Letting 4 year old come running with me at 6.30am?

[Giraffeantics]

Early morning runner. 4 year old wants to start coming with me at 6.30am on his bike. Feels wrong given it is dark and he is so young. Am I being unreasonable if let him join me? I would obviously reduce distance covered and only let him.join occasionally and wear a high vis. He has always been an early riser and is awake by 6am each day. Hm..... help!

That was ment to follow a bitchy comment about the chess playing son

I don’t see why not, if you want him to accompany you.

Many use as their de stress/time for self, so it depends if that’s something you value.

I think that's rather sweet. Are there any classes you could both go to together?

What will you do to claw back the time that you'd carved out for yourself if it's now hijacked by your DS? Kids are great and all that, but you'll be concentrating upon his safety and conversation, not zoning out with your music or the birdsong as you do something that was entirely for you.

You know you’re allowed time for yourself don’t you? Running with a 4 year old on a bike doesn’t sound very relaxing for you.

-100% no.

Sounds lovely, what are you worried about?

I'm sure OP is able to make that decision. She's not asking "my 4 yo wants to run with me, but I value that time to myself, how do I explain gently to him"

We live in such a “risk averse” society in the uk. I think if you are happy for him to join you it’s amazing and a really positive thing. He won’t be 4 forever and there will be a time when maybe he won’t be as keen to spend time with you. Good for you putting the question out there, I think for me it would be more about enjoying my own headspace at that time, rather than having a DC along!

It’s not long after 7am and the sun is up, could you hang on another half an hour until it’s lighter outside? Maybe even just for the first few times.

How lovely though, I’d love to do with when my toddler gets a littler older

I’d give it a trial, as long as he’s warm with lights on a suitable road or even the pavement at that time as I can’t see it being busy. I think it’s a lovely idea and really good for his health as well.

I think it’s lovely and I would be delighted if my child showed and interest in exercising with me! Provided roads near you are safe I say go for it!

perhaps those saying it’s unsafe are quite happy for their young child to have access to the internet (with access to all sorts), I know what deem to be more unsafe!

I'd probably wait until it's a bit lighter in the mornings, clocks go forward in a month.

It's interesting... there are endless posts on MN banging on about childhood obesity, then a child expresses an interest in partaking in a morning exercise activity and suddenly it's all "ooh no! Unsafe!".

I don't see why he shouldn't join you assuming you don't have a problem with not running alone; I get that a lot of people enjoy the quiet "me" time when running. That aside, if he wants to do it, then I cannot see a downside to it. Fresh air, exercise and quality time with his mum!

He's 4 - so to him it's a fun activity which he may want to continue or may give upon after a couple of times. But if he does enjoy it, then surely it's cultivating a healthy habit is it not? I'd be making the most of his enthusiasm for it; better than sitting watching cartoons or playing on a tablet for sure! And what a lovely thing to bond over if nothing else.

I cannot imagine being ok with a 6yr old going out by themselves

Nasty!

Who is he?

Why not let him come running with you at weekends at a more suitable time? It does not have to be at 6:30am does it???

Love him, treasure this

My neighbour used to do this: she ran and he cycled. A lovely way of bonding and encouraging him to see training and exercise as a way of living IMO.

It's very light now at 6.30am
I don't have kids so can't really advise but I just find that adorable, and I'd be tempted to try.

The route makes a big difference. Is it near commuting traffic? I drive to work at that time, visibility is poor and keeping an eye out for bikes and pedestrians is part of driving but can be tricky in the conditions - it wouldn't occur to me that there would be a small child on a tiny bike out at that time so I think that would put them more at risk.

We don't know where the OP lives (Portsmouth or Aberdeen) so hard to know how light it is where she lives.

We don't know where the OP lives (Portsmouth or Aberdeen) so hard to know how light it is where she lives.
No but the op knows ehat the area is like.
Surely she has enough brain in her head to know how busy the route is or if her kid is going to bolt and run into traffic.
These posts are mad because only op knows what her child and area is like and whether she needs the alone time for her head space.

But the OP posted asking for opinions?