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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Well no wonder so many children are overweight...

68 replies

Clary · 09/02/2010 18:55

...if the perception is they cannot walk a mile!

The children in FS2 at our school went to visit the local library today. It is 10 mins walk (by me) from my house; school is 7 mins walk (for me) in the other direction; so total walk was 17 mins for an adult, ie about a mile.

One of the mums commented "It was a long way for them to walk," as though it were an obvious truth.

I made this face and said (quoting Riven!) actually a 4yo can walk 4 miles; my DS2 (who is 6) walked 6 miles on Sunday with his dad.

Surely people don't seriously think a 20 min walk for an adult (so maybe 25-30 mins at most for a 4yo) is too far?

OP posts:

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TrinityIsFallingApart · 09/02/2010 18:56

I agree its madness

Cyb · 09/02/2010 18:58

We did a 45 minute walk to the local theatre and the worst bit was dodging the dog turds. the kids were great.

Fruitysunshine · 09/02/2010 19:02

I agree that a 20minute walk is not challenging for kids.

fledtoscotland · 09/02/2010 22:15

My 2.4yr old can walk the 2 1/2 miles into town with me. He is too tired for the walk home though so hitches a ride on the buggy board for about 1/2 of it. He regularly comes out with me & the dogs for an hour. DS2 is a bit more picky preferring club class travel (pram) but will walk if there is mud involved.

do people really think that children cant walk for 30mins?

Habbibu · 09/02/2010 22:18

with friends, dd can walk for ever. With just me, apparently her legs have fallen off. She's 3 and as long as she's interested can happily walk for an hour or so.

Georgimama · 09/02/2010 22:20

I got flamed to death recently for suggesting that completely physically normal four year olds shouldn't need to be picked up from school in a pushchair. I'm completely with you.

elastamum · 09/02/2010 22:21

My kids walked about 7 hours a day round disneyland!! there were people pushing 6 year olds in buggies, i couldnt believe it!

They are skiing with their dad atm and it is nearly killing him to keep up

paddingtonbear1 · 09/02/2010 22:25

We took dd up Snowdon last summer, when she was just 6. We didn't expect her to walk all of it - dh gave her piggybacks - but she did manage quite a bit. We'd be classed as child abusers then

nickschick · 09/02/2010 22:30

Years ago ds1 was about 2 when dh took him out for a walk .....I presumed 'walk as in walk in the buggy'....no he had ds1 walk about a mile through a field to a v old church - that was locked!!!.

Poor ds was an inch shorter lol

Habbibu · 09/02/2010 22:31

You do need to keep interest going, though, I find - stream-of-consciouness chatter - with little ones so that they don't run out of steam.

StayingDavidTennantsGirl · 09/02/2010 23:17

Ds2's playgroup visited the local firestation, which was over a mile away, and they walked there and back. He was knackered afterwards and slept well that night, but I didn't think the length of walk was unreasonable.

hmc · 09/02/2010 23:27

Well actually 1 mile is a long way for my 5 year old ds - because he seems to have a pathological hatred of walking and he is an obstinate bugger (like you wouldn't believe). Oh, how I have tried to talk him around.

However, he is not overweight because he loves all team games and sport and plays football, dodge ball, basket ball, tennis as much as he possibly can. Walking just doesn't do it for him.

With adults and older children you can talk them around, frankly I can't be bothered to fight my ds and avoid walking with him. Choose your battles etc

hmc · 09/02/2010 23:28

Dd by contrast (7) loves a good long walk!

Washersaurus · 09/02/2010 23:35

I think it says more about that particular parent than children in general....but I expressed my feelings enough on the other pushchair thread mentioned so will try to stay quiet on this one

hmc · 09/02/2010 23:45

Good idea Washersaurus - you do that

Washersaurus · 09/02/2010 23:47

Oh hmc you sound a bit narky with me there (I agree with you about choosing battles)

hmc · 09/02/2010 23:49

Yes sorry - I should get out of the habit of mumsnetting late at night when I am tired!

hmc · 09/02/2010 23:50

(and grumpy)

TeenyTinyToria · 09/02/2010 23:50

So, to people like hmc, whose children don't walk - how do you get to the shops? What about getting to school, that sort of thing? I couldn't afford to pay for bus fare every time I wanted to go out, and I certainly wouldn't be driving for any distance under 3-5 miles.

hmc · 09/02/2010 23:52

I live in the countryside - so nearest supermarket is 7 miles away and village shop 2 miles away TTT, so the need to walk a short distance to the shops doesn't arise all that often for me. I have to use the car generally.

Come to think of it - because I have to drive most of the time, that probably hasn't helped my cause with winning ds around to walking....

Washersaurus · 09/02/2010 23:53

No worries hmc, I'm off to bed.

This discussion was had in depth on the other thread recently

...and that is my final comment

hmc · 09/02/2010 23:56

"I certainly wouldn't be driving for any distance under 3-5 miles. "

Lol at that though - frankly I wouldn't walk the 4 mile round trip to the village shop for a loaf of bread. It would take an hour fgs. If all I had to do all day was buff my nails - then maybe!

I do walk recreationally with the dogs for that distance though - but off lead and through leafy glades of the New Forest. Not on a lead past rows of houses for a pint of milk!

jasper · 10/02/2010 00:02

I have walked my three kids (10,9,7,)wherever possible since they were born and they STILL complain .

It's a mile from school to home and they ask me most days 'DO YOU HAVE THE CAR?"

I NEVER take the car to school

Tortington · 10/02/2010 00:06

makes sense to me - walk them to death then watch them sleep soundly.

alternatively sit at the top of a big hill whilst they run up and down it.

i was a young mum with no siblings and never read a parenting book, but this seems common sense to me - run them ragged - then they sleep

and we all know how great it is when they sleep

hmc · 10/02/2010 00:06

I sympathise jasper - thank god I live further away from school and don't have to contend with the guilt feelings. If I lived a mile from school I am sure I would force ds to walk - but it would be sheer unmitigated hell. My ears would be bleeding by the end of it. Luckily, I am off the hook

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