British children among the laziest

[Stonehead]

British children among the laziest

I think most of this so-called social "research" is dross, but this certainly rings a bell after helping out with playgroup and seeing what some of the Wee Un's friends are like when confronted with very physical outside play for the first time.

[Bigsis]

Some of the inactivity could be down to safety issues. Children aren't as safe playing in the street as they were when we were young (god I sound old).
It's much the easier option for parents to let kids play on their computers or whatever than have them playing outside with all the increased traffic and 'stranger danger'.

[Andy Hamilton]

Some of the inactivity could be down to safety issues. Children aren't as safe playing in the street as they were when we were young (god I sound old).
It's much the easier option for parents to let kids play on their computers or whatever than have them playing outside with all the increased traffic and 'stranger danger'.

increased traffic yes, stranger danger? is is worse than it was in our day or has the media made it seem worse?

[Chickpea]

There's no more stranger danger but there's more fear of it, fuelled by the media.

Since the kids went back to school I've been parking half a mile away from school and walking (it's not possible to walk the whole way - it's too far and too dangerous along a busy road with no footpath). The 4-year-old in particular moans all the way that he's tired and it's too far, but as soon as we get to the schoolyard he's running round with his friends at a million miles an hour. So I just ignore him.

[Bigsis]

Yeah I agree about the media hyping up the fear of strangers. It's worse in the states, kids dont seem to walk anywhere - I hope we dont get that way here.

[Masco&Bongo]

My godson is the same... if we take him anywhere uninteresting the requires walking, he is "tired" and moans and drags his feet...

However, he will still run round our garden and field with the dogs, and also participate in our weekly 6 mile walks without a moan...

[Stonehead]

Our boys run up and hill the whole time they're home, hurtle in and out of the trees and buildings, go on long walks, play madly when they get the chance at school and playgroup, and are usually still ready to go at 8pm.

I can't wait until they're big enough to do all the bigger chores!

[Chickpea]

Oh mine run around like mad things too, when 4-year-old says "I'm tired" what he means is "I'd rather you carried me".

They also say "I'm hungry" or "I'm thirsty" which means "I had an enormous meal 20 minutes ago but I just saw some biscuits/fruit shoots in a shop and I want them". And "you never buy me anything" meaning "you won't buy me this particular thing I want right now".

Like I say, I ignore them.

[circlecross]

I've just had to submit an essay for my playwork 3 course, and it had to be in the style of a bid for funding for a playscheme. I waxed lyrical about forest schools, and outdoor playschemes (and used the article you posted Stonehead, so thanks).

However, when taking my little one out to the local woods the other day, I had to keep him strapped in the buggy a lot of the time (which was a real pain with all the tree roots). Why? Because of wretched inconsiderate dog owners leaving their dogs excrement all over the place. I hate it; I don't empty Arthur's nappy onto the street, I either empty it inot a loo if I'm near one, or take the poo home, parcelled up in the nappy, to flush at home.

It incenses me, and it is more prevalent than broken glass, needles or stranger danger (which do have an effect on kids playing outdoors, but if parents interacted and took the kids out, or played with them, safety could be monitored).

The little fella did get let out tho', and picked and ate a load of "bambles", and took plenty of mud home.
Susan

[Masco&Bongo]

Because of wretched inconsiderate dog owners leaving their dogs excrement all over the place.

I'm a dog owner and it winds me up no end. I always pick up Max's poo, and have been known to carry a bottle of water to wash anything that can't be picked up away.

There are loads of people near us who don't pick up, and I've confronted a couple of them. We live near a lovely beach and its spoilt by stupid people. If I see their dog "going" and they try to walk off, I'll often walk up and say "Don't you have a poo bag? Here, I've got a spare" and hand them a carrier bag and wait for them to pick it up.

My OH gets very embarrasssed. If I can pick up dog poo, why can't everyone else?

[bwaymark]

If my teenagers are anything to go by, laziness goes beyond childhood!

In France they often have a little buggies that go around picking up dog poo, which I reckon it infinitely more helpful than the British approach of increasing fines and getting our collective knickers in a twist. I know its easy enough for someone to pick up their dogs poo, but if people don't, and there will always be people who don't, why not make it part of the general street cleaning service.

I think the problem of dog poo and lazy children are connected in some ways. We've became awful against all-things-living in this country. If a dog poos on the streets, people freak out, if a child makes noise in a restaurant, people freak out, if kids get into a fight, its a bullying epidemic, if a kids nicks somethings, he's a blooming tear-away. Fer chrisssakes! Kids fight, steal and do stupid things. Thats what makes them kids. Punish them for doing something wrong, sure, but all the fuss that is being made you'd think teenagers were the anti-christ and barely human at all!

If we could find some collective way of just relaxing in this country and letting kids be kids (and dogs be dogs) without making such a big fuss, maybe kids would go outside more, and parents let their kids out more, without fear of being branded ASBO parents!

That's my non-controversial two bits worth.

[Muddypause]

...out to the local woods the other day...wretched inconsiderate dog owners leaving their dogs excrement all over the place

Wait a minute - this is the woods. That's what animals do there. Just ask any bear.

[circlecross]

If a bear poo'd in the woods, on it's own turf, then I wouldn't have a problem with it (not one I'd wish to discuss with the bear anyway), but if a bear was being walked by its owner and it poo'd, and the place was a public path through the woods, for the use of all, not just bears, then I'd get annoyed. My prob is that the dog mess is right on the path or just beside it - not in the depths of the wilderness. The woods have been tamed for a long time, and lots of council initiatives to make people go into "wild" places, but this shouldn't have to include treading in a family member's (dogs are hardly wild animals) excrement. Horse, sheep and even fox poo (vile) I have no prob with - I'm on their turf.

Susan

[funkypixie]

I agree about the dog poo in local parks etc, but I think it is a bit more ambiguous in woods Salcey Forest is local to us and they have notices stating that dog poo does not need to be cleared up in the woodland which surprised me.

Anna x
A non dog owner

[Bigsis]

Salcey Forest is a tree-growing business. Maybe it's all free fertilizer to them!