Are you not taking your child out when it's cold?

[gbailey]

I ask because a neighbor of mine (she's really nice and I know she meant well) saw me leaving our building today and reminded me that it's really chilly out and told me it's not the best weather to be taking DD outside. A friend I hadn't spoken to in a while called me on Monday and I told her I'd just gotten inside from taking DD to play in the snow and she was mortified that I'd take her out in this cold. She said I shouldn't have taken her out in this weather. I find this so odd. Do people in Buffalo hibernate until it warms up?

DD and I are always bundled up well when the weather requires it. I'm someone who really, really doesn't like the cold (for me 40 degrees is more like 30) but I never let the cold prevent me from doing things and going places. I can't imagine being cooped up inside all winter because of the cold.

[HollyBearsMom]

We are outside rain, sleet, snow and cold. It is rarely what I would consider "too cold" to be out in the fresh air and we live in New England. I just don't get it.

[Bebe's Mom]

I took DD out today for the first time in a couple of days. It was around 45 degrees outside. The only reason I haven't taken her out is because the wind was gusting up to 45 mph..and the wind chill was 18 degrees Fahrenheit. If I don't take her outside she gets extremely cranky because she is bored. Usually her dad takes her out with him, he likes to be out in the cold more than I do. As long as she is properly dressed, I don't see what the problem is. If it is really cold, like below 40, we usually only stay out for a little bit, but she loves to be outside, and we would both be miserable if we didn't go out. If it is raining, sometimes I take her to the children's gym to blow off some steam.

[gbailey]

I don't get it either. I didn't go out yesterday because I wasn't feeling so hot but today, I couldn't not go out. DD and I schlepped over the mounds of snow in our neighborhood to walk to the grocery store. Dressed warm and it felt good. I'm convinced I feel better because I got some fresh air.

 

Originally Posted by HollyBearsMom 

We are outside rain, sleet, snow and cold. It is rarely what I would consider "too cold" to be out in the fresh air and we live in New England. I just don't get it.

[Magali]

I live in Canada and if we didn't go outside in the winter we'd go crazy!!!!!  It has to be really cold for us to not go outside because it's "too cold".  Sometimes we don't use our car because of bad weather and road conditions, but that doesn't stop us from playing outside.

[MJB]

My school aged kids play outside in all weather, appropriately dressed. I won't go out with the baby (except to and from the car) if it's below 20 out. It's just too cold for *me*. It was 35 yesterday and we all went on a nice walk. 

[crunchy_mommy]

Temperatures were in the teens yesterday (Farenheit) and warmer but still below freezing today & DS and I had a wonderful time both days playing out in the snow. It wouldn't occur to me that it's 'too cold' to be outside, except maybe for a newborn or something (not that I'd stay inside with a newborn, just be more cautious...) I do tend to take DS out much less & for shorter amounts of time because no one is out & about so we get lonely. Plus it's a pain getting all bundled up & sometimes I'm lazy, though I still make an effort to go out to play at least a little most days (and we go SOMEWHERE, indoors or out, pretty much every single day, I hate being cooped up!) 

[littlecityfarmer]

People in Buffalo are getting on your case for going outside in the cold (my whole family lives in Buffalo, and I live a couple of cities down the Thruway)? Really ? Do they not realize that the winter has barely started, and you'll literally go insane if good parenting requires staying inside for the duration of cold weather? 30 degrees isn't even that cold-- practically sub-tropical compared to what it'll be like outside a month from now!

I wouldn't worry about it-- as long as everybody is dressed appropriately for the weather (or you at least have warm stuff with you, lest an independent-minded toddler declare that she Does. Not. Need. A. Coat. and then change her mind). Enjoy the snow!

[sosurreal09]

my pedi said its way too cold to take out a child my DD's age right now...

I take her out but for short periods of time...just to play

I don't not do errands or anything like that.

[limabean]

We live in a warm climate, but we enjoy snow vacations and spend nearly the whole time outside playing in the snow. I know several people who live in cold climates and none of them seem to shy away from spending time outdoors in the winter. I don't like being outside in freezing rain or really harsh wind, but if it's an otherwise nice day and is just cold out (and assuming we had all the appropriate cold-weather clothing) I can't imagine needing to stay indoors. 

[Llyra]

I stop taking my kids out for non-necessary reasons if and when the temperatures reach about 5 below. But that's mostly because I don't enjoy that kind of cold. But that only rarely happens here in NJ, anyway. Our typical winter days hover between 20 and 40, and we'll go out freely at those temperatures. And in places where it gets a lot colder, people still go out-- of course they do. You just have to be sure and dress appropriately. I'd go nuts if we had to stay inside all the time.

I think there are a lot of people who still hang onto the idea that it's cold weather that causes colds and flu. This is a very persistent cultural myth we have. I had a student of mine whose mother told me that him having a cold was all his fault, because he refuses to put his gloves on when she tells him to.

[oaktreemama]

We go out in all weather. I won't do long walks with him if it is less then 10 degrees and windy because of the wind chill.

[CarrieMF]

it is -29F today.  My oldest & the girl she is babysitting went sledding for approx 45 minutes.

I have always taken my kids out on errands when it is super cold.  It is ridiculous not to.   If we didn't go outside we would do NOTHING for 4-5MONTHS. 

When it is colder than today they don't normally go play outside as the risk of frostbite increases. 

We have had days where they've walked to school(5minutes if they aren't doddling) when it has been cold enough for skin to freeze in 1 minute.

[Alyantavid]

We don't really have a choice on not going outside in the cold.  DS1 is 8 and goes to school and out to recess no matter what the weather is.  We have to go places.  Even when we had our first really cold snap (below 0F) we still went out to play, we just couldn't miss out on all that snow!

[AllisonR]

It's minus 10 right now. It has been minus zero, both day and night, for over a month straight. Will be another month, or two, or three, before all the snow melts. Exactly how would that work - not going out? 

Put it this way - snow in Florida or Arizona, I'd say stop the press and don't do a thing - except enjoy it. Anywhere else, get on with your life. 

[AislinCarys]

It's not the cold, it is that some people just think children can't deal with the elements (and that appropriate outside wear for growing children is a waste of money). Where we live it doesn't really get cold (8-12 deg C in winter), but it is often very windy, and it rains. Most kids I've known here do not have rainwear, and if they do, they have one of those quite hard plastic coats, with things sticking out of them, dressed like a ladybird, butterfly or dinosaur, with matching gumboots. Not really practical for a 2 yo, so doesn't work very well. Most kids only have fleece jackets or jerseys, no windproof jackets. Not that you need to have big expensive things, DD has wooly or thick cotton jerseys, a wool jacket, knitted wool leggings and a rain suits. It worked even in Sweden, when we had 3 months of snow up to to the window ledges. We got our rainwear in Europe, btw, good rainwear for kids is rare here. Also,parents don't want to go out and feel cold. As a result, in winter kids are often not outside for days. Parents would be angry if schools and day care facilities let kids go out in the rain.

We're lucky, we attend a Steiner playgroup, where we're out for the first half of the morning whatever the weather, and the kids (and parents) are expected to wear appropriate clothes.

[petey44]

Seriously, how do people think people in the Arctic Circle live???  That whole "being out in the cold gives you a cold" thing really bugs me.  How does that even make sense??  We live in Maryland, so it doesn't get really cold here, which means we go out all the time with just the basics (cheap winter coat, mittens, hat).  But a lot of my family lives in Vermont, and they're outside all the time in the winter.  My cousin's husband takes their 4 oldest boys (all under 12) hunting in the winter, from Vermont to Maine, for long periods of time, and they seem pretty healthy to me!!

[curiouscanadian]

Well, I would, if DS would cooperate!

 " I live in Canada and if we didn't go outside in the winter we'd go crazy!!!!!"

 Yes, yes, we are going crazy! (And it's only December!!!)

Edited by curiouscanadian - 12/29/10 at 8:55pm

[CatsCradle]

Well, we live in NYC, and going outside is part and parcel of maintaining sanity.  I would be surprised if upstate people warned of us cold weather, considering they constantly admonish us for our wussiness when it dumps two feet of snow here in the city.  Let the busy bodies dote and complain.  We NEED to get outside this apartment to avoid a Troy, Dunkirk, Battle of the Bulge.  

[mamazee]

If it's cold enough to worry about frostbite, I try to wait for dh to get home before i go out so at least the littler one doesn't have to go out with me.  Otherwise, I don't worry about weather.  I take even young babies out in the cold.