to just play with my toddler in the garden instead of going for a walk?

[garden2022]

Hi, I have a 3 month old baby and a 21 month old toddler. Currently on maternity leave. I feel very exhausted.

Currently baby is sleeping on the sofa and I have just played the last hour or so with my toddler in the garden.

I don't really want to go out today for a walk.

Is it okay to just play with toddler in the garden or do I have to take him out everyday for a walk?

I have been at a lake with him Saturday and Sunday and walked a lot everyday.

My mother thinks I should go for a walk everyday.

Ha ha ha to the idea of a daily walk! Crack on in the garden op

Yep it is so surprised by the comments so far usually you get children need to go out daily for exercise or they will be “climbing the walls” and “unable to sleep” 😒

My mother thinks I should go for a walk everyday

Tell her you did. Job done.

Absolutely fine.

The only reason you would need to get out is if the toddler hadn't had enough of a run to tire himself out and leave you a hyped up unsettled under tired bedtime.

As you are his mother I'm guessing you know that's not a risk so crack on.

The whole point of having a garden is so you can have a play instead of having to go for a walk! Fresh air on tap, close to your own loo, snacks and nappies. And I love a walk, but it’s not a fault necessity.

Is your mother mixing up toddlers and dogs????

The only thing I will say is try not to leave your baby asleep on the sofa. At 3 months lots of babies suddenly learn to roll over, I know mine did and I’d hate for an accident to happen when you’re not in the room.

You definitely don’t need to go for a walk daily and the garden is absolutely fine.

I think fresh air and exercise are the point of the walk. With playtime in a garden, your toddler can have both of those things. It's perfectly fine for days when you're not up to a walk.

Fine to have a garden play day
I don't understand why parents have all the garden toys and never use them

Your mother can come over and walk your dog toddler for you then, can't she.

Far more concerned about the baby asleep on the sofa to be honest

Yes. Don't you know that toddlers go stale if you don't walk them 😉? And the police/neighbourhood watch will be round if you're not taking your daily exercise.

Being serious, garden sounds lovely! Have you tried taking some large pans, plastic cups and a ladle outside, filling them with the hose and making mud "soup"? That used to keep mine busy for ages at that age, just picking bits of grass, weeds and flowers to throw in.

Anyway, it might rain; a torrential downpour all day. I assume you are in UK.

Assuming you have a toddler human and not a toddler spaniel YANBU

ignore your mother

YANBU. Toddlers do not need to have a walk every day.

Of course you don't. Do what you like.

Yanbu. I have a 3 year old and a newborn and I’d been feeling a little guilty about how little we’d been out until this week I asked him if he wanted to go to the park and he said no I want to just play in the garden and I realised he is actually much happier just bumbling around in the garden than when we go out a lot of the time so why feel guilty especially when the weather has been so nice recently. We have a few water toys out in the garden and he is so happy playing out there at the moment.

Going for a walk every day is your decision not a requirement. We go for walks everyday my with kids but every so often when I have a rough day at work or am not feeling up to it we just go outside and play instead. Tell your mom she is more than welcome to come take the kids for a walk if she feels they need to go for a walk every day. Otherwise it's your decision

How far and for how long does a 21month old actually walk?

We used to go to the park/outside fairly often but they didn't walk that far mostly!