MikeUK

I used to use that quote, but have discovered even with the best clothes if the wind chill is high enough the little people do lose body heat quite fast

On his skiing lesson my oldest 5 still needs to come in doors and warm up 2 to 3 times an hour when the wind chill gets in the minus twenties, and I can’t ever be accused of skimping of outdoor gear

Even today we were stuck outside due to a mechanical failure on one of the security gates at work, I’ve got a big Canadian goose Parka, and whist I was snug and warm for the first 20minutes, after that my face started to freeze up, even something of that quality can’t keep the cold out forever…

MikeUK

Totally concur

I spent the whole Sunday of every weekend hiking from the age of about 5 upwards
granted the day Gore-Tex was invented and the sweaty cagoule was gone life improved dramatically, I was however about 20 when I did get my first Gore-Tex jacket

stepnek

Well, exactly! This is why I raised the point because my (now grown up) children played outside throughout the year back in England but whatever people say about warm clothing there's a hugh difference between the two countries. Rain and mud doesn't stop play, severe windchill and such will stop me venturing out here in Canada along with my children unless we have to.

Brownstar

Why let a bit of cold weather keep you indoors? We are always going for walks in the snow even when its really cold like it gets here in AB, I know ON gets more snow but its a damnsite colder here. The weekend just gone, although not exceptionally cold, we went for a walk by Glenmore Reserevoir and had a picnic in the park so my 2 year old cold play on the swings, slides, etc. Only when its really really cold do we not venure out with her, but instead we go swimming or to an indoor play area.

She loves being able to run about outside in the snow and when its nice and warm in the summer. I'd rather have the dry, cold/hot climate we have here than the damp grey drizzly one in the UK.

indigoagain

I do agree, in extreme weather it can be too cold for little ones for long periods of time. Taking indoor breaks or just doing a short activity are good decisions.

But our sons are 5 and 8 and they play outside EVERY DAY even if it's just for 10 minutes throwing a ball down the driveway.

I am having a debate with our school - the children haven't been outside for recess Mon or today - not even half the breaktimes? That would be only 10 minutes of the 20 minute breaks!? Why not? It's only -12c at the moment and the sun is shining so hot I've had to close the front room blinds.

I suspect the teachers don't want to get everyone dressed up to go out and then be out there themselves supervising... What a shame. Children need to get outside and be rejuvenated and let off steam during a whole day in school.

Sorry to go off-topic on my cold weather rant.

MikeUK

Actually I think your bang on topic,

We try to make sure ours get some outside time unless the weather is too extreme, what I think they miss out on is the ability to go out after breakfast and not return until lunch all year round
The wimps that think rain stops play obvious never played football or rugby, and certainly never made mud slides on the side of a hill
For what its worth, my boys love the rain, for the youngest (1½yr) is splashing in puddles, the older boy its get the tandem bike setup out and go hit the paths and streams
http://www.trail-a-bike.com/product/trail-a-bikes/original-folder-1/

dbd33

I don't think the weather in Ontario is very good for the keeping of children and that children can go out more in the UK, but that's only a small part of the story.

My children had a better life in Canada than they would have had in the UK because I made more money here and houses cost less. Their mother didn't have to work and spent more time with them than would have been the case in the UK. The funds were there to support their education both in the sense of paying tuition and, more broadly, in funding trips to Europe and to the US. They benefitted from living in one language and being educated in another. I can understand that, as adults, they don't want to live here, but I think that as children, they did have a better life than their cousins in the UK.

Elaine B.

After quite a few winters in Toronto I swore when I moved back I wasn't going to complain about the rain or the cold or let it stop me from enjoying the outdoors and luckily my little boy loves splashing in puddles too

iaink

Thats part of it too for sure.

Auld Yin

Because it appears that you've already made up your mind. You have been here five years and admit you just don't get it. Isn't that is really what opinions/actions are all about. Some people claim they wouldn't ever go back to the UK because their children are, ITO, much better off here. Okay, you don't get it and they probably don't get your stance on the matter. Neither is right or wrong. You/they just don't get it. It will probably never be, as it is for Iaink, clearcut for you.

dbd33

There's something else, they weren't constrained here by a belief in limiting social conventions. They weren't, and aren't, aware of the concept of class and never accepted gender based stereotypes. Thus it never crossed their minds that, for example, a restaurant might be too posh for them or an activity inappropriate to their station. That's quite different from the UK. I think that, and the other attitudes described here, is typical of their contemporaries.

This is a two edged sword, lack of class awareness limits one's appreciation of art and history; the films of Ken Loach are inaccessible to the youth of Canuckistan. As well this level of confidence may be mistaken for haughtiness (when speaking French) or brash Americaness (when speaking "English"). It's also tricky to attribute to Canada, a lack of grasp of social structure comes in part from attending schools where most pupils have parents of different ethnicities. There's no convention where everyone's conventions are different. That's not specific to Canada though, the same would apply in Brent or in Queens.

Something that is different from kids raised in Brent is that they don't recognise race as a differentiator. They're equally at home with people from anywhere. Again a two edged sword, they are (even) less commited to Canada than their parents. Patriotism isn't a relevant concept to them.

On balance I think that being in Canada has contributed to them being well educated and broadly experienced but deprived them of a sense of tradition and of belonging somewhere. Better or worse? I dunno.

Stophie

The point being in the UK I was not happy for my kids to go off and play on their own other than in our (or friends) back gardens, and who wants their lawn turned into a mudbath? Here I am more than happy for them to go off to public open spaces to play unsupervised without many of the concerns (whether real or not) that I had in the UK. THAT is the real difference here.

triumphguy

Believe me - teachers would rather the kids were outside during recess! So would admin and the caretaker! Teachers have no problem supervising recess outside - it's much easier than having all kids in thier classrooms during recess.

How do I know? Ex Elementary/junior high vice-principal!

stepnek

No. Maybe I wasn't clear although I did ask for further thoughts as I was interested in maybe other pluses for children living in Canada rather than me moaning about how I think they miss out because of the weather. As I said in my original post we have a nice house, are settled financially so moving back isn't the easiest decision. It's not been made yet but it would be if it was based solely on the weather.

I often read on these forums comments from people who are yet to arrive in Canada that one of the main reasons for moving here is for the better quality of life for their children and I'm curious as to what they mean exactly by that. It can't be solely because of the weather surely.

I'm clear in my mind that Canada isn't great for kids weather wise and you're right in that it's just my opinion but I think dbd33 makes a great argument in favour of why his children have had a better quality of life in Canada.

MikeUK

I afraid I disagree
There were and still are many places in the UK where kids can go off an play and be safer than here, simply because the UK has no dangerous predators roaming around and no rabies for the smaller animals..
Maybe the inner cities weren’t that safe, but neither are the inner cities here, the suburbs here carry all the same risks and issues that can be found in the suburbs in the UK
Moving from an inner city environment to the country side may give you a false perception on the reduction of overall crime, but you could get that by doing the same in the UK
The only difference I see is that it may be more affordable to move from a high priced UK inner city to a cheaper Canadian rural village and you’ll put up with the extremes of weather to get that