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Original poster

Not taking children out daily?

437 replies

Givemeabreak88 · 28/01/2021 13:57

Reading another thread it seems we should be taking our kids out everyday, I don’t do this, mine don’t want to go out every day, they would never want to just walk around the estate (we live in London and not a nice part!) there is a local park but they’ve been to it one million times now so no longer want to go, I haven’t taken them out for a while now (I don’t go shopping) is it bad to not take them out everyday? I can’t imagine getting dressed to just walk around a housing estate! What does everyone else do?

OP posts:
thismeansnothing · 28/01/2021 15:14

Where's the time? DD is in yr 4 and school (home) starts at 8:45 with 2 live lessons in the morning. An hour off for lunch but by the time I've made her dinner, the toddlers, got the toddler down for a nap and made my lunch the hours gone. Then it's into the afternoon session. Finish at 3:15 and she just wants to chill and I don't blame her. Add the fact the weather is miserable and it goes dark early we don't.

She does however go to school Monday and Tuesday and we walk there and back so that's 2 miles of walking a day. And we go out at the weekend.

TheOrigRights · 28/01/2021 15:15

@TheOrigRights

I am a single parent to an 11yo at home all day. I work full time.

I go out every day, mostly for a run or bike (when it's not icy) or a long walk. DS comes with me for walks, or at the weekend plays football with a friend (under the 'one other member of your household' rule).
Until he outgrew his bike he would join me on bike rides, but that's in limbo at the moment.

I want him to raise his heart beat and get some fresh air every day.

We have a small house, it's just him and me all the time and sometimes it's what we need to stop tensions getting too high.

I should have added that we live rurally so just a walk around the village is pleasant enough, but mostly we get out on to the farm land footpaths and I fall in the river for shits and giggles
Stupidusernamefaff · 28/01/2021 15:16

We get out every day for about an hour. Even if we don’t make it anywhere exciting I find we’re all a lot better mentally if we get out. Literally whatever the weather, we are out. Mainly because I would go insane stuck in. Also we all get dressed everyday by 8am as they’re up at 6.30. If we stayed in pjs I don’t think they’d be in the frame of mind to work. Ours are 4, 7 and 18 months.

Bitbusyattheminute · 28/01/2021 15:17

Ds would just stand in the playground in school. He doesn't play football, so there's fuck all else to do there. He now stands in the garden when I throw the dc out for a bit. Like pp, by the time I finish work it's around 6ish. So going for a walk is bleak. I'll be running again when I'm happy cv has retreated and my lungs work, but dc will have to make do with family fun walks at the weekend.

Nutrigrainygoodness · 28/01/2021 15:18

We go out everyday. I need to get out the house once a day or I go mad.
Me and dd (11) go for a walk between 8-9am. Then we come home and have breakfast and she logs on to do her school work. She concentrates better when she's had some fresh air.

My best friend has only left the house maybe twice since Xmas, she's crawling the walls and the kids are going mad, they are at an age where they all run in different directions, so she struggles on her own. Her dh works 5/6 days a week, and it's dark when he leaves and gets in, and I don't think I'm allowed to walk with her and all the kids.

katienana · 28/01/2021 15:18

We go out every day and were the same in lockdown last year. Usually out for an hour. I'm on my own with them through the week, getting outside is like pressing a reset button for us and it improves everybody's mood. We do have a dog but we would do it anyway. For me it helps get me 15k steps a day which is essential for maintaining fitness.

SoUmmYeah · 28/01/2021 15:23

He doesn't play football, so there's fuck all else to do there.

How old is he? My DC don't play football but find plenty of running around to do!

SisterAgatha · 28/01/2021 15:25

Mine don’t even want to go. I force them some days. They moan all the way round. I carry them back. Is it worth it? No.

DialsMavis · 28/01/2021 15:25

No I don't get them out everyday at the moment, we are not using the playground at the moment as all my daughters friend are using it and she cannot/will not distance from them and she is not keen on traipsing round the streets. We are just trying to get out for as long as possible at the weekends and when we can in the week.

I have ordered a friendship bracelet kit and going to encourage her to make some and then we can go out at lunch and drop them to her friends as an excuse to get her out for a daily stomp.

DialsMavis · 28/01/2021 15:26

We are normally total out and abouters too

davidsSchitt · 28/01/2021 15:32

"My best friend has only left the house maybe twice since Xmas, she's crawling the walls and the kids are going mad, they are at an age where they all run in different directions, so she struggles on her own"

What ages are they? Surely reins/pushchairs until they get to a playground will be ok? This sounds crazy

gigi556 · 28/01/2021 15:33

I agree with the pp who said kids are like dogs - need walking daily 😂😂
I'd say do what works for you. Personally, I'd go insane. It's very rare day if we don't go out. I aim for minimum one hour but it's usually 2. I have a 3 year old and his preschool is closed. Not a lot of pressure on the home schooling front.

Kokosrieksts · 28/01/2021 15:37

^ They do need exercise and vitamin d though.^

The vitamin D you get from being outdoors this time of year is almost non existent, but some supplement drops.

I take my 2 year old everyday for at least 30 mins, but I can easily see how it would be different with more kids and or older kids as they find things to do at home.

FrownsAndDimples · 28/01/2021 15:44

I haven't apart from snow day. Mine are total homebodies like me and haven't been climbing the walls. I wouldn't enjoy being out right now, also a Londoner, so haven't bothered.

Everyone has to do what is right for their family.

TheRealLadyWhistledown · 28/01/2021 15:46

We don’t have time at the moment due to work and homeschool but even when we do we quite often choose not to.

SoftSheen · 28/01/2021 15:50

We go out for a 1-2 hour walk every day, rain or shine. Children are are 6 and nearly 10. It keeps us all sane. Sometimes we kick a football or rollerskate as well.

Mummytoalmost3 · 28/01/2021 15:50

I guess a lot of the people staying in don’t have dogs to walk!

I love that my dog forces us to get out whatever the weather.

ScatteredMama82 · 28/01/2021 15:52

I try very hard to get them out daily. When they are at school they spend a lot of time outdoors and they are missing that. Homeschooling is involving a lot of screen time, so I think a daily dose of fresh air and exercise is good for them. Some days it's just a play in the garden or on the trampoline if I'm busy with work, but I do try and get them out for a long(ish) walk if I can. At the weekend when DH is home he takes eldest out on a bike ride one day, and we usually do a long walk on the other day. They definitely sleep better and are in better moods when they have had some exercise.

Thelovelyflower · 28/01/2021 15:53

8, 6 and 4yo here and we don't go out every day. It's hard to fit it in with home schooling and nursery/school zoom calls. We don't do exercise or dance videos either as the kids just refuse. At the weekends we do long walks or bike rides. During the week we go out sometimes but the 6yo sometimes moans the whole time and cries because she doesn't want to be outside. I try to vary things a bit so we take rollerskates or bikes or scooters but it can be hard work.

Iknowwhatudidlastsummer · 28/01/2021 15:53

My kids would drive me absolutely insane if not out every day! I feel awful if I don't get out of the house and exercise somehow. It's good for everybody.

SandysMam · 28/01/2021 15:54

We are sacking off some lessons a couple of times a week to get fresh air and exercise. It is so important for them physically and mentally and in my opinion much more important at the moment than some of the stuff they are learning, some of which seems a bit pointless. Otherwise it’s 5 hours in front of a laptop which I don’t think is healthy at all.

Original poster
Givemeabreak88 · 28/01/2021 15:54

No no dogs can’t stand them sorry, and the cat lets herself out!

OP posts:
thissemicharmedlife · 28/01/2021 15:55

With the amount of school work we have to fit in it’s often dark by the time we’ve finished :( plus freezing at the moment

Nutrigrainygoodness · 28/01/2021 15:56

@davidsSchitt

"My best friend has only left the house maybe twice since Xmas, she's crawling the walls and the kids are going mad, they are at an age where they all run in different directions, so she struggles on her own"

What ages are they? Surely reins/pushchairs until they get to a playground will be ok? This sounds crazy

Honestly it's crazy. I'd be going mad. They are 8 (with ADHD) 7 (not yet diagnosed) 4 and 3.
TulesDana · 28/01/2021 15:59

I'm the same, my 4 year old doesn't enjoy local walks, especially at this time of year. Walking around the streets, no greenery, passing closed shops and strewn wheelie bins, very very drab. We go to the shops for essentials, but aren't walking for wellbeing.