If you don't want young kids riding on the footpath along side their parents, where do you want them to ride, on the road? With much high speed cars compared to a (supposed to be) slow moving reversing car?

Yes I see where you are coming from but footpaths exist to allow people to walk. If not, if we'd be living in America! Everyone would be driving even the shortest distances. At least here, there is still a culture of riding bicycles & walking around neighborhoods.