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I am looking into adding cold weather policy. I need advice. I am located in very cold part of Canada. I can't set cut of tempter too high, otherwise we will end up staying at home half of winter. but one older child has sensitive skin.It has been a bit of tension with the child's parent. What is your cut of temperature for outing, not outdoor play but walking to indoor playgroup (about 10 min one way).
My outdoor play cut off is -20 but I would think for a 10 minute walk I would likely up it to about -23 to -25? What is this parent planning on doing when the child goes to school and has to go out for recess? I would make sure the child is almost fully covered and it should be fine.
Where are you located and what is a "normal" temp for you? This winter has been brutal...we have stayed in A LOT!!
I have in my policy that even in extreme temps, we have to walk to school. It's about six minutes to get there. The youngest three are warm in the stroller, but the parents need to be OK with us outside every day. I think it was minus 41 here this morning with the windchill.
None of the parents seem to mind.
My group is all under 2.5 and my cutoff is -15 with the wind chill. Colder than that I have in my policy that I will use my discretion to determine if and for how long we go outside. We have spent a lot of time outside this winter and the kids are definitely feeling cooped up (or maybe it's just me?).
I don't really have it as part of my official handbook but I send out an email when the cold weather starts to remind my clients.
-41 is not safe to be taking children outside at all. Bundled up and for six minutes and then back indoors is probably fine if it were an emergency or something but not everyday and as long as zero skin is exposed but otherwise it is a health risk and IMO is not the best thing for the children at all.Quote:
Originally Posted by superfun
5LM...here in Ontario children are not allowed outside at recess if the temperature is -20 or colder although I allow my own older children to play outside at home but they have to be completely covered and out no longer than 15-20 minutes at a time.
I think it would be helpful for the OP to give us more specific details on the issues with this parent and also to explain what skin sensitivity the child has. Even if it were only -5 or -10 the child should have as much skin as possible covered so they wouldn't have any issue with skin reactions due to the cold or wind.
Bright Sparks, that sounds about the same here in MB. Daycare centres are -20 but I believe my teachers have said that it's -25 or -27 for recesses. They have had many indoor recesses, buses cancelled and I know here at my dc, we have had many inside days. More than I can remember for any other year!
If going outside is something that your dc NEEDS to do and a parent has an issue with that than maybe your dc isn't the right choice for them?
I am in Ontario, Durham Region, and am the same. Windchill -20 or colder we stay inside.
Granted, now that I am hugely pregnant and 3 weeks away from my due date we haven't been leaving the house at all. Too much of a risk of me slipping and falling.
For me we stay in when it's -15 (including windchill) or colder. However I still have to take my son to the bus but it's only across the street, literally one minute walk from here. Although on the REALLY cold days I get my hubby to at least do the morning run. I think for my son s school the cut off is -20 or -25 .
I don't like doing it, but sometimes is has to be done. Yesterday my husband ended up being able to come home for lunch so I left the kids with him while I picked up the kinder from school, but he was supposed to be out of town for work. So I need to be prepared for it, even if I don't like doing it. However, it is something that I make very clear in my policy, and I still have a waiting list. So the parents don't seem to mind.Quote:
Originally Posted by bright sparks
In fact, a lot of our winter has been this cold, and I'm sure most of the parents take their kids outside with far less protection than they get when we go to school.
my policy is -20 temperature or wind chill.
My daughter (who is 4) has a cold sensitivity. Her face sort of swells up where it has gotten cold when we come in. It is weird because it happened when she was 1 and last year it didn't happen, then again this winter it is happening again. Doctor told me that it isn't anything major and to just give her allergy medication when it happens. So that is what I do, as soon as we come in, her face gets puffy and I give her the allergy meds, within 5 minutes it is back to normal.
This is a terrible winter. We haven't been out very much at all. Sometimes my daughter will go out after daycare is over and I let her play. I don't like going out with the little ones when it is -20 but my daughter doesn't mind it that much as long as the wind isn't blowing.
Omg @mickyc that's not good at all. I understand skin being sensitive but that's a whole other level if it requires allergy meds. Poor wee thing :( Hopefully she will grow out of it.
I hope so! I freaked out the first time it happened. Of course the doctor just brushed it off. It is just painful for her when it gets puffy and she asks for her medication right away. It still doesn't keep her from going outside to play though.
I have a friend with an allergy to cold. Even cold water triggers it. When she first started as a teacher she told the school they said she had to do recess duty. Her first winter recess outside she swelled up. When they saw her they realized she wasn't being whimpy and they accommodated the allergy and kept her inside.
While I expect an 'allergy' to cold is rare I've seen it myself so it is possible!
I also worked with someone at my previous career, she was terribly allergic to cold air. I didn't believe it until I saw it. I think if it was me, with the winters in Manitoba being so crazy, I would have to move somewhere with milder weather.
Good news for me today! It's minus 40 with windchill, and hubby just offered to pick up kinder student from school. :)
Wow I had NO idea there was such a thing as cold air allergy...I guess it makes sense since some people can also be terribly sensitive to sun rays in the summer and get blistering sunburn with little exposure but wow...crazy. You learn something new everyday especially here!
Yes I deal with cold allergy with my son ! Cold water , a fan , a change from the sun warming him and then leaves !!! He is basically on allergy meds 24:7 ! It is unbelievable !!! I was told it can result from autoimmune issues caused by a heavy prescription . He had a lung infection and was treated aggressively and developed this sensitivity !
So I am very cautious with my lo , -10-15 is my line when I have the little ones and -20 with time restriction for the older kids .
I noticed my dd face had hives the last time she was outside but it was -25 ! I'm hoping I don't have another sufferer !!!
My son gets white hives the size of dimes , layered all over the exposed area . We were told he could outgrow ( he's 22 now so ...?) and to watch him in swimming pools ! We had to rush him unconscious while on vacay as he went swimming in a lake !!! Ugh it is so nerve wracking !
My policy is -10C (with wind chill) and all parents are ok with it.