk 2 and a half hours, just to go to school...' thing.

A friend and I had a similar conversation to this, we can do the ''I had to walk through the snow to get to university when I was young!'' talk.

Pffft Em, much more cred in telling 'em you had to walk through the broken glass and assorted filth on Oxford Street to get to the pub.

True, true.

I feel sorry for my kids already. I'm going to ban television and make them sit through my boring stories, told three times over, every night.

I reckon Today Tonight will run a story on this

And present it as a good old fashioned parenting solution.

I feel sorry for my kids already. I'm going to ban television and make them sit through my boring stories, told three times over, every night.

You also should make them compose poems detailing your glorious exploits, and occasionally force them to create interpretive dance pieces to represent the struggle between your liver and the brewing companies.

How about a puppet show? I'd much prefer a puppet show.

the puppets can do the interpretive dance.

awesome story.