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?

[SpookyPotato]

I love taking my toddler out but it's a couple of times a week. He sleeps like a log and behaves well. I'm heavily pregnant and can't drive, don't have a garden.. He looks happy to me I really don't think he is suffering...

[Mrsfrumble]

Until recently I lived in a place where the weather conditions were often fairly extreme (hail the size of golf balls. Tornados. 40 degrees by 10am) so if my children weren't at preschool we sometimes did have entire days indoors without getting dressed.

I'm a bit at the assumption that this would automatically mean 8 hours of TV and MN. Yes, there was a bit of both, but there was also Lego, play doh, painting and drawing, reading etc. is that really so hard to imagine?

[FeralBeryl]

Lovely supportive opinions as usual
I am led to some extent by the DCs, they have a busy, physical life, they enjoy being outdoors, they enjoy being indoors.
Yes, sometimes I can tell they need a runabout when they are initially reluctant. However if they're having a scream laughing trashing the house playing some kind of bizarre game, or smearing play doh into the couch, I wouldn't dream of insisting on a park trip.
Commendations to all of those who purposefully, happily take 3-4 reluctant children out in the pissing down rain. Bet that's a laugh.....

[BummyMummy77]

It gets to -30 here and I still make sure ds goes out for half an hour or so even in that.

I get incredibly depressed if I don't spend time outside and I've noticed ds goes a bit loopy too.

[maddiemookins16mum]

2/3 days and I would be going mad. Every single day, come on, in the middle of winter or pissing rain??? I don't force myself out in that' let alone my child.

[Juanbablo]

We do need to get out every day. Even if it's raining. Ds1 has ADHD and drives us and himself up the wall if we stay in all day. We have a good sized garden so he spends a lot of time out there with his football or on the trampoline or just running up and down. But we do still need to go out for a run, walk, bike ride or something to burn some of his energy off. My other two are much more content with staying in but also don't complain about going out either. In our case it is essential for my wellbeing as well as the dcs to get out every day.

[washingsomuchwashing]

We have a tiny yard so do make sure we get out every day, do feel much better for it,

[Only1scoop]

Yanbu, we walk, bike most days with dd always have done. She cycled 30k on one bike ride this week, we are quite outdoorsy and she's always been walking miles from tiny, have friends whose DC moan about having to walk to the local park and back.

[MessalinaOfTheSuburbs]

I recently picked up in a charity shop a 1922 parenting manuel, revised in 1945 and apparently very well regarded, which includes the line 'infants should hardly be indoors at all between 8 and 5 in the winter and 7 and 10 in summer...'

[PinkSwimGoggles]

there have been studies that daylight is essential to prevent eye problems in children. www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/11559006/Teach-children-outside-to-save-their-vision-say-scientists.html
in addition to that exercise outside is good for mind and body.

tbh I find it sad to read about parents who can't be arsed to go out.

[formerbabe]

I'm a natural indoors person...always have been. I'd much rather be at home, reading, watching TV and pottering around. However, my ds is super sporty and full of energy. I have therefore been quite fanatical about making sure he gets out everyday. I try to make sure he gets exercise into his day earlyish in the day....so at weekends, I'll take him to play football or for a bike ride...if he has exercise early then I notice his behaviour is much better for the rest of the day. Sometimes, we'll just go for a walk to the supermarket to get out in the afternoons. I really think it's vital.

[CheshireChat]

Is this another all kids are the same thread? I find that my son is equally prone to tantrums inside or out, if he wants to be a little toe tag that day taking him out just makes it 100 times more difficult to manage.

I also live in an area virtually without a park, there's one but it's been destroyed and there's no kids or anything there anyway.

The better park is over an hour's walk away so he'd be stuck in the pram and sadly I can't afford the bus fair all that often.

Also I have to take the pram because last time he decided to tantrum and not walk I had to carry him home so I was in agony for 3 bloody days with sciatica.

I can't wait until he can't be left alone in the garden for a short while and surprisingly I do try to get him out everyday, just not practical all the time.

[BlackeyedSusan]

you know, some people actually like being inside.

some people do not have the luxury of a garden on hand. Or a park that does not require long walk crossing main roads/ is not full of dog shit and vandalised/ is not the one where someone was murdered recently or the one which is named as the place where girls are getting groomed.

not to mention getting everyone up and down several flights of stairs.

[BlackeyedSusan]

ohgodwhatthehellnow

what a fabulous name and post!

[helenatroy]

Yes. We all should. Am knocked up and sick. The days I feel worst it all are the days where I don't leave the house. So even if I feel lousy I will at least walk to the shop or go out for a cup of tea.

[passingthrough1]

Well yes and no... I find it quite sad when you see toddlers strapped into pushchairs being wheeled around shopping centres all day. Going to a park would be the best, but at home playing with toys, reading, watching some TV probably better than sitting glassy eyed in TKMaxx??

[albertcampionscat]

It depends, no? DS1 is the classic small boy who needs to go walkies but he had two months around last Christmas when on non-nursery days all he wanted to do was stay at home and do jigsaws. It would have been mean to drag him out.

[NickiFury]

If my children don't get our I can guarantee a meltdown by late afternoon and DS can be positively evil. Both have autism. I'm not sure how much of it is exercise though, more a change of scene and sensory input from being in a new environment. Even a walk to the shop makes all the difference. Personally I am an out and about kind of person and would run 10km a day if our schedule allowed it.

[StatisticallyChallenged]

There's plenty of good reasons not to go out and I don't think every single day is vital. But I've come across - through business - a very large number of people who object to their children being asked to walk even fairly short distances. A distance of a mile is considered to be very far by some and a totally unreasonable distance for a primary school aged child to walk.

I think if it's possible and practical then it's good for kids to get outdoors fairly often. But we have plenty of pyjama days too

[corythatwas]

I was very much brought up to believe this. And am the kind of person who needs fresh air and the contact with nature to feel good about myself.

Unfortunately, being out in even the slightest chill set my dd's join condition off, leaving her in pain for days afterwards.

Can't tell you how lovely it is now she is grown up so I can get out there without having to drag her out along.

She has become a lot healthier and happier, too.

The principles, no doubt, were good enough, but the material I tried to practise them on wasn't up to the job. Full marks for persevering though.

[BummyMummy77]

Vitamin d anyone?

And the town excuse is a load of horseshit I'm sorry. Even more reason to get out of you are stuck inside in a small space.

I worked 20 years as a nanny/ maternity nurse in London, sometimes in flats with no gardens around. Still got out everyday.

Even if it's raining, ds and I put on foul weather gear and get out at least for a bit.

[roseteapot101]

I agree but depends on each persons individual circumstances , i just feel so guilty all we can afford is a flat i find it hard to go outside by myself i have anxiety.My daughter go's to school now which is great but i am only able to do the school run with headphones.I really dont like crowded unfamiliar places.I sometimes manage a day by myself out with headphones but usually wait for when my other half is home from work.

[BummyMummy77]

I get that Rose.

I can get very agrophobic and anxious that's why I know it's essential for me to get out every day.

And I see it in ds if he spends too much time inside.

[pizzapop]

... I find it quite sad when you see toddlers strapped into pushchairs being wheeled around shopping centres all day

Jesus what a load of judgemental claptrap. how do you know they're being dragged around shopping centres ALL day every day and mum hasn't just popped in cos she needs something? Glassy eyed"?? you've got quite an imagination.