Have you felt the nip in the air yet?
I certainly have, especially in the mornings before the sun has put in an appearance. I’m not really a winter person, and I noticed that my sixteen-year-old was less than enthusiastic about it last winter too.
The lack of sunshine can affect how we feel, and I’m determined that this winter we’re going to be more proactive about getting outside rather than succumbing to what is often referred to as SAD (seasonal affective disorder).
My daughter does play hockey for a local team, but I think we need to make a more conscious decision to chase the daylight and get outdoors for longer, more often. And in this post I am sharing how we are going to do this and how having the right clothes and footwear helps, a good place to start is by making sure that you know when the best Black Friday Deals take place!
Not because I think we need to spend every weekend hiking through muddy fields, nor do I believe children should be outside for a prescribed number of hours every day.
I simply want us to feel better this winter, and fresh air, movement and a change of scenery can make such a difference to how we all feel.
And that applies just as much to teenagers as it does to younger children.
It doesn’t have to be a big outdoor adventure
I think we sometimes make getting outdoors far more complicated than it needs to be.
It doesn’t have to mean a three-hour family hike, a packed picnic or a carefully planned day out orchestrated the day before.
Sometimes it’s a 20-minute walk around the block with the dog or walking to the shops instead of driving.
Or simply getting outside for ten minutes when everyone has spent far too long indoors.
It all counts.
Teenagers need it too
When my children were younger, getting them outside was relatively easy. Put on some wellies and they were generally happy to go and investigate puddles, climb things and get muddy.
Teenagers are a different story.
Friends. Homework. Part-time jobs. Gaming. Social media. Sleeping until lunchtime.
They all compete for their attention and their time.
And, of course, there’s the classic response:
“Why would I want to go for a walk?”
I’ve learned that sometimes the trick is not to make it sound like an activity.
“Fancy coming with me?” can work much better than “We’re going for a family walk.”
Giving teenagers a reason to go can help too.
Go and get a coffee.
Walk the dog together.
Pop to the shops.
Take the scenic route home.
Go somewhere with a great view.
I’ve written many times that these impromptu outings are where some of the best conversations can unfold, and that can be particularly useful with teenagers.
In my book Parenting Teens Successfully, I talk about the value of those side-by-side conversations. Sometimes talking while you’re walking, driving or doing something together can make difficult or uncomfortable conversations feel much easier.
Winter doesn’t have to mean staying inside
There’s a tendency to think of winter as a season for hibernating.
And I completely understand it.
There are evenings when the last thing I want to do is put on six layers and head out into the cold.
But there’s something about coming back inside after being outdoors in winter that feels particularly good.
Cold cheeks. Wet shoes. A warm drink.
And suddenly the house feels cosy rather than claustrophobic.
Getting outside can also be a useful reset after a difficult day.
It doesn’t magically solve every problem, of course.
But sometimes a walk is enough to change the atmosphere.
Let them get muddy
One of the easiest ways to make being outside miserable for children is to constantly worry about them getting dirty.
Winter is muddy. They will probably come home with mud on their trousers. Someone will step in a puddle.
And that’s okay.
This is also why dressing for the weather matters. A decent pair of walking or kids’ hiking boots can make getting outside much easier when the weather isn’t exactly cooperating.
I think there’s something quite freeing about allowing children to actually experience the outdoors rather than trying to keep them pristine while they’re in it.
Let them get muddy. Let them splash in puddles. Let them explore.
The washing machine will cope.
Let older children and teens have more freedom
As children get older, getting outdoors doesn’t always have to mean going with them.
One of the things we need to do as parents is gradually give teenagers more independence.
That might mean allowing them to walk to the local shop alone, meet a friend for a walk, take the dog out or walk home rather than being collected.
Obviously, what feels appropriate will depend on the child, where you live and your family’s circumstances.
But outdoor time can also be an opportunity for teenagers to practise independence and self-leadership.
They learn to plan where they’re going, judge the weather, dress appropriately, manage their time and make decisions for themselves.
And I think this is particularly important because, as parents, we can sometimes unintentionally create a world where our children are always supervised, driven somewhere or entertained.
Then we wonder why they don’t seem confident doing things independently.
Giving teenagers opportunities to get outside without us can be a small but valuable step towards greater independence.
Don’t underestimate the social side
For older children and teenagers, getting outdoors is often much more appealing when friends are involved.
A walk with a friend can feel very different from a walk with Mum — and I say that as someone who has occasionally discovered that my presence is apparently deeply embarrassing.
Encourage them to meet friends outdoors rather than always meeting indoors.
Go for a walk together. Take the dog. Walk to the shops. Meet at the park.
Sometimes the best thing we can do is simply make outdoor time accessible and then let them take ownership of it.
We don’t need to fill every minute
I think this is particularly important.
We don’t need to turn every trip outdoors into an educational opportunity.
They don’t need a scavenger hunt.
They don’t need an organised activity.
They can just be outside.
They can talk, walk, mess around, kick a ball, listen to music, meet friends or simply notice what’s around them.
There doesn’t always need to be a purpose.
Perhaps we have become so used to filling our children’s time that we’ve forgotten the value of simply letting them be.
So, this winter, keep it simple
If you’re struggling to get your children away from their screens or out of the house, don’t set yourself the challenge of becoming a family who goes on epic winter adventures every weekend.
Start small.
Ten minutes outside.
A walk after dinner.
Walking to the shops.
Taking the dog out.
A walk with a friend.
Sitting outside with a hot chocolate.
Because getting children outdoors isn’t about creating perfect family memories every time.
Sometimes it’s simply about getting some fresh air, moving our bodies, changing our surroundings and giving everyone a bit of breathing space.
And going back to my starting point, I’ll be chasing the sunshine and daylight whenever I can, particularly at the weekends.
Because winter doesn’t have to mean retreating indoors and waiting for spring.
Sometimes we just need to put on a coat, step outside and make the most of the light while we’ve got it.
