Do your children play outside in winter?

meritaten

mine went outside to play in all weathers - except thunder and lightning! and hurricanes!
fgs, as long as they wear suitable clothing then they SHOULD be outside playing!
just because someone is successful does not mean they are good parents or even know anything about parenting!
I firmly believe in letting kids be kids and play outside whenever possible - otherwise you are raising 'couch potatoes'!

marisco_2

GobbledyGook wrote: »

It is apparently letting them out to play when it was wet that is the heinous crime that I've committed.

I cant understand why anyone would be so against children playing outside when the weather is a bit inclement. Good grief if we all shared that opinion, hardly any children in this country would ever enjoy fresh air! You were completely right to let your children outside to release some pent up energy and have fun. They were appropriately dressed and supervised at all times. The only one making a show of herself is the neighbour, she sounds as daft as a brush.

Luckylucy

The kids on our street play out all year round which is nice it's when they are still out at 9pm screeching or out at 7am it's slightly irking but kids just run on a different timetable don't they

Ignore the woman you come across as a lovely mum.

Trying to get and keep coats and woollies on my two is a nightmare. Although once autumn rolls round and wellies go on it takes me until July to get them off again!

Can I ask more about your treat boxes? What do you put in them and how did you start it off?

Spendless

I remember my HV calling when I had youngest and asking where my eldest then aged 3 was.

'Outside, playing in the garden' I said

It's raining' she replied.

I refrained from answering 'and??!'

My 2 used to adore playing outside when raining, they even named a big pool of water that forms at the end of our drive 'the beauty puddle' and want to put wellies on and jump in it.

Take no notice of her.

sooty&sweep

Hi
We have a large trampoline in our garden an even if the garden is too wet to play in they put crocs on and head for the trampoline to play on.
A couple of years ago when we had that really cold winter they'd go out with a broom to sweep the snow off the trampoline before they bounced around. I'd have the hot chocolate / soup ready for when they came in and they had a great time.
Children aren't soluble and if they are dressed properly they won't get too cold.

Jen

Violetta_2

I can't believe everyone think's it's ok, it' all very well letting the children out for some fun but you obviusly didn't think of the consequences of what some fresh air & rain can do to a small child :eek:.
I bet you are the type of person that would take your children out when it snows to go sledging, make snowmen & even risk their precious lives by having dangerous snowball fight's then you'll all have to go home & have hot chocolate & snuggly cuddles to warm up all the time making memories that will last them til they're old and grey.
How could you????

Wait for it..............
WON'T SOMEBODY THINK OF THE CHILDREN
Honestly though poor woman sounds as if she's had no one to talk to over the holidays & just had to talk rubbish to the poor shop keeper, if they weren't out she'd be moaning that you keep them shut in probably sat in front of the TV or games console 18 hr's a day.

GobbledyGook

Thanks folks.

I think because at street events (we're the kind of street that has street parties a few times a year) she has always seemed very nice and she's worked very hard in her career (she's done really well for herself in a very male dominated environment) I doubted myself.

Even though we've a good bit of space in the house the kids get cabin fever easily. I think because they are used to being outside in the summer. That said they are never out playing before 10am and we tend to have dinner at 5.30pm/6pm and they don't get back out after dinner. They are constantly supervised if DS1 is with them, but even if its just DD1 who is out she's checked on every few minutes. They also get brought back in if they get too noisy. Before we had children I used to live next to a couple whose children were out screaming from dawn til dusk and it drove me mad at times (they properly screamed to each other constantly) so I'm very aware of it.

The treat boxes started when DD1 was munching her way through a packet of crisps and didn't look like she was enjoying it. I asked her about it and it turned out she'd said she wanted a packet when DD2 was having a packet because otherwise DD2 and I would eat them all and she wouldn't get any because when she wanted some there would be none left.

It made me worry I was passing my bad food habits onto the children and also I didn't like the fact things didn't seem fair to DD1. So the girls and I picked a box each and then when the shopping was delivered we each put 7 things in our boxes. There's usually crisps, raisins, breadsticks, dried fruit, a bit of chocolate, nuts and things like that.

The children (and I) are allowed to take something from their box whenever they like, but they know that if they take something just before dinner and spoil their meal then we'd have to sit down and talk about it again. The first two weeks DD2 ate hers on the first day, DD1 ate all of hers on the second day and they moaned all week! Now they are much better and I feel they've got a much healthier attitude to treat foods. DS1 has a box, but he has to ask first because he has no concept of time. So he asks if it's too close to dinner or not.

There are now no multipacks of crisps sat in the cupboard so I'm healthier as well!

duchy

Just because someone is "good in the office" or "has fantastic marketing skills" or "has several degrees and a big salary" or whatever...........does not mean they know everything or that their opinion is more valuable than yours.

Like one of the other posters _I'd be more put out that she called me a silly moo than she had any opinion on my child raising skills when she has no kids herself so knows nothing or little about it (even if she has kids and also has a fulltime career she's not going to be such a hands on Mum as a SAHM like you).

As she so throughly embarassed herself -I'd either forget about it and chuckle at her blush (obviously not as self confident as you thought) or invite her around for coffee and a chat "to clear the air" ..... and as someone else said Kill her with kindness.

Gillybean

My boys would go crazy if they couldn't play out, and so would I for that matter! Fresh air and exercise is good for them.

I love the idea of a treat box to set limits on what they have. Mine are terrible for wanting one thing after another so I might have to nick this idea and give it a go. The eldest has pocket money and understands how to make that last and use it wisely so this could work.

What goes in your treat boxes?

fluffnutter

GobbledyGook wrote: »

.. she's worked very hard in her career (she's done really well for herself in a very male dominated environment)

Plenty of successful people are complete arses