Do your children play outside in winter?

GobbledyGook

Gillybean wrote: »

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?

I like it because it sets limits whilst giving freedom (I hope that makes sense to more people than just me!).

This week we have a packet of crisps, a milky way, raisin box (though I reuse the boxes and fill them from a big bag as it's cheaper), a wee bag of dried fruit, little bag of popcorn, a packet of gummy sweets and for the last thing the smaller two have a packet of Frootz and DD1 and I have peanuts.


I've decided not to say anything to neighbour. I'm just going to get on and when I see her again I'll leave it to her to be embarrassed. Ironically one of the reasons I admired her was because she'd done so well in her field, but wasn't like one of the snippy/snarly women I've seen before. She'd managed to do it whilst still being very pleasant, but she obviously just perfectly being a bit two faced!

I'm trying to be more confident as a parent. Around the children I am fine and you'd never be able to tell I doubt myself sometimes, but when questioned by someone I perceive as cleverer or wiser than me I question myself. I need to stop it. I forget sometimes I had more than 1 unconditional university offers both times I applied - I'm not stupid. I'm getting better though. I'm trying.

Thanks again
Gemma x

Person_one

I think the treat boxes sound like a great idea, especially in terms of not passing on hangups. I might be tempted to just mention it to the dentist next time you go though and see what they think.

I might be making it up, and I can't remember exactly, but I'm sure I've read that its not just the amount of sugar a child eats that affects their teeth, its how often, or in how many different 'servings'. Might just be worth a chat to check.

GobbledyGook

I might do that person_one.

I can't see it being a big problem. Most kids eat way more sugar than mine I think. The school the girls moved to last year is very hot on well cooked lunches and they are not allowed sweets or crisps in school. So they don't have the 'play piece' that many kids have.

Plus thanks to DS1's allergies, DD1's vegetarianism and OH's fussiness I cook from scratch every day so I think their sugar intake, and diet in general is pretty good. Their grandfather was a dentist so OH is pretty fastidious about their teeth cleaning as well.

They also don't like fizzy juice which helps enormously with teeth I think. I'm not sure why (I drink probably more than I should), but none of them actually like it. DD1 finds it too sweet and neither DD2 or DS1 like the "bubbles". I don't know why, but I am quite pleased about it!

GobbledyGook

Also none of them have cottoned onto the fact that boxes only ever have 7 things in them. If there is 2 things left over on fill day we only add 5 to it.

I imagine one day they'll realise and I'll get accused of depriving them of that weeks goodies, but I'm keeping schtum.

They also haven't realised either that if they share something with a friend they tend to take it from their box. If I share biscuits with visitors they come from the cupboard. No-one, but me gets goodies from my treat box :rotfl:

Poppie68

Blimey OP what a bad parent you are for not letting your children fester inside infront of the TV...
All mine played out in all weathers, there is nothing nicer than watching children playing be it sun, rain or snow. It's when they are teenagers that we need to be chaining them to the house..lol

Person_one

GobbledyGook wrote: »

I might do that person_one.

I can't see it being a big problem. Most kids eat way more sugar than mine I think. The school the girls moved to last year is very hot on well cooked lunches and they are not allowed sweets or crisps in school. So they don't have the 'play piece' that many kids have.

Plus thanks to DS1's allergies, DD1's vegetarianism and OH's fussiness I cook from scratch every day so I think their sugar intake, and diet in general is pretty good. Their grandfather was a dentist so OH is pretty fastidious about their teeth cleaning as well.

They also don't like fizzy juice which helps enormously with teeth I think. I'm not sure why (I drink probably more than I should), but none of them actually like it. DD1 finds it too sweet and neither DD2 or DS1 like the "bubbles". I don't know why, but I am quite pleased about it!

Please don't think I was criticising! I just remember vaguely that there was something counter intuitive about the best way to eat sugary treats! Something like a whole bottle of full fat coke in one go is better than 8 tiny sweets an hour apart, that wasn't it I'm sure but just thought I'd mention it in case you wanted to check.

pollypenny

Out to play in all weathers, except rain or heavy snow falling as I remember.

That's what bikes and scooters are for, footballs and coats for goals. So much running about coat not needed.

Kids need to be away from gadgets and into fresh air.

Bella73

GobbledyGook wrote: »

This is a silly thread. Silly in that I know it's ridiculous that I've let a stupid woman I barely know upset me.

I was at the corner shop and one of my neighbours who I actually really liked (and respected - she has a great career that she's worked very hard for. Inspiring is too strong a word for her, but I can't think of another one) was having a moan about all and sundry to the shopkeeper. One of her comments was about how the "silly moo at number x" kicks her kids out to play no matter what the weather. She basically made a comment suggesting that my children are practically neglected.

This all stems from them being out to play last Saturday despite the fact it wasn't a very nice day. However they were wrapped up warm and were, to be frank, going stir crazy from being cooped up inside for the few days before where the weather was awful.

My children are 10, 6 and 3 and they were kitted out in wellies, warm waterproofs and they all had on hats, gloves and scarves. They were visible from out window at all times and were only on the path right outside our house. Tbh OH and I were watching them all the time as they were playing together peacefully - which was something of a revelation at the end of a long Christmas period where they'd got utterly sick of each other and did nothing, but argue.

They were either on scooters; we're in a cul de sac and no-one passes our driveway becuase of the position of our house, and with DS being young when he is there they are only allowed to play at the front of our 'bit', or splashing in puddles.

It is apparently letting them out to play when it was wet that is the heinous crime that I've committed. She even felt the need to comment that they were the only children out playing in the street, but that is because there are no other children in the street! (There is only a handful of houses).

Am I unusual in letting them out? Surely it's better for them than being indoors all of the time?

When I read the title to your thread I thought OMG a crazy parent who thinks their children should be kept under lock and key!! Apologies.

Of course children should be allowed to play outside in the winter! Obviously as you have said dressed accordingly but why on earth not. The local children around us are still out playing and why shouldn't they in daylight, i wouldn't be so keen once it's dark but feel that all year around as there is more chance of them being knocked down by a car if playing in the street near cars.

sexki11en

duchy wrote: »

(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).

Did you really just say this? How ignorant of you. you seem to have an issue with working mothers.

As a working mother, I will be a million times more hands on than my sister, who sits on her @rse all day and doesn't even get on the floor and play with any of her three children at Christmas, let alone any other time.

SK x

jellyhead

The times that your children are out are reasonable - if you'd said they go out at 6:30am or stay out until gone 9pm then perhaps I'd think she had a point.

My eldest likes wind, and youngest loves rain and snow and was always in puddles as a child. As has been said, children are not soluble! If they are dressed warmly they should be fine. I had to be more careful as a child because getting absolutely frozen would set off my asthma, but my kids don't have asthma.

It's not safe for children to 'play out' here, but they have the garden, and I take them to parks, etc and for walks regardless of rain.

I like your treat box idea. I do similar, but my youngest always ends up with leftovers and I add the new treats to that until it overflows and I end up eating his treats myself. I will borrow your idea of only making it up to 7 each week

GobbledyGook wrote: »

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!