Has anyone else not taken their kids out since lockdown began?

[Dippitydoodle]

I've not taken my daughters out since lockdown began. We're not in the 'at risk' group, no existing health conditions I'm concerned about or anything. They've not asked to go out and we have a decent sized garden so they're outside at somepoint most days. But I'm beginning to question my judgment. Just curious if your all making the most of the allowed exercise time and going out with the kids? Am I wrong in not taking them for a walk round the block or a run on the field when I go with the dogs?

very true. I don’t buy that we are suddenly a nation into our fitness either! Suddenly everyone is into walking, running and cycling! grin

This is probably because all the gyms and swimming pools are shut! All these people that usually exercise 5 times a week are now jogging/cycling/walking!

I’m absolutely taking my two out. We have a garden and while ds (the oldest is only 2.5) he needs variety. So we go out for walks and sometimes take him to the village green (opposite our house) to ride his bike or scooter. If we go for long walks they are both popped into the pram and we go as a family.

We’ve been taking them to the beach too - we are allowed to do this here (Channel Islands). Driving for walks is acceptable. Sunbathing on beach isnt. Sea swimming and things like Paddleboarding is ok.

We’ve been letting ds run off steam on the beach, splash in the sea, throw stones in rock pools etc.

He needs the variety as much as we do. Whilst we are lucky to have a garden and do enjoy it I need different spaces and scenery occasionally.

We have been out, but only once or twice a week, mostly due to the stress of getting them ready (toddler whining, tantrums etc) and the fact that my toddler also wants to be picked up multiple times and will no longer use a pushchair!

My kids go out in varying amounts. The oldest wants to go out for a walk or run everyday so we do. The middle one would stay indoors all day but we make him go outside for a bit every day - his choice of garden or walk. His choices vary. Little one is spending loads of time in our garden which is pretty big. She doesn't want to go for a walk or bike ride.

All kids are happy and getting enough exercise. I have no intention of forcing the youngest out for a daily walk when her time in the garden serves perfectly well when it comes to her physical and mental health.

Same as OP, mine haven't been out since lockdown started. They are 5 and 1 and really happy chasing balls (and each other) in our decent sized garden.

We live in quite a built up area, with a mix of houses and flats. I feel that, since we are lucky enough to have a garden, we should leave the local green spaces for families who don't. If everyone in my area went out for an hour at some point during the day it would be pretty crowded.

We've been doing yoga, ballet classes, gardening, housework. They're maybe not getting as much exercise as I'd like and if this goes on through the summer I will rethink, but at the moment this feels like the right thing to do, based on our circumstances.

We live in a very urban area and take the kids out almost every day. They benefit from seeing different things as well as exercise. We try to keep 2m apart from other people, isn't always feasible on narrow pavements on busy roads but we mostly manage it. I think the risk from passing someone very briefly on a pavement is pretty minimal.

If your kids are happy in the garden, I wouldn't bother. We only have a small garden but unless we had a truly huge garden (like several acres), I think my 3 year old would still want to go out sometimes to see new things. Even just different parks, feed the ducks, look at boats

People are assuming the children want to go out? What if they don’t? My dd has autism and I took her out the other day for the first time in weeks and she literally screamed her head off the whole time and moaned to come home. We live on a housing estate going out for a walk round the houses isn’t exactly fun. Not taking them out again for “exercise”

I reckon that those that take their non vulnerable children out of daily walks and those that don’t are also the difference between those that are trying to be positive and upbeat with their children and those that are constantly focusing on the negative.

And not just about corona, life in general.

Yes - extrapolating quite a bit but I believe that it is representative of a mindset.

Of course decent sized garden - no point (although...)

But no garden or small one - I think it is cruel not to have allowed children some decent outdoor exercise. Every. Day.

* Depends on your child.*

Disagree. All children need exercise and fresh air. Sure they love crafting etc. But for 12 hours a day?! Come off it. They need to stretch their legs and they need fresh air. You can try to convince yourself that your child is a home body and that they may be be, but parenting is about doing what’s good for them sometimes and that might not necessarily be what a child actually wants!

I’m not going out for walks with mine but I’m certainly not focusing on the negatives, if anything @Bringringbring12 not going out every day (which isn’t exactly normal either) is shielding my children from the reality of lockdown.
They know we have to stay home, and that’s it.
They don’t have to see how empty everywhere is.

The lockdown threads are just the same as breastfeeding v. formula feeding, stay at home mumming v. working outside of the home, there is just so much silly judgment. As long as people stick to the rules that are pretty clear families can choose to live their lockdown lives as they wish. Nobody does it better, not those who stay at home and judge anyone who steps out of the house more than 1 every two weeks and not those who go for jogs and extensive walks in fresh air. we all jsut do what works for us.

The moralising is so predictable. Some people just want to feel superior whatever they do.

What I find interesting is the massive levels of anxiety in people who are not in risk groups and who seem a bit extreme about the lockdown.

Mine haven’t been out either. They’ve just not wanted to.
They do PE with joe Wicks and spend around 3 hours a day in the garden with a football, a trampoline and just running around so they’re getting enough exercise.
They’re doing schoolwork, watching documentaries and films and chilling out with gadgets.
We used to go out quite a bit but they seem happy not to.
I think they have a good balance and I’m not worried.

I'm sure it depends on the age of your kids but one of my 3 year old's favourite walks is to a housing estate! It is an old school 60s concrete one with walkways and stuff and he really enjoys it.

Flat dwellers here. Kids have had to go outside since day 1.

Why is walking round the block to look at cars and houses better than running around a garden , looking at plants, on bikes, slides etc ?
( I know not everyone has these and please do keep going out once everyday if you would like, that is also fine, we all are making decisions on what is best for our actuation)
Everyone’s situation is different , why do people not realise that not everyone lives in the same house as them! Not everyone has a nice village green to play on or fields to walk through , their garden may well be nicer than the local area.

Just thought I’d add a second post to confirm that I am NOT staying in with my child in order to be able to sound the ‘most virtuous’. Or to try and prove I’m ‘restricting‘ the most. Nor are we ‘focussed on the negatives‘ (either in this situation or life in general).
We just stay in because we can, quite easily, without feeling hard done by or suffering any ill effects. The situation seemed to call for as much staying home as possible. And we are lucky enough we can take that advice quite far here.

If people wish to justify why they DO go out every single day and see it as essential for them, feel free. But don’t automatically attack those of us who don’t. Some of us have a garden and feel we don’t NEED to contribute to the pedestrian traffic in green areas.
My child is happy, healthy and enjoying herself. Not holed up in a basement so I can prove to...mumsnet (?) that I sacrificed the most during corona by not insisting on pacing her round the block every day for ‘my-government-guidelines-allowed exercise I’m entitled to’.

You do you. Don’t make assumptions about the rest of us being miserable martyr types, intent on virtue signalling at the cost of children’s health and contentment.

This is so sad, I would go nuts sitting in the house/garden for 6 weeks.

Lots of people have been doing things like putting teddies or rainbows in their windows, and chalking messages and games on pavements. Kids round here have been out and about playing hopscotch or bear spotting - which you can EASILY do while maintaining social distance.

It's really not healthy just to stay in the house, shut away, closed off. Especially when you are allowed to be outside.

Your setup sounds fine to me, sounds like they are getting sunshine on their faces and burning off energy in the garden.
Unfortunately I only have a tiny shared yard for my 2.5yo so I do try get out once a day for an hour. It's been a bit of a nightmare though due to tantrums and such. If I had a big garden we would quite happily stay there all day long 🙂

We go out everyday (pretty much) we have a garden but I want them to get out and run, ride their bikes etc. I wouldn't find the exercise sufficient in a garden. Plus, I would get very anxious shielding from society like that, it's very artificial and I worry about the long term affect that could have, so as we aren't vulnerable it's important to me that we get out. I mentally couldn't just stay in the house no matter how big.

Pineapple- it's really not 'not healthy' to do as the op is doing.

You sound very condescending to those who aren't doing what you think is the best way to live. How about you do what you want without trying to make other people feel like they're making the wrong choices. Everyone is different. It's really not rocket science

Those saying Joe Wicks isn't hard... have you actually done it properly with them? I have been doing it and am much fitter than when I started.

We have a two year old, I'm pregnant and asthmatic so am vulnerable, DH and DD are healthy. We have a large garden.

We've been out every day. We live by the sea and have always gone for at least one walk a day when home so we've continued that. DD is walking further and further which is great. She loves going to the beach or the forest to see the waves or the waterfalls.

It's easy enough to keep distance on the paths around here. I'm sure we pass people at less than 2m a couple of times each day but not much less and for a split second so it doesn't worry me.

It's looking increasingly like there won't be a quick fix, and we're all going to have to adapt to increased risk of catching covid as life inches back towards normal. I think in six months time we'll look back on this period and consider staying home (for healthy people) all the time to be a bit over the top.

Sincere kudos to those shielding. My asthma is on the borderline and there was an evening I thought I should be shielding. I genuinely would've struggled to cope, especially with DD, I hope you're all hanging in there ok.

@pasanda. exactly this.

@pasanda - isolating yourself from the outside world is not healthy. Short term not damaging to physical health perhaps. But you really think that mental health wise being confined to your house and garden for 5 weeks is OK?

Different matter for those choosing to shield - they are obviously a lot more vulnerable and I understand why they'd choose not to leave the house if getting out is difficult. But for a healthy parent and healthy kids - they need to see something other than the house and hte garden!