To think this is desperately sad?

[IronicSeraphim]

I live on a block of six semi's, all with big gardens.

All but two of them have young children in. One, has five (aged 4ish to 16ish).

Two of those houses of children (including the one with five kids) never play in the garden. Never.

I've been a SAHP for three years and I've NEVER seen these kids in the garden. I know they're still there as o see them coming and going and on the school run.

I know it's nothing to do with me, but I can't help wondering why you'd do this?

You don't know that. For all we know, they're home exhausted after hours out hiking/sailing/football etc. Even if they are at home "glued to the screen", there's really no harm in it as long as it's done in moderation alongside other healthy activities. Stop being so patronising. The world is far bigger than that which you're familiar/comfortable with.

you don't know that either

Yes, and that's why I have refrained from passing judgement instead of making statements like this:

oh come on, if you know the kids are at home but are never outside, it IS sad.

and other people have expressed their opinion. And here we are

I think it's strange too op. Going to the park and friend's houses is great, but it doesn't always suit, as pp said, you need to do stuff around the house sometimes and the garden is right there, a step away, and you said it's a big one, very odd imo to never use it.

Your initial point was that "it IS sad" when kids are home but are never outside, my counterpoint was that that wasn't necessarily true due to a variety of reasons outlined above. Yours is a "for all cases" type of statement while mine is a "there exist a case where" type of statement. Do you see the difference there?

The crux of it all is that the only judgement I've made so far pertains to the OP judging other people. Never have I made a definitive statement on what's "sad" out there without knowing the full picture.

*upthread

Yanbu.
There's a house next to me and the children never go in the garden. I can see them watching tv inside.
Their garden is quite nice by the way .

Please get a hobby or a job.

There's a house next to me and the children never go in the garden. I can see them watching tv inside.

nosy neighbours on this thread.

Some people like being watched, there are so many houses without shutters, curtains or blinds

You say you’re a sahp, are you in your house all day everyday? Do you never go out for more than an hour? That’s also very odd!

Someone posted a picture of a proper kids' garden the other day and loads of people told how "messy" it was. It wasn't, it just had lots of toys in it. I agree with you, OP. It's weird.

Not necessarily nosey, just living in a cramped estate and can't help noticing what people get up to. Or don't get up to.

I'm desperately trying to get my 8 and 9 year olds in..they are bouncing on the trampoline, them in the sand pit and the tomato plants now have flowers !?!

As a child I hated the pressure to be outdoors as soon as the rain dried up.

Now...I practically launch my kids into the garden at the first sign of a dry day 😂

YANBU

How can you tell? Genuine question.

I genuinely hope they are all out doing stuff but it does seem strange to never use the garden. Not even for half an hour between tea and bed time, build a snow man on a Saturday morning.

Never?

This will probably get me flamed alive for drip feeding but these are all HA two beds. Lovely houses, garden and area (yes we're very lucky) but very small none the less.

We have a semi with a garden front and back and my kids play out ll the time, we still go to parks but they also love playing out whilst I'm cooking dinner after school for half hour or on a weekend whilst we are having a lazy morning.

My girls always enjoyed hanging out on the trampoline but not so much the garden.

We spent a lot of time in the garden this weekend, probably wouldn’t as much normally but I was potty training so thought I’d take the potty outside in the sunshine.
It was so nice, eating breakfast, playing with her toys outside, I think it made me more relaxed too.
You need some stuff ideally, we’ve got a blow up paddling pool, water pistol, table etc. It was cute watching her spray the plants and paint the outside wall with her water pistol. We didn’t have a garden before so I’m really grateful for this one

Well the thing is OP, poor people don’t give a shit about their kids.

That’s what you wanted everyone to say isn’t it?

I think children need free play away from their parents, so if they're not in the garden because they're on supervised outings or just watching TV, then yeah, I think it's a bit sad.

But maybe they're going to the park with their friends, who knows?