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Thread: Outside

  1. #1
    Euphoric !
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    Outside

    Posting mainly to bump the spam spots down.

    I think my 2 DC boys mom was complaining yesterday through texts that I let the boys crawl around on the driveway in snowsuits (bare pavement) pushing trucks.

    She was commenting that she is glad they opted for the industrial knee patch on the snowsuit (they got it used) and that when the snowsuit is gone there will be lots of ripped knees (her 3yr old).

    I just commented odds are he will find a new way to push the trucks once he loses the snowsuit padding. But that she needs to send him in old clothes, and just keep sending him in the same few outfits so he isn't ruining all his outfits. She did comment this was a good idea.

    The boys have been here 12 months now. I only watch them afternoons and we are outside every afternoon, sometimes from drop off through pick up. it's not anything new, so maybe I am misreading her.

    I am curious what others do in regards to keeping children clean. I don't keep them off the ground. They are kids, they are expected to be dirty, grass stained and muddy etc. I do wipe them up before they go home, and I keep a change of clothes here and when needed will switch them into their clean clothes (and I keep their worn outfit to wash so I have it on hand to switch them again).

    My daughter is out there as well. She is doing the same things and comes in just as messy/stained. I just chalk it up to childhood.

    Asking for the sake of asking out of curiosity as to whether I am in the minority here. I don't plan to make any changes, sadly they need to accept or move on.

  2. #2
    I agree! Let them be kids. I have a hill in the backyard that everyone loves to roll down ...so in the spring and summer they will be covered with grass. Luckily I have had no complaints. I do put up some boundaries though..like no scooping in a muddle puddle...lol..those kind of rules..but for the most part I just let them have fun. That means they go home with chalk and grass stains on their clothes and sand in their diapers..lol Can't wait for Spring weather!

  3. #3
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    I allow the kids to play and get messy but I'm with mom a bit on this one. Clothing is expensive and allowing them to push trucks on their knees on bare pavement isn't something I'd do. Ripped clothes and sore knees lol. I'd either teach them a new way to push or we'd do a different activity.

    When the backyard is too messy/wet, we play on the driveway with ride on toys, chalk, bubbles....things like that

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    It really depends the kind of activities that are offered. As I ask only one piece and good quality snow suit. I know those are.expensive but also they protect well so, I just do my best to keep them in good shape. Our activities are outdoors I make colored ice cubes, spray paint on snow, shovels and buckets, balls, bubbles. we have a slide I just use more snow to keep it clean. I make little mountains of snow so they can climb and roll down on the snow. I do not place pushing toys or cars. I know they will get muddy and I need their snow suits dry for the next day's activity. But even if one gets wet for any reason I have around three extra snow suits. To go home nice and dry. We do a lot messy activities ex. Yesterday jumping on puddles after that I just use the garden hose and rinse them off. But nothing that can damage their winter gear.

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    I think sending kids home dirty is absolutely fine. I do not try to keep them clean. I clean them up before going home and change them if need be. I don't think that is the issue here. Isn't it more about damaging snow gear and potentially hurting their knees in the warmer months?? I understand a parents concern with this. I think if an activity is going to damage clothing then other arrangements should be made. I think if an activity is going to hurt a child's knees, then thought needs to be given how to make this more comfortable, like placing foam mats down or something like that.

    Old clothing or not, activities causing undue wear and tear isn't the best choice IMO. Wearing old clothing because there are paints and pens, dirt in a garden and puddles to jump in is unavoidable and part of play, but I think there are ways around avoiding damaging clothing and hurting knees on a play surface when there are alternatives.

    As for your daughter, I don't think it really matters. It is a parents prerogative to choose whatever they like for their child and if she is scraping knees and getting dirty that is in your hands and a choice you make. This parent should also be afforded this. But that is on them. Its not that there is anything wrong with what they are doing or that these things don't happen during childhood, but just because you allow your daughter to do it doesn't justify the same thing happening to her kid as being okay for her. It's not right or wrong, just that this isn't okay with her when it is so clearly avoidable. I wouldn't worry too much about what she said. It sounds like she wanted to bring it up with you but maybe should have been more direct so you weren't left wondering exactly what her concern was. Now you know this kind of thing is a problem to mum, perhaps consider how you can avoid the scuffing of knees while playing on concrete. If I picked up my child and they had scuffed their knees by falling etc I'd think its okay, just childhood accident. But the play area and surface being the cause of the scuffing, versus an accident, well I'd be asking that there be foam mats put down or a softer play area provided to prevent unnecessary hurts and holes in pant knees.

  6. #6
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    In BC we call the snow suits Muddy-buddies and they are certainly living up to their name as they look Sooo Muddy with all the snow we had this year and the rain has started ( finally) LOL

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by bright sparks View Post
    I think sending kids home dirty is absolutely fine. I do not try to keep them clean. I clean them up before going home and change them if need be. I don't think that is the issue here. Isn't it more about damaging snow gear and potentially hurting their knees in the warmer months?? I understand a parents concern with this. I think if an activity is going to damage clothing then other arrangements should be made. I think if an activity is going to hurt a child's knees, then thought needs to be given how to make this more comfortable, like placing foam mats down or something like that.

    Old clothing or not, activities causing undue wear and tear isn't the best choice IMO. Wearing old clothing because there are paints and pens, dirt in a garden and puddles to jump in is unavoidable and part of play, but I think there are ways around avoiding damaging clothing and hurting knees on a play surface when there are alternatives.

    As for your daughter, I don't think it really matters. It is a parents prerogative to choose whatever they like for their child and if she is scraping knees and getting dirty that is in your hands and a choice you make. This parent should also be afforded this. But that is on them. Its not that there is anything wrong with what they are doing or that these things don't happen during childhood, but just because you allow your daughter to do it doesn't justify the same thing happening to her kid as being okay for her. It's not right or wrong, just that this isn't okay with her when it is so clearly avoidable. I wouldn't worry too much about what she said. It sounds like she wanted to bring it up with you but maybe should have been more direct so you weren't left wondering exactly what her concern was. Now you know this kind of thing is a problem to mum, perhaps consider how you can avoid the scuffing of knees while playing on concrete. If I picked up my child and they had scuffed their knees by falling etc I'd think its okay, just childhood accident. But the play area and surface being the cause of the scuffing, versus an accident, well I'd be asking that there be foam mats put down or a softer play area provided to prevent unnecessary hurts and holes in pant knees.
    But, I am not forcing the child to crawl and push trucks. We have free play...this is what the child chose to do this with his time. Children (even at 1yrs) are smart enough and capable of deciding this hurts my knees I don't want to do this anymore. Putting foam mats down outside for a child to play on just deprives them from the learning experience of understanding their own body's limits. If it bothers them it's on them to find a better way of doing it. I am all for keeping children safe and protected but preventing a child from choosing to crawl on a driveway because they might scrape their knees isn't my job (as a parent or caregiver). If they do scrape their knees and complain about it I would point out how they got scraped and some better solutions but putting foam mats down or putting the trucks away isn't going to teach anything and deprives everyone.

    My point about my daughter being out there is that this is our day, we play outside, we crawl around pushing trucks and get dirty. I will not change our day (be inside to prevent scraped knees), I won't deprive my daughter of outside time and playing with trucks outside to keep their child clean and their clothes in perfect shape. If this is an issue with them they will need to find a place that doesn't allow the kids to play with trucks outside.

    I will note that none of the kids have any wear on their snowpants. None have ever torn any pant knees here. They do get dirty and they do get stained. Again, kids are smart and adapt their ways when they are uncomfortable so they don't crawl around until they have torn through their clothes and are bleeding. At least in my many years of experience.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Peacefulbird View Post
    It really depends the kind of activities that are offered. As I ask only one piece and good quality snow suit. I know those are.expensive but also they protect well so, I just do my best to keep them in good shape. Our activities are outdoors I make colored ice cubes, spray paint on snow, shovels and buckets, balls, bubbles. we have a slide I just use more snow to keep it clean. I make little mountains of snow so they can climb and roll down on the snow. I do not place pushing toys or cars. I know they will get muddy and I need their snow suits dry for the next day's activity. But even if one gets wet for any reason I have around three extra snow suits. To go home nice and dry. We do a lot messy activities ex. Yesterday jumping on puddles after that I just use the garden hose and rinse them off. But nothing that can damage their winter gear.
    I am curious where you live to be using a garden hose already!!

    We had a backyard full of snowhills, pathways through the snow, hide outs etc. It served them well through the winter and they had all their trucks out there to push along the snowy paths. The backyard is now half thawed and covered in a lot of water. We are giving it time to dry up so we don't tear the grass apart. Therefore we play on the front driveway. They have various riding cars, tonka trucks, chalk, mega blocks and various plastic animals. They keep busy. I personally don't believe crawling around pushing a tonka truck is going to damage clothing. These are 2-3 yr olds, their attention spans are still relatively short. They MAY push the trucks around while crawling about for a bit but then they are off to the next toy.

    Their snowsuits come the first day of the week and stay here until the last day of the week. I hang them to dry and run them through the wash as I see fit. They don't need them during the week at home as they only play outside with me.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Lee-Bee View Post
    I am curious where you live to be using a garden hose already!!

    We had a backyard full of snowhills, pathways through the snow, hide outs etc. It served them well through the winter and they had all their trucks out there to push along the snowy paths. The backyard is now half thawed and covered in a lot of water. We are giving it time to dry up so we don't tear the grass apart. Therefore we play on the front driveway. They have various riding cars, tonka trucks, chalk, mega blocks and various plastic animals. They keep busy. I personally don't believe crawling around pushing a tonka truck is going to damage clothing. These are 2-3 yr olds, their attention spans are still relatively short. They MAY push the trucks around while crawling about for a bit but then they are off to the next toy.

    Their snowsuits come the first day of the week and stay here until the last day of the week. I hang them to dry and run them through the wash as I see fit. They don't need them during the week at home as they only play outside with me.
    I'm in the East of ontario close to quebec. My garden hose is located in the very sunny side of my house and can be turned on and off from my daycares kitchen. When it is freezing and if I can not use the hose outside then. I just get soapy warm water in a bowl and rinse the muddy stuff before getting in the house I also use a long dollar store brush so the mud rinses off easily. My group of parents are very active they go for walks and other activities. MoSt of them are located a walking distance from my home. So, they need the snow suits.

    I have a group of boys and are very active, I see them using the Tonka trucks and they can be entertained by those for a long time. I take the trucks to the parks during summer and they love it. But I have not seen them pushing on their knees on concrete while wearing shorts (common sense).

    My back yard is very sunny aND now that the snow is melting it is really muddy. We are enjoying seen the snow melt and some plants showing. They're loving the activity of shoveling dirty water off or jumping on messy puddles. I places some colorful buckets so they can fill the slushy water in those.

    During a weekend one of the snow suits got damaged, they forgot to fold up the snow suit pants of a three years old (big size), the bottom of the pant legs were teared, to repair those with the same materials was about $40.
    Last edited by Peacefulbird; 03-22-2017 at 12:55 PM.

  10. #10
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    Children get dirty at my house, and that's all part of the fun! I always make sure their hands and faces have been wiped clean before going home, but clothing is another story. My parents don't really worry about that if it relates to outdoor play. Things happen, and clothing gets worn or dirty. I've had kids rip their knees on splash pants from crawling on the grass, so not much I can do to avoid that. I do put foam mats on a section of our concrete patio, but not the whole area. Maybe put some foam mats on a section of the driveway for future use. Not much you can do beyond that. Kids will be kids!

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