Please tell me about importance of outside time for children

[theotherfossilsister]

I am agorophobic and have a lovely one and a half year old boy. Please tell me the benefits of outside time for him, as it will give me motivation to get well

Thank you all. I should write down all these reasons on a card and laminate it.

How much outside time do I need to give him for him to have these benefits?

I think the ideal minimum is 3 hours. However, if that’s too much I’d start with 30 mins or an hour and gradually increase.

Just want to say, @theotherfossilsister , lots of respect for you making so much effort to overcome your issues and do the best for your dc. ❤️

How has it gone Op?

Barefoot and balanced is a great book about the benefits of children being outdoors https://amzn.eu/d/c2kBCT0
There is also an American Instagram account and podcast called 1000 hours outdoors which is also about why children need to be outside and ideas how to do it.
It's brilliant that you've recognised that he needs to be outside and that you are prepared to start doing something about it. Well done for taking the first steps.

I’m glad you’re seeking help.

The outside work and nature are such glorious gifts that we are so blessed to have. We are so so so lucky to live in a country where we are generally extremely safe in going about our day to day life. There is so much out there to see, feel, hear, smell etc.

the positive effects on mental health are scientifically proven and just unmatched with anything else. Nothing beats going on a walk somewhere in the countryside/a park etc. seeing the wildlife, greeting fellow walkers, the sunshine on your face.

I have neighbours who home school due to agoraphobia and the difference in the children compared to others their age is truly scary. Delayed speech, unsociable tendencies and so on.

thank you all for your responses, I am trying. He gets to go to indoor things a lot, playgroups, etc, but I feel such a sense of threat outdoors. I am doing exposure therapy, but trying to do it without him as I have such extreme panic reactions, that the idea of having a reaction like that with him is terrible. Three hours outside seems a lot, but he gets a little outside time with nursery and with his dad.

He was outside today and touched some plants and I thought they might be poisonous through osmosis. I am getting help. I know this isn't normal at the intensity I have it.

Keep trying while with him if you can. I've been there and it's hard, but he's with you and the best distraction you can have. I wouldn't set yourself a time, but if you can pop to the park and slow breathe while you push him on a swing, then if you feel overwhelmed try something else like helping him up some steps etc, and if it all feels too much you leave but you did it for a bit

Over time it gets easier, and it's trial and error

For me swinging him on the swing doesn't occupy my mind actively so intrusive thoughts have space to get in - but if I'm concentrating on helping him climb steps, holding his hand going down a slide, following him doing XZY then it takes my brain space and without realising it the panic doesn't get in while I'm occupied. For others staying more still and practicing breathing would help more.

I was also once told that when you feel panicked to try to think of the alphabet back to front (not any other time) so that your mind is concentrating on that - and that has helped me at times

You allowed him to touch a plant ? Well done you 💪🏻 . There would be no danger of poisonous plants in public parks .Tree bark has all sorts of textures too . Take all the help you can get .👍🏻

thank you!

I love the idea of not making panic get in. Sometimes the panic is so big that I literally freeze and cannot move and that is what I hate and really fear so much.

The plant looked a bit like poison ivy but when I Googled it I don't think it was. I also asked some people on WhatsApp who said it wasn't.

Whenever I take DS for annual optician’s check up they always emphasise the importance of outdoor time in maintaining eye health. I’ve not actually looked into what it actually means, I wonder if it’s about a wider range of fields of vision - so looking at variety of distances.

thanks @donteatthedaisies0

His dad's just taken him to feed the ducks while I make dinner so now I'm panicking about the idea of him falling into the pond, even though his dad has promised that won't happen and in the unlikely event it does he will get him out within seconds.