How much outside time in freezing weather? Being judged!

[Sparrowlegs248]

Ds is 15 months old. We normally are outside for an hour in the morning, looking after my ponies. He tends to be in the pram, then we have a walk around the fields for a bit. We go out during the day often.

In the afternoon evening we tend to do a trike ride, walk about the garden, up the road or Park. Often a half hour walk outside before he has his dinner. A couple of people have mentioned that I won't be able to do this as it's cold. It is cold, and windy, but he has a variety of suitable clothing, and is a hot little body. He has thick joggers on, long vest, sweatshirt, socks, wellies, puffa type coat with hood. I havent put his mittens on as his hands are very warm. Surely this is OK?

People are insinuating that I should keep him inside in the warm. And that I'm bad for!'making' him go out. (he gets jittery with excitement when he sees his reins and wellies)

He's wrapped up warm and is happy to go out, so I can't see what the problem is. Obviously if he was unwell or not dressed properly that would be a different situation, but from the sounds of it he's nice and cosy and happy to be out and about.
Mine go out in all weathers, we have to walk a mile to school/nursery and they go out looking like little snowmen they're so wrapped up. They've been fine so far!

Jesus, people have babies in Russia, Iceland etc. Just ignore them. It's not even that cold for gods sake!!

I used buggysnuggles with mine as I think lots of clothes layers are uncomfortable - so fleecy outerwear and under a buggysnuggle. Toasty 😊

As long as his core temperature is warm then he is fine!
Lots of smaller layers rather than a couple of big thick ones are better so it sounds like it's all in hand!
Anyone saying he shouldn't be out in that weather is just being silly and precious, it's good for children to be outside in most weather (excluding hurricanes etc. ) so long as they are dressed appropriately.

Next time these people comment, please tell them to stop being so ridiculous & jog on

Thats sounds like a fantastic childhood you are giving him, nosey jealous people, ignore!

My children attended a Swedish nursery where it was totally normal for the kids to spend 3-5 hours a day outside in winter unless it was colder than minus 15-20C as long as they well wrapped up and wearing suitable clothing. My daughter (age 1-2) also slept outside in the pram daily at nursery in these temperatures.

The time for the younger kids (aged 1-2½) was reduced to 1-2 hours a day when colder than minus 15C.

I do recommend geting an oil-based face cream or vaseline to protect from the cold wind.

You carry on, people talk a lot of nonsense, fresh air and enjoying seeing the animals is wonderful for his age group. The child is dressed appropriately for the weather. So there is no problem. Lots of children are well used to being outside and thoroughly enjoy it. You are not making him, he's looking forward to it. Well done you.

Thanks all. Getting geared up for preparing dinner torture now.

I was also mocked a bit because I bought him some tights, they go under his waterproof fleece lined trousers, and his wellies go on better than over some ticker trousers.

lunde what's good for his face? He is getting a bit dry round his mouth.

Thanks everyone, it's lovely to have some nice comments, esp as I'm feeling a bit fragile.

There wasn't one day from when ds was born until he was 3 that we didn't do exactly the same OP. Wrapped up and out in the fresh air if it was sunny or snowing. Weather never stopped us doing anything as long as we were dressed appropriately.

Bit of Vaseline is good for weather chapped skin.

They seem to be forgettingthat last winter he was a year younger and I still looked after the ponies.

My nearly four year old boy wears tights under his trousers in the winter, very sensible imo!

They say there's no such thing as bad weather, just wrong clothes!

Sounds like you have a lovely routine, would be a shame to let other's spoil it OP. As long as he is happy . Kids love going out come rain or shine.

People will always judge parents no matter what.

Look on the bright side, you have a child who wears what you choose, so at least he appears appropriately dressed to others. DD (3) often spends that long outside (and incidentally, she spends 2 hours outside each morning she's at nursery too), but she really doesn't feel the cold. As soon as we arrive at the park, she takes her coat/outer layer off. On a good day, she's wearing a long sleeved dress. On bad days I get lots of judgy looks... But there's no way we're not going out, for both our sanity.

We live in Canada and unless it's below minus 10 we still go outside.

Its utter bollocks that they should be inside all the time, it does them the world of good.

As long as he's dry and warm, he's fine.

FWIW : tights are good, you could also get him some long John's for when it gets colder.

I think primark have them for kids.

How on eart have the Inuit survived?

Who are these people mocking you for goodness sakes? Tell them to fuck right off.

Paw paw ointment (red tube from Amazon) is a good alternative to Vaseline if it makes him spotty.

There's no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.

We live in Canada too.

⛄

Far healthier for him to be outside regularly than sat inside with central heating on, in front of the tv. It sounds like he's well bundled up and it sounds like a blinking lovely childhood to be honest.

My siblings and I were out in our pram in all weathers as babies, well wrapped and protected from the elements but getting the benefit of fresh air. Ignore anyone else's opinion, an active lifestyle and fresh air is always going to be healthier than a sedentary life indoors.

Live in Finland - DD goes outside for as long as possible no matter how cold it is. Nursery only keeps them inside if its colder than -25.

Vaseline or lansinoh are both really good for dry face skin - when DD was younger I would always put lansinoh on her cheeks before she went outside in the winter.

My DC were out for large parts of the day in all weathers from an early age. I always made sure that they had good quality outdoor gear and bought things like mini yard brushes and wheelbarrows so they could "help". DS's favourite activity for several years was digging in the muck heap for rats . They were rarely ill with coughs and colds and don't have any allergies. They're grown up now and we no longer have horses, but they have happy memories and feel that this was preferable to some of their friends who spent their days glued to their x-boxes.