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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:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Veritythebrave · 10/02/2010 19:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Hulababy · 10/02/2010 19:52

When DD's school decided to get rid of the cach to and from swimming (about 15 min walk for childrn) sme parents were pretty concerned, esp to in infants.

Of course the girls all manage it perfectly well.

DD is doing the sports relief mile in March and is really looking forward to it. She wanted to do the 3 miles but DH veto it(he is running with her, lol). She has done similar in the past, first one when she was 4y. And has done some chairty walk too - all more than a mile. DD loves it, which I really love to see, esp as we are a car using family most of the time.

It is a case of making it fun in many cases I think.

Ivykaty44 · 10/02/2010 19:52

No one mile is not very far for any child over three.

it is all perseption, if you tell a child that they can do it - they will

If you tell a child it is to far then it will be.

Ivykaty44 · 10/02/2010 19:56

poor show dh - why did he veto the three miles? he could have taken a bike if he isn't up to running that far...

naughty hulababydh

Original poster

Clary · 10/02/2010 20:21

Oh yes Hula, that reminds me that the (famous) footie manager where I live was doing a local fun run (3k) with his kids last year.

He commented in the local paper that this was the first time his DD had done it because she wouldn't have been able to manage it in previous years. She was 8 IIRC

And this is a sports professional

OP posts:

Original poster

Clary · 10/02/2010 20:40

In fact here's the quote from the paper's website:

Rams manager Nigel Clough officially started the fun run, then completed the two-mile course with his wife and children. He said: "My little girl is only eight and this is the first year we've not had to carry her."

OP posts:

Goblinchild · 10/02/2010 20:46

I have a child with sn. Can I stop the blighter from wanting to walk distances beyond his mother's ability? Nope.
When he was five, we stood on the South Downs path having just done four miles. He asked me where the path ended, and I waved wearily and said 'About 60 miles that way' and then had to yell 'Stop!' as he started to trot off with eyes shining. And yes, he knew how far Winchester was.
He's been wanting to walk the path for a decade now, and one day I'll give in.
It's 100 miles, should take him a few days if he's loaded up heavily enough. Maybe he can carry his elderly mother.

TeenyTinyToria · 10/02/2010 20:46

Minx - it's not poncery at all. If I need to go to the nearest city, I'll get the train there and walk about 2 miles round the city to various shops. Then train home, and perhaps walk to the supermarket or park and then back home again. That's another 2 miles or so. Just an average morning trip out.

Average walking speed 4-5 miles an hour, or if I'm on my bike, 12-15 miles an hour at a nice easy pace - that doesn't take up a lot of the day. I'm slowed down slightly when with my 2 yr old, but even so it doesn't add so much time on to the day and I can always pop him on my shoulders.

I just think a lot of people have come to regard a car as standard. My husband is terrible for it, he'll drive down the road to the shop to "save time" when it's a five minute walk. I'd rather be out in the fresh air than stuck in a car.

mantaray · 10/02/2010 21:05

DD, the week she turned 4yrs, walked 22 miles in 4 days. We were so impressed with her, I had posted on MN about whether to take the buggy with us or not. As it turned out DD refused to entertain the idea when presented with it. She first walked at 8mths, then we struggled to get her out the buggy so she was still using it at 2yrs9ms, but once she was out, she found she quite liked walking.

It annoys me when others at school tell me their kids were out of buggies by 2 (and laughed at my kid still in hers at 2.5yrs)...what they fail to remember is that the buggy board was permenantly in use!

sanfairyann · 10/02/2010 21:16

so agree it's not the walking it's the whingeing
that and the fact you have to allow double the usual time to get anywhere. all very well when it's just you and your one small child, more of a pain when you're running late for the school run and the toddler is acting up - again - sigh, meanwhile the eldest has run out of sight in his enthusiasm to get to school - sigh
if it was quicker by car, I'd be tempted tbh

got the buggy out today - cleared off the cobwebs - for dd, she's almost 3. We had too much to do in too little time to arse around with her walking everywhere at her snails pace

CarGirl · 10/02/2010 21:25

It's catch 22 though my dds have been brought up having to walk at my pace or sit in the pushchair. My youngest very much followed in the path of the others, gave up the pushchair at just 2, did the mile each way school trip trotting along with me or be forced in the pushchair.

My girls all keep up with me and I am a brisk walker because they know no other option tbh.

sanfairyann · 10/02/2010 21:45

I'm sure if we had to walk everywhere they would be better at doing it without whingeing (well am mostly thinking of the youngest for that) but luckily we didn't have to. thank goodness. would do my head in tbh.
if we need to get anywhere, we're better off running - they all seem to like that and we get places faster. frankly,I don't have time to spend 20 to 30 mins walking places unless it's a weekend.

Original poster

Clary · 10/02/2010 22:01

I find it bizarre that someone can say they don't have time to spend 20 minutes walking somewhere.

So if school were a 20-min walk away, there wouldn't be time? Unless you have to be at work for 9am I don't see the issue really...

OP posts:

NormaSnorks · 10/02/2010 22:09

I'm surprised no one has mentioned scooters?

If we needed to walk somewhere 'faster' with the kids when they were younger we let them take their scooters - it's still better exercise than driving!

sarah293 · 11/02/2010 08:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Hulababy · 11/02/2010 10:38

Ivykate - think he was concernd that DD would show him up but finishing it well efore him Mind I can't say anything - I am not doing even the mile just there to support! My exxcuse is that I would need to be fitter to keep up with DD and have been too ill this past mnth or so to go out and practise running - plus knee still shot from road running when I was younger.

Clary - how can a professional sportsman think a child couldn't manage 3k? Most children probably do that running round a playground all day. DD must walk multiples of that distance on holidays at Disney round the parks, and I don't hear any complaints there either!

Norma - DD loves her scooter and we have it in the car boot all the time for when we are visiting places. She will keep going for even longer with her scooter. We even took it to Majorca in October on the plane, and lan on taking it with us when we go to the US in the summer. DD will walk anyway, but the scooter makes it even more fun.

I have to admit that we do use the car lots. DD's school si 3 miles away, and even if she was at the local school (at least a mile away uphill) we would have the car, as I and DH have to go to work straigt after. And we take the car to town as DH has free parking with work, so cheaper. But every so often we will go for a walk. DD is never the one to complain about it - more likely to be me, lol! I am not keen on just walking for walkings sake. I like to have somewhere I am walking too, a purpose.

bidibidi · 11/02/2010 12:49

I have had the most nightmare experiences trying to get DC to use a scooter -- give me a buggy instead, any day!!

AshleyFanjo · 13/02/2010 20:45

My 18mth old only learnt to walk 3months ago and he can already walk half a mile - it does take about 45-60min as we stop for little breaks to look at leaves, pick up stones or a quick cuddle.

I only know he can do this because I take him out without the pushchair with the single purpose being for him to walk around so he can go as a far or as little as he likes.

How else is he supposed to develop his strength, fitness and walking skills. Running around the house and play groups will only take him so far.

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