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?

Pfft. I chuck mine out at 5am in his PJs come rain or shine , and he's not allowed in until after his bedtime. If he tries to get back in I chase him round the garden with a big stick.

Great exercise and marvellous for character building, at least that's wasted I told the nice policewoman.

Loving the stealth boasting going on here.

Yep I agree mine need ex excersizing daily or they go crazy. Spent 4.5 hours out today horrid children when we went out nice calm children on return (knackered mummy) just got to think of where to take them tomorrow. I am afraid to say I agree with them being like dogs mine definatly need a good run each morning the same as the family retriever does both child and dog are calmer after a walk/swim/climb or whatever excersize I think up! (Dog only up for walk or outdoor swim of course I don't pay for her to go climbing)

*what, of course.

Mind you, I did make her wait until I'd finished polishing my gold standard mum award!

Absolutely!! My dd walks miles! She loves being outdoors and I think it's so important! She's never missed a day off school ill and I really think it's because we are always outdoors!

look, i get it, you're defensive- cos you do it, and you know it's pretty cruddy so you're ganging up at being called out on it.

How is 'I make my kids go outside every day' stealth boasting? Really, if you think 'dressing them and opening a door' is some kind of helicopter parenting you need to wobble those heads of yours.

:O :D

I don't think it's ganging up to disagree or scoff at ridiculous statements based on no evidence on this thread. My DC get out every day mostly but I don't think I'm a particularly non-lazy or good parent because mine like being the garden. I'm lucky to have a garden where I can chuck 'em out to. I don't look down on other parents for the difficulties they may experience or boast how they've been out for hours.

Obviously children (and adults) need to exercise by why does it have to be outdoors? Healthwise, I'm sure it is as good, if not better to swim every day than go for a walk and definitely better than standing outside in a freezing cold playground.

it isn't binary. We have no garden (a yard) and live in an inner city. Still manage to get them out, because it is important that they aren't cooped up indoors staring slack jawed at a screen for entire tranches of the week/weekend.

It's basic parenting, like 'feeding them' or 'making sure they have a bed with bedding on' not a massive big deal really is it?

Stick your kids in front of a screen for 8 hours

You sound a little bit obsessive with the 8 hour screen.

Being at home doesn't automatically mean TV.

The fresh air children get at school or walking to and from school is scientifically proven to be less beneficial to children than fresh air obtained on a naice walk.

Why is it basic parenting? Why exactly is going to happen to the child who is allowed to relax at home had the odd day in the house?

I think in some ways it does more harm for children to be constantly expected to be doing something and to not get the time to just sit and relax

Your friend probably knows that getting fresh air is beneficial but as you have pointed out her child is prone to tantrums. Is there anyway you or someone could support her initially when she goes out with her child. It's not easy taking out a child who's behaviour is difficult.

Oh I am irritated beyond belief with this post. What is this nonsense about 'fresh air' FFS? I live in a city and the air quality in many places is grim. Walking along busy roads and breathing in diesel fumes is no fun. I don't have a garden and sadly there is often dog poo left in the communal areas. And DS now doesn't want to go to the nearest park because of a couple of irresponsible dog owners who let their dogs off the lead and they jumped up/scared him.

Yes, kids need to be active physically - Yes they need lots of stimulation. But how and when parents / carers do this is a matter for them to decide.

probably depends on your children. I have 4 boys and always, always, always, did walks or swimming every day. I used to think of it as having 4 big Alsatians, you wouldn't dream of keeping them locked in a house all day, or if you did you'd be asking for trouble.
But sometimes I imagined having a little girl like I was, who would happily sit in and read all day with not a hyper moment to be seen....

Thanks DancingWithWillard, yes, she is awesome (most kids are pretty awesome IME) but also sometimes a little exhausting!

is a duvet day (as i believe they're known?) one where you get the craft stuff out? or is it one where you lie, under a duvet watching a movie definitely doing craft/creative play etc

look, if you are worried about this stuff and being judged for it- stop doing it.

I agree that kids should be outdoors every day but it has become completely fraught in lots of parts of the UK (by the sounds of it - it has been ages since I lived there) because kids can't go out on their own any more. So now it is about parenting. Those parents with the time, or those with a large garden, or a park close by, or an au pair, can ensure that their children get outdoor time and can be judgmental about all those parents who don't manage it. For those with little support, limited time, or limited facilities, it's much harder.

I am very grateful that I live somewhere where kids can play out unsupervised. I don't mean that I turn them out and expect them to come back hours later, but that I don't need to take them everywhere and sit out in the mizzle watching them kick a football around (we don't have any garden). They walk to and from school (ten mins walk) without supervision. Of course there are some tiny and horrible-to-contemplate risks to this, but I think the benefits are huge.

Ah I see, the options are 8 hours of TV or 8 hours inside? Perhaps you are just not inventive enough indoors.

I used to work in a day care and some children were there for 10 hours. Obviously, there was lots of outside time but there were also hours and hours of stimulating activities that didn't involve screens. It doesn't need to cost a lot or be a lot of effort.

YANBU.
Even more so for young children (before they reach school age).
Even as an adult, I will feel much better if I have gone out for 15mins rather than staying inside at home all day.

I do think that when children start going to school, it is different in that they will have had recess and lunch time to run around.

However, it CAN be hard work (for various reasons incl the fact that YOU have to go out too and you might not feel like it).
I do know that there is no way I would never have survived toddlerhood wo going out at least once, if not twice on the day! The running around seemed to have been more important for us rather than being outside (so playgroup would have counted as one outing). I actually amazed at children who will be happily staying at home all day wo a fuss.

sn/disabilities excepted it is really lazy parenting to have a duvet day/pj day with young kids (unless you are sick/they are sick) blobbing them in front of screens for 8 hours while you mumsnet... hardly gold standard mum'ing is it?

We have a small farm so we need to go outside every day. I am not sure that being outside makes me a "gold standard Mum".

Sometimes to be honest I boot them out of the door with a picnic so that I can have a Netflix binge. Does that make a better parent than the days that we all stay in together and play boardgames.

Im a bit confused as to how fresh air daily somehow has become refusing to let your Children in the house the other 23 hours of the day....

ok, so all you duvet day/PJ mums, i apologise, I had really no idea that on the days you couldn't be bothered to dress your kids/open the door you were all playing board-games, doing jigsaws, singing folk songs and preparing delicious organic meals for the cherubs...

I apologise, I assumed it was shorthand for sticking them in front of the telly/ipad/screen and being pretty laissez faire in every way.

there's LOADS of you on here isn't there?

Are you on a goading fucker bet, per chance?