I was looking into why I don't meet this standard for my children. My children are still young (5 and 2) so when they go outside so do I. Sometimes my schedule or work I think needs to get done gets in the way of taking them outside. Secondly, my son has allergies and if it is too windy or the pollen count is too high outside, it is pretty miserable for him. He prefers to play inside much of the time and although he doesn't voice it, I think he knows that being outside makes him feel bad. But I realized I needed to really step up the outside time because I want my kids to be healthy and active and enjoy being outdoors. Helping me is my two year old daughter. She does not have the same allergy issues as her brother and she will put on her hat and shoes and stand by the door and say, "Play outside!" Her enthusiasm for being outdoors is helping us get outside.
On Friday of last week, my daughter and I went together to the local state park. We bought a Texas State Park Pass which allows us to get free entrance to all the state parks for a year. Since we live only 20 minutes from a great park with a small beach, two playgrounds, and a 2 mile paved bike loop this will be an excellent opportunity for day trips this summer.
On Sunday and Monday evenings, we took the kids for a walk in our neighborhood with my son on his bike and my daughter on her tricycle. Taking a walk/ride with my two kids is a little like herding squirrels. It didn't matter though that we stopped every few seconds to look at a bug or a worm or a smashed bottle cap on the road.
Then after the heavy rain on Tuesday, I put on the kids rain boots and let them play in the 3.5 inches of rain in the backyard. My son told me over and over yesterday how much fun it was to play in the yard after the rain. We didn't make it outside yesterday but my son had gymnastics class and got plenty of exercise. I was happy with the average time spent outside this week but it is early spring and the temperatures are perfect for this kind of activity. I don't know if mom will be willing when it is 100 this summer but what a great time we had this week. Do your kids spend a lot of time outdoors?
That's wonderful that you saw that stat and acted on it! I try, too, to get the kids outside every day, but it's hard. The hardest is in the snowy months when they are dying to play in the snow. It takes a fortnight to get all the gear on them, then they're back in the house in seconds when it's too cold, too boring, too whatever! AHH!! I don't have time for that! ;)
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm impressed about the playing in the rain part. I think I'm a little too OCD, controlling, or freakish to be so brave. I'm so glad they had fun doing it, that's what matters!!
We don't get as hot, and not for as long, during the summer, but I *try* to at least get a walk around the block when time allows.
Great entry!
We go outside most days. I send the kids out in the rain (as long as it isn't lightening or too cold, but it has to be pretty cold for me), in the heat (under a tree in a pool), but the cold is harder for me. I hate coats. I'm excited about our trip to Iowa this summer b/c it will be hot here and nice there!! I don't like being out in the heat myself, so I sometimes send them out there alone. A lot of our time outside is on bikes. We go for a couple of miles every day that we check the mail. :)
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