Inside or Out?

Wii Fit IS a means of exercise. How and why exactly wouldn't it be? Increased heart rate, energy expediature and muscle training and usage. That's exercise. What does it matter that it's done inside? You may value the outdoors greatly, but others don't. What is so wrong with wanting to be and play inside? It has nothing to do with parenting and "molly coddleing". Some of us just happen to value technology and computers, and have no need to be outside. As long as the kid is still developing socially and mentally, what does it matter?

Yes I believe with my whole heart that we molly coddle our children but I suppose it is better for them to be "plugged in" at home than running the streets. But having said that, even when the children are "plugged in" at home I do not think the parents keep a very good eye on them either sometimes because it is just as dangerous for them to be on a network site with all of the predators out there so who is to say which one is best?

I think so much has changed since I was a child, I would want to be out from the moment I got up and not be back in the house until I had to be! But then again computers and the like were not that big then so there was nothing to do if I stayed in. When my eldest son was a child I was not overly protective of him and he was allowed to play out, but he never wanted too he much preferred staying at home with me, again there were no consoles or computers and I used to think there was something wrong with him in that he never wanted to go anywhere but I guess that it is just the way he was. He is 17 now and in the RAF but still when he comes home he stays home! My other children are 8,7 and 3 the older two are coming up to the age where I would allow them to have a little more freedom but again they do not seem to want too, in fact it is hard to get them out of the house at all, but they do have consoles and do prefer to play on them to going out. I do not think I molly coddle them, yes I am scared of whats going on in the crazy world I live in but I still acknowledge that my children need room to breathe and grow and explore they just do not choose too.

I molly coddle mine to a point. But there are certain things they have to do, no argument. I'm seriously thinking about limiting their computer time some. They are all hooked on this thing called Wizard 101 (think Dungeons and Dragons with graphics) and they would rather do that than go swimming even...

When we were kids, we would get on our bikes and ride from one end of town to the other, or walk the entire town, not thinking twice about where we were or where we were going. And, I seriously doubt that our parents were that worried about it when we were gone from our own yards for most of the day. When my kids were younger, they were allowed in the backyard, or at a neighbor's house, and some times, they were allowed to go to the park alone...it's just at the end of our road, and I could see them from the front yard. Today, things are a little scarier, I think. If my kids were small now, I would have them within my site at all times. I think a big part of the problem is that most households have both parents working, and there is no adult supervision, so the tv and the games are the safest thing for them. Now don't get me wrong, it's not good for kids to be cooped up inside all the time. They need sunshine, and room to run, and jump. They need the outdoors to just let loose and yell at the top of their lungs. I honestly don't know how kids develop the social skills they need to function in the outside world, these days with all the electronic devices that are available to them.

It is better to play indoors for children and elders, too, to avoid mishap. Sometimes accident happens most of the time outdoors. So I was very watchful when the kids are playing outdoors because I am terrified of the influences the kids will get in the environment where they play. Cheers!

It's both for me. I want my kids to have freedom to enjoy their childhood. I let them play outside and inside. I just don't let them stay outside when it's almost dark. I want them all inside at that time. I let my kids play games on the computer and on cellphones and I let them watch tv whenever they want unless of course if something good is on or if me and my husband is using the computer. My kids have 2 bikes to share with each other. And they play with the neighbor kids most of the time. Yes time is very dangerous nowadays a lot of crimes are spreading and of course it worries me but our kids don't go out of our street they just stay inside our street wherein almost all the neighbors know each other and even if they don't know our kids personally, I know they know them by face. And I could say my kids are totally safe in our street. We just need to make sure they know their limits when they are outside. Parents supervision as well.

well since our canadian winters are so long, if the weather is nice, i try and get my kids outside to have some fun, but i think wii is a good way to at least move your body a little. at our daughters school, they have physical activity every day (even on the days she doesnt have gym), so that gets them moving too.

I have to admit that my family really enjoys being connected and plugged in. My youngest child would rather be inside playing on the pc or playstation than being outside. But once he gets outside he is usually good and enjoys himself. But all that video screens and stuff hooks him in. My older son would rather be outside but finds it hard because noone else is out there. My daughter is nearly 14 and is usually in her room with the phone, mobile texting, and msn which is sad cause it has to be me to suggest that they actually get together rather than them all just sitting there like logs. Then when they do go out they have a load of fun. When we have gone camping and got away from it all the last thing we missed were the electronics surprisingly enough but once we get home that is the first thing we want to use.

My boys are 7 and 8. I have lived where I do now for the past 5 years. I know just about everyone on this street. The speed limit down my street is 25 MPH and there is a basket ball court about 40 Yards from my front porch. For the first time last week I allowed my boys to go to the basketball court without me or an adult with them. Yeah I'm overprotective. But I'm the first person to turn off all things electric and force my children outside to play WITH ME! lol And Dance Dance Revolution can be classified as exercise. I burn a minimum of 500 calories and sweat my rear end off every time I play. Don't know about the Wii Fit but DDR is brutal.

We are over protective but that's because there are so many child molesters around. We could negate that danger in a big way if we would be involved with our children and be with them, not on our cell phones, play with them and keep a watch over them. Luckily, my boys were raised in the desert and played outside a lot but I had to worry about snakes and other nasties so I was there with them. Maybe we should have some sort of software that senses age and won't work for anyone under 16. Then at least we might have fit children, if not adults.

I believe it is a combination of too many things, there more two income families than ever before, there are too many kid abductions, and too much media coverage. So between that and parents not wanting to take their kids to friends you got kids who spend too much time at home.

I think the biggest problem with kids staying inside and playing with video games or other technological toys besides them not getting out, getting sunshine and fresh air, is the lack of stimulation to the imagination. I consider myself to have a very vivid imagination, and i love being this way. When i was a child we played out doors all the time. and while doing so we also were very imaginative in coming up with games to play. We would build forts and play pirates or soildiers, granted, the girls and boys we played ith while growing up still fell into more old fashioned based gender roles, and the girls stayed home at the fort, kept "house" and made food out of mud and sticks and plants and leaves fromthe yard for the boys when they would come back from batteling off the bad guys, but it was still great fun. We also like to play school a lot, taking turns being the teacher and assigning lessons and detentions...we built elaborate little towns and building in the sandbox or just in the dirt for small dolls, making bed out of sticks and leaves and tables out of rocks and sand. We had to use our minds and create fun things to do. Now a days it seems like kids just get themselves lost in "someone elses" dream world, found inside a video game or a cartoon, instead of going out in the world and creting their own...

I agree, we really do need to go outside more and get some fresh air and sunshine. It's healthy. And about the Wii thing... You don't need a video game to motivate you to exercise; it's possible to work out indoors, isn't it?

Everything is good in moderation. I have always been more of an in-door person, but that's because I am not as physically able to participate in a lot of outdoor activities as most people are, therefore I do more of what I am better able to do.

Hi p1key, I agree with you about the Wii Fit thingy, I don't mind if its for older people who can't go out to exercise, but its the youngsters that I don't think the should be using them, yes they should be out and about like I was when i was young, I was never in, just came in for lunh or and dinner, then bed, but youngsters today spend too much time indoors, I know there are dangers out there but they take it to extremes these days and molly cuddley them too much. That makes kids very unhealthy todday. Hugs. Tamara xxxx

When we were kids, our folks could send us outside to play, and other than cuts and bruises, really didn't have to worry much about us. Nowadays with so much stuff happening, we feel our kids are safer if they are inside with their Wii's or xbox's. Something's going to have to change though, as today I was reading that 70% of the kids in America are deficient in vitamin D...which mostly comes from sunlight. Doctors are seeing more cases of rickets because of that lack.

Hi plkeflsh, it's the long long 13 weeks school hols here but the extreme tempratures put the children off from playing outside during the day and it's not really sensible for them to be out in the hot sun. But after days inside amused by electronic things (and books) the children then head outside later in the day to play with their friends or swim in the sea. In the village we don't need to worry about children playing outside with their freinds as everyone knows them and looks out for them and there isn't any crime, the main fear is that of traffic. I tell my son to check back regularly and to let me know where he is but worry a bit, and much prefer it when he's out playing at one of his friends houses. I've absolutely no idea what the Wiifit game is!!

I love to play outside, but ummm even inside, like badminton, table tennis (Ping pong) I love sports in general so I dont mind inside or out, as long as I am playing. Dont like those computer games much, maybe cuz I dont own any console ..lol I love trekking, swimming too, so thats another thing why I go outside :)

I've always been an "inside" kid. I've always found myself more comfortable playing inside than out, since that's where all the games I like playing can be played. It's also more comfortable indoors. Besides, the kid was asked how he liked to relax. Since being outdoors is "hard work playing" then indoors is more relaxing than playing outside.