To think children need to get out in the fresh air every single day

[lkissaa]

Obviously every now and again if they're ill or parents feel like a lazy day but generally, I feel it's very very important for children to be outside getting exercise every day. It helps stimulate their brain, keep them fit and healthy and helps to use up their energy so they sleep better at night. Even if it's just in the local park or even just the garden.

I've worked extensively with children with behavioural problems and while many of them have more deep-routed issues, in many cases once the parent started taking the child out every day for exercise and outside play, the behaviours improved massively and in some cases almost disappeared.

When I was a child my Dad took us out every day for walks and we loved it. Playing outside.

I hat to compare children to dogs, but dogs get very disturbed if they don't have a walk every day and in some ways I feel children are the same. They don't need walking, but they do need fresh air and a change of scenery.

AIBU to think that?

[babyapril]

mad yes , my daughter's optician was telling me similar - she mentioned Japan.
My daughter is short sighted so during the summer l really made sure she played outside when possible.

[Crunchymum]

Posted too soon. I mean indoors = garden / no planned activities.

In winter I'm not adverse to a day completely indoors though.

[AliceInUnderpants]

Cuckoo you need to Fuck Right Off. I've reported your post for it's blatant disablism.

[chocolatecakemakesmefat]

Hmm not sure my ds has asd and I'm pretty sure his behavioural problems are nothing to do with him not being out every single day

[Sirzy]

Some days a day in the house is exactly what ds needs. To allow him to rest in a relaxed, safe environment.

I actually think for a lot of children - especially though with autism - that a day in to chill and relax can be very beneficial.

Ds gets out most days but sometimes a day in is as good for him,

[ComfortingKormaBalls]

A good walk always gets my bowels going

[SemiNormal]

Nah they don't need to be out every single day. Most days yes, but every day? hmm. In the holidays my son and I always have at least one or two pyjama days, I'm in Uni all week, he's in school (breakfast club and afterschool club) every day. He gets exhausted and so do I - oh and on our PJ days we don't open the curtains either, terribly slothful we are!

[Greenifer]

What works for one person doesn't work for the next. It's certainly good to get outside but not everyone needs it. As for fresh air, well, it depends on what's available to you. Here under the flight path for Heathrow and next to a massive A road I am not sure it's terribly fresh out there.

What my DD actually needs and desires is something to think about every day. What makes her antsy and annoying is not getting enough mental exercise. Physical getting out, she can take or leave. She doesn't dislike it but she's just not someone who particularly has to have it. If she's lolling round the house not sure what to do, she's just as likely to be miserable when we get home from a trip to the park or swimming or whatever. OTOH if she thinks up a story to write or something to make or tries to invent a new way of knitting (don't ask, it's really odd and we have got through a ton of wool and wooden skewers) she will be happy for hours and go to bed with the sense of something achieved (even if no knitting has actually been produced, which strangely so far it has not). I do know children who absolutely need to have a run about every day but not all of them do.

We have spent a large part of every morning of half term so far sitting in bed while I read and drink coffee. In this time, she has written a play (of sorts), done endless varieties of knitting that doesn't work (I have offered to teach her actual knitting but she isn't interested), invented a family of aliens with names and personal preferences catalogued to the Nth degree (one hates pasta, one will only wear green clothing, one likes words that begin with X, etc) and a lot more. This is how she likes to spend her time and personally I say good on her for having the impetus to invent things she likes doing even if they don't actually work or amount to much in the end. She has no particular undesirable behaviours apart from talking constantly which pretty much goes with the territory of having most flavours of child.

It's ludicrous to say anyone NEEDS to do anything that isn't actually essential for life. We are all different.

Also, you sound really quite smug, OP.

[PermenantLurker]

Cuckoo you are vile

[Thefitfatty]

Ideally sure. Kids should get some fresh air as often as possible. Having grown up in Canada and now living in the Middle East, I can attest that there are certainly days where the weather makes it impossible unless you want to risk death from hypothermia or heat stroke. :/

[sleepy16]

Cuckoo I will be sure to tell my autistic son to just get over his disability, and pray he doesn't try and harm himself because I made his anxiety worse by making him leave the house!
Ffs yes like I said it is good to get fresh air etc etc, but sometimes for what ever reason people just can not!!

[honkinghaddock]

Ds with asd spends a lot of time outdoors. Still has challenging behaviour.

[madmomma]

So if you live in a shitty town with no park nearby and you don't have a car, what do you suggest people do? Walk their kids round the shitty streets?

[stopgap]

I live on a house with 20 acres of land, so it's easy to get my children outside after school, as there's zero faff involved. It was a lot harder to get motivated when I lived in an apartment and had to load up the stroller with a million things.

When the winter hits here, I do make exceptions to the outside rule, such as when the wind chill puts the temperature around 15f-20f.

But otherwise, everyone sleeps better. Re the three months of summer holidays, we are pretty much outside 24/7.

[honkinghaddock]

Although there are some days when he is very distressed and I don't take him out because I am worried about his, my or anyone else we meets safety.

[FarAwayHills]

YANBU

In most cases fresh air and a bit of exercise are important for general health and wellbeing also essential for good mental health. I'm a huge fan walking to clear my head. Of course the odd pyjama day is also great to rest and recharge. Getting out is particularly important for older kids and teens who can spend hours on screens or solitary in their bedrooms if left unchecked. I notice that both my DDs moods are awful if they have been indoors all day and just a walk to the park and the shop gets things back on an even keel.

[Trifleorbust]

I actually think you sound quite sanctimonious. Yes, exercise is important but the whole 'every single day' thing comes across as very judgemental when it comes to other people's children.

[BishopBrennansArse]

You can't exercise the ADHD out of DS2 although we do generally try to wear him out.

Not always the best plan for DD who has CFS. But we do try and get her outside in her wheelchair when we can.

[GreatFuckability]

It depends on the person/child. My children don't go out every day, I have health issues that make it impossible for me to go out sometimes, and that meant sometimes when they were little my childre didn't get out beyond the garden for a few days at a time. It does't seem to have harmed them. My ds has SEN and actively HATES going out.

[formerbabe]

Completely agree with the op. I don't get this pyjama day everyone goes on about on MN. Honestly, my dc, especially my ds would be climbing the walls if we did that.

[WorraLiberty]

So if you live in a shitty town with no park nearby and you don't have a car, what do you suggest people do? Walk their kids round the shitty streets?

Why not? Surely going for a walk around the block/round the streets is better than keeping their kids couped up indoors?

[Matchingbluesocks]

I agree with you OP. I have 2 friends who never seem to take their children out. I think it's a shame, and in one of the families all 3 are constantly ill and I'm sure it's related. They even have to play outdoor games, ie football, indoors and their Wendy house/ little tikes car/ climbing frame and slide are all indoors too!

[Lweji]

I wouldn't go as far as every single day, but I agree with regular outings.

I do love a quiet day at home, though. Particularly after spending the day bored stiff watching DS playing football.