To take my six year old on a nightly walk?

[AddisonM]

I need to lose some weight. I’ve been struggling with undiagnosed depression and I’m trying to dig my way out. I have been following a friend on Facebook who has dropped three stone since January just by walking. She walks every single night for miles. She looks fab.

I used to run and go to the gym but I can’t seem to muster the energy or confidence right now. So maybe a long evening walk is the way forward.

My six year old daughter is a bit prone to laziness and doesn’t really do much exercise. She’s not keen on it and I find this a bit difficult to accept, tbh (I mean I get that she doesn’t like it but it’s important to be healthy and she has couch potato tendencies). I’m thinking about taking her with me on these walks. I don’t know how up for it she will be but she’s quite clingy with me just now so she may come along just to be with me. I thought it would be nice. We could chat. We walk to school every day and I quite enjoy it.

Husband not keen on the idea (he would be at home with three year old, who wouldn’t walk far enough). Says it’s up to me, but thinks it’s a bit dark and cold and that she wouldn’t enjoy it.

Has anyone else done this?

It's the psychological impact too though - getting a change of scene, fresh air. If you have depression you may not want to do a fast walk alone half way through a working day.

With depression it would be better to walk during daylight in case there’s a seasonal aspect to it, quite apart from the vitamin D.

I’m not saying OP shouldn’t walk at night though, I just don’t think it’s very realistic to drag a 6 year old along every time.

I took our 4 year old for a walk in the evening to see all the lights, you could do that a few times a week and they absolutely loved it!

It's the psychological impact too though - getting a change of scene, fresh air. If you have depression you may not want to do a fast walk alone half way through a working day.

With depression, the sunshine/daylight will play a big part in feeling better, though. You don't get that benefit at 6pm in the winter months.

@Crystal90567

I think its awful idea. And very cruel. If you want your daughter to do an evening activity try football or ballet or swimming club or any organised club. I recommend you keep your dark cold wet dangerous walks to yourself. (Or start a class yourself eg Zumba) If police saw you taking a 6yo on a long night walk your be reported to SS. Id report it personally too.

This made me laugh out loud. For the love of god, it’s dark by 4pm at the moment! If you can’t take a 6 year old out for a walk in the dark without someone reporting you to SS you need to move. We live in the mountains and regularly take DS4 out for ‘midnight’ walks (before bedtime, just dark) with a head torch and he loves it. We go through the forest and can walk 4/5/6k sometimes!

I wouldn't bother with a pedometer. If you can get a phone app that shows where you have been, that might be more fun and they usually tell you how far and how fast you have gone if you want to know for yourself.

@Crystal90567 are you quite well? Cruel? SS? Dangerous? The OP isn’t suggesting hiking through the Atacama or strolling the streets of Caracas!

Of course it’s fine. My 7 year old has walked in the dark with us for years.

I'd try it... but then we take 3 year old to the playground in the dark if he wakes up late from his nap. Just wrap up warm and stick reflective gear on them. He's getting light up trainers in his stocking so we can keep an eye on him. It's light for so few hours these days and it's important to keep activity levels high.

I did with mine. No every day, but we did walk when it was getting dark in winter. We live in a well lit city, so no issues there.
If your area is lit and safe, go for it.

Get an app like map my walk, then you can walk down different roads to make shapes! My son loves doing this.

Also how about just taking her every other walk or just when she wants to go? It will be nicer as we get closer to spring.

DS has actually just started running with me. We do 3km once a week.

If police saw you taking a 6yo on a long night walk your be reported to SS. Id report it personally too

I must be the worst mother ever then. I take ds (5) running in the dark and the wet and the cold. The police have seen us and just waved so I guess they need a new safeguarding course or the sack as well. We live in NE Scotland, it's basically dark by the time he comes home from school and he loves it. We live in a quiet well lit safe village, we wrap up, we have reflective clothing.

We've done night time walks with torches in the woods with both dc (youngest is 2) and they really enjoyed that too.

Our current self isolation is up on Monday and he can't wait to get out.

I think its a brilliant idea, I really do. It will help her sleep too and she will adjust in time!

Brilliant idea. Exciting, healthy, together time, lovely lights going up everywhere. Good for both of you. Three or four miles is fine for a six year old. Pop a glove and coat on and let them use one of those phone tracker apps that who how far you've gone.

Your daughter isn’t going to be able to walk as fast or the distance that you would need her to walk in order for you to to lose weight. Bring her for a short walk a few times a week if you’d both like but a fast paced walk every night, very unfair.

Ps well done to your friend for losing three stone by just walking but for most people they need to change their diet in order to lose weight and exercise alongside helps but is not the major factor.

Sounds like a great idea to me!!

@Gifgif

I can’t see you being able to walk far or fast enough for it to make any difference to your weight OP.

I speak as someone who walks as my main exercise - I’m not against it.

Ideally you should do an hour a day fast walk. Are you really going to take a 6 year old on that?*

It's the psychological impact too though - getting a change of scene, fresh air. If you have depression you may not want to do a fast walk alone half way through a working day.

You don't have to walk fast to lose weight. It depends on whether a calorie deficit is created or not.

@AddisonM

Love the pedometer idea actually. That’s the sort of thing that would really appeal to her

I have a cheap, Fitbit style watch, £15 on Amazon. Had it about 4 years now and it's great.

You could get her a little notebook to record the steps & other things - how many Christmas trees you see. Or how many houses decorated outside... just something to talk about/add a bit of interest.

You could put the 3 yo in a buggy & all go.

But if she's really too slow or a complete whinge bucket then I'd leave her home! DH can do bath & start bedtime while you're out. Win/win.

I always bring DS on a night walk he is not fond of day time noise or the bright sky the only downfall is you don't get very far. Bring her in a local circle drop her to DH go again.
I saw a school mam I hadn't seen since March she done 5 miles 5 days a week she lost 3 stone she is toned with a healthy glow.

OP is also looking to use this time for her mental health and well-being; it’s not just about losing weight. Being outside in the fresh air will do that no matter how fast or slow one walks.

As far as exercise is concerned, any movement is an improvement on no movement. One does not have to walk fast to use energy. Yes, a fast-paced walk is better for creating a calorie deficit and, more importantly, better for cardiovascular health, but a good, gentle, not-too-long walk is also good for you.

@AddisonM Do it! A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Don’t focus too much on what people are saying about weight loss and walking. It’ll help, especially in conjunction with a healthy, well-balanced diet. But there are other equally important ways in which this endeavour will benefit you and your daughter. You can always play games with her to introduce bursts of more energetic activity like jog for a minute, walk for five, run for a minute, walk for five, hop or skip for a minute, walk for five, etc etc.

The benefit to her of having time alone with you, just to chat and be together will also likely be to be very important as she progresses through school. Immeasurably so, I would contend.

Maybe not every night but 2 or 3 out of 7. Sounds lovely.

My DD has always enjoyed a walk in the dark.
Your DD might not be up for it every day but a few times a week should be ok.

Hahaha social services - only on mumsnet!
I say 3 x week gentle walks with your 6 year old
2 x week more hardcore by yourself
Try it
We dont have a car my 6 yr old ds walks everywhere with me anyway
During lockdown we did a 5 mile walk and on the way back he wanted to stop at the park , I was exhausted but he was fine!
We regularly did 2/3 miles during the summer , I think it's good for them
We probably did 2 miles this morning along the sea front.

I think she could easily walk a couple of miles it’s more that she has no inclination to do so and that’s what I need to change. I take the point about gentle walks not doing much for weight loss but I guess I would like to get into the habit of getting back out there and maybe I can run again

I thought nightwalks was going to be...you know...during the night! 6.30pm is not a problem at all. In the summer we would still be in the park at that time. In the winter, you just need to wrap up warm.

What time does she go to bed by the way? You mentioned 6:30 , would that interfere with her bedtime routine?

It’s really fine, just build it up slowly and increase pace as it suits you & her. Some days you can amble gently, other days you might fancy a good brisk walk, others still you might set a challenge to see how many steps you can take in a given time such as 15 or 20 min - if you let her lead on pace it will be absolutely fine and appropriate for her level.