Park Runs: Children - Why?

Yeah where am i supposed to keep a horse??

With far too many fat parents who are creating fat children by allowing them to copy their sedate lifestyle with too much processed junk, I think it's brilliant to see families who are making exercise as part of their routine.

I think they should bring back the one mile run a day in primary schools too. I think some still do this!

Oh and alongside the “running mum” have you come across the “football dad”? Those parents who yell at their kids at football matches because they’re apparently not premiership striker potential

There are parents who cross the line in terms of taking the “encouragement “ too far for certain activities. Not sure why anyone would think that running is the only example
of this. I suppose because it’s just because it takes place in public places.

Just a reminder that Park Run is free, for many families horseriding is very much beyond their reach, as is swimming for some.
Think of it like that and be a bit kinder.

The only reason I'd ever run is if I was being chased by something that wanted to kill me, and even then it'd be a toss up between running and accepting death.

However I understand why other, more insane people choose to do it, yes even with their child/ren. I just don't go to the places they engage in their unnerving behaviour while they're doing it. You can make that choice too!

The last thing I want to be doing on a Sunday morning in this weather is getting up and going out running! I do, because I believe it is good for all of us.

I don't drag my kids around crying though. There is a bit of complaining from one of them and she is not forced to run, I always walk with her if she prefers. I gently cajole her.

Starting to see why so many posters on mumsnet are at the end of their tether with awful teens who they cannot say no to.

Mine both do parkrun, sometimes they whinge, especially the older one because she doesn't want her little brother to catch up with her in numbers done.

We make them do it because they are so much nicer when they've had a run, they usually enjoy it while they're doing it and there's no exercise that doesn't involve some grumping about starting... 9am (or 9.30) is a good time to get some of the fidgets out and start the day well.

100%

Horse riding? Costs a fortune!!!

I absolutely loathe and detest running and quietly get irritated by the ones on our coastal path who barrage through without politeness.

However, park run is a great idea. It keeps everyone on one, safe place to do their thing and if kids are there, it's even better because they're out in fresh air, getting exercise. How can anyone get annoyed by that? It's just a an hour or two a week so avoid the park thay day if it annoys you?

I think you're being a bit miserable, it's the same time every week and you know about it so avoid the area for 30 minutes.

After reading this, I've just persuaded my DS 11 to join up and will coax my DD 5 in to it too!

Yep! But remember on MN children must rule the home, plus they’re toddlers until about 23.

You "dont get running" yet you have suggested gymnastics for kids which is known to be punishingly competitive and rife with eating disorders?

😂😂

Err OP, lose the entitlement.

Sunday Parkrun is a free sporty social event for kids.

Every alternative sport you suggest costs money. You may be able to afford horse riding (!) but some people can't

Do you have a hangover? Is that the problem?

Bring them along on a Saturday, we have a few parents who run pushing their all terrain kids buggies , we move aside no problem

Of course Minecraft is fine sometimes! But not all day.

Parkrun is free, it might fit into everyone’s schedule because it’s so early, it might be something older siblings enjoy as well (park probably not great), kids might moan just as much going to the park or other alternatives.

Things like swimming, horse riding, cycling and climbing walls cost money, take longer and can’t often be done at convenient times. My kids will only spend about 10
min at the park in Jan because they get cold/ everything is wet/ muddy etc. Then they moan to go for a drink/ go home and older siblings won’t come at all. Plus I bet you most families do these as well as the occasional parkrun.

And at heart if park run works for a family I don’t think it should be stopped just because maybe one child moans a little bit (especially if ultimately they enjoy it) that’s not how families work.

Oh my gosh another thread moaning about park run. There really are some strange people in this world.

It's junior park run on a Sunday. It's brilliant that parents are encouraging their children to be active and taking the time to get them outdoors.

What do you mean you don't 'get' running? What's not to get? Are you a bit hard of thinking.

Also if you’re a single working parent, taking your child on the park run at weekends might be the only way of getting some exercise.
I would say, however, that some parkrunners could be a bit more accepting of parents who take kids along in pushchairs. I took DC then age 3 in the aforementioned running pram once and got some snooty old bloke telling me they were too big for a buggy and should be running!

The one I attend is on around the rugby pitch, the next two nearest - one on a beach and one on a nature reserve. The only one in a park is the Junior one because its level ground

my older DS won’t do any kind of exercise or fresh air at all without some kind of encouragement

does that mean I should just say “that’ll allright love just play computer games all day”? We do have a deal in that if he does some exercise I will leave him to it-
homework and planned outings aside- for the rest of the day

(if he does the pr and ends up walking most of it I’m entirely happy with that)

Yeah, kids hate things that are good for them. Good parents make them do it anyway. Can't be fucked with this notion that they can always choose what they do!

Haha!

A whole bunch of adults who’ll never run again, after being dragged out of bed at a weekend for years to go running with their folks.

Makes being dragged out of bed to sit in a freezing Catholic Church on a Sunday morning seem like a breeze. Atheism was the (perhaps inevitable) response.

Don't forget the small dogs on a 10ft extending lead.