Discussions

I am not concerned about safety while walking my concerns are with the temperature.

I'm sure the school will cancel it due to the temperature that it's calling for tomorrow morning....-42 I think. They don't have patrols out or recess when it's this cold, I can't imagine them going for a walk.

Yes. They can dress for it.

Is that students have indoor recess at -27 with wind chill. That's a fifteen minute recess. Pretty sure they won't be going.

My son is also going.  
 
It's Manitoba. It's winter. I have purchased him appropriate outdoor wear. I don't recall ever staying indoors when it was cold outside, I just remember taking a few extra minutes to layer up.

Dress your kid for the weather, seems like a no brainer. Having said that, with the temps they are calling for tomorrow they may cancel it all together.  
To be completely honest, why are you asking for others opinions?

I am asking for others opinions because I am on the fence on if I will let her go and wanted to see what other parents thought. Dressing properly is a no brainer but I know even with proper clothes -43 is still cold.

Yes, I will admit its COLD. Overall speaking, we had a tame Winter last year. Having said that from a person who was raised in the North and had to walk 15 minutes to school, I would send the kid if they are dressed for the weather and can walk fast!

Just wondering then, I have my kids helping out with farm chores in this weather, of course they're dressed for it but chores need to be done each and every day despite the weather. Am I a bad parent for having my kids help out in these temperatures?  
Just needing opinions.

Personally I wouldn't send my child. But that's just me. The wind is supposed to be bad as well as the cold temps. But I was under the understanding that BSD cannot take take the kids out in temps colder than -27. Odds are that it will be canceled or rescheduled. I know any activities my kids had in school in those temps were cancelled.  
It's totally up to you as a parent, in what your confident with.

Bunny997 - of course I would bundle my kid up and send him!  
Oryx - of course you are not a bad parent for bundling your kid up to help with chores!

I don't think think this is a no brainer at all. As soon as I got the note I called three of my friends to ask the same question. All three of them did not think it was appropriate for the school to have them walk in this temperature. All three of them also said if they don't send them outside for recess how can they make them walk.

it's too cold to walk, they will either cancel or from my experience bus them last minute. I would /have sent my child when walking field trips were supposed to happen on rotten days & just dressed them for it, but they always either cancel or bus them if it's nasty.

I don't know why the schools can't plan to have them bussed when doing winter field trips. I know it's an extra cost, but really, come on.  
My oldest has done a field trip where they walked about a 15 minute distance, but it was in the fall.  
The school should always have a back up plan, either cancel, or have a bus plan ready. Even in the fall or spring, there could be heavy rain, which would not be suitable to send kids out to walk in for 15 minutes.

If you, as a parent, are willing to walk 15 minutes each way when it's this cold then send your child.  
Maybe calling the school to find our if they will walk regardless of weather is a good idea.

Just interested to see what the outcome of this was.

Thanks for asking, they did go but had parent volunteers drive the kids as it was too cold to walk.

Is it just me or do others think that these kids now a days are pampered far too much.  
Our kids would bundle up and play outside, even in -30 weather, keep moving with layered clothing and you stay warm.  
The kids in town couldn't wait for hockey game cancellations and head to the rink for 3-4 hour scrimmages with all ages involved.  
I used to walk to the country school, 2 miles, others walked over a mile.  
Now it seems the kids have to look "cool" and wear next to nothing.  
Running shoes, short jackets, no parka, and hands in pockets of jeans.  
Am i wrong for thinking that a lot of parents are not parenting, but just letting the child do what ever

my thoughts exactly. I don't even know why a parent would have to ask the opinions of other parents in regard to an issue such as this. Either your kid can do it or they can't. Quit babying your kid. You know them best.  
I am glad to know that my kids can withstand these temperatures because they are dressed appropriately and they know that things have to get done regardless of the weather.

What's wrong with asking opinions? This is more of a matter of safety, not whether you are coddling your children too much. My kids are all dressed properly for the weather, and they love being outside, but the reality is that these temperatures can get dangerous quickly. Kids aren't always responsible enough when young to make sure they get all bundled and covered up properly on their own.  
Don't forget either that some people cannot afford winter wear that can be of proper protection in extreme temperatures. If you can only afford a snow suit from Walmart, I'm sorry, but those things would not keep a child warm enough for a long period of time at -40. My kids have had these types of snow suits, and I wouldn't buy them again, but some people have no choice.  
Schools have minimum temperature regulations in place for safety, not just for fun.

You're totally right!

We are becoming a community of wimps. Yes it is cold. Use your head and dress. Yesterday I repaired a snow blower out doors. I took my gloves off a couple of times. Actually was pleasantly surprised how comfortable I was doing so. It is cold but I wore a heavy vest under insulated coveralls. I had felt pack boots and a fur hat. Unfortunately society dresses for style. I taught school for years. Many students and parents complained of the cold but arrived without head coverings. Jeans and tennis shoes not designed for walking outside in winter. I used to say buses have fire drills. They should have cold weather breakdown drills. Stop bus and have students walk a couple of blocks Even in -10 weather many are inadequately dressed. That said. I am eagerly waiting for spring.

I totally agree. Kids these days are way to pampered. There's no reason a 15 minute walk should cause so much worry if the child is dressed appropriately, boots, skipants, jacket, mitts scarves, etc. If you pamper them now how are they gonna learn to deal with it when they're old enough to have jobs that may require to be outside? It's almost sickening the way kids are pampered these days.

yep.I also expect those kids would dress for the weather. Cripes@  11 I delivered the newspaper after school in colder. Layers layers. good boots and toques. Never ever too cold If dressed for it.

There will always be extreme opposites at either end of the spectrum of opinions. I for one, believes that ten or twenty minutes for a well dressed kid while moving about, builds character and does not harm. Letting my kids (youngest in grade three and oldest in High school) walk a block or two to school is good for them, while other parents will warm up their cars drive the same distance as ours have to do and stop on the crosswalk to drop-off/pick-up their 'little un-bundled of joy'. It irritates me, but it also does cracks me up. Minus forty these last few days and for some, neither parent or kid got a brain between them. It only proves my theory that stupidity must be genetic. Yesterday, I saw teens in their shorts and a sweat shirt getting picked up, shorts! What a proud moment it must be for a parent when picking up your athletic offspring after practice wearing the same outfit they wore in September. Yeah, they were hot in the gym, but it must feel really good to hop into the vehicle with all those windows still frosted on the inside. *sarcasm* Or another proud moment when they drop off the little angel dressed in jacket that ends halfway down their waist, no mitts or hat but in fuzzy slippers and leggings. So, I guess we can all get to see the little @$$ that's about to freeze off. LOL I know as a parent we have to pick our battles with out older kids, but seriously... This would shame me if I were seen with or known that was my kid getting in or out of the car dressed like that. ...As for the parents of the younger kids... I suppose the 'bubble wrap' does keep them warm and that makes you some kind of "super parent" (super paranoid, that is), but get over yourself. Want to be a better parent? It starts with not making lame excuses and by teaching the kid the basic skills and setting the example of dressing warm, thinking to adapt and anticipate their surroundings. Not letting them rely on Mom & Dad to provide all the solutions or worse... just having one solution. It's astonishing how these younger generations come out totally unprepared during the Canadian winter. It reminds me of the story of the young mother who wrecked her car and froze her feet while trying to keep her kid warm through the night. She was deemed a hero, but I found her incredibly stupid. Sweats, a pull-over, flip-flops, cell phone and a warm car for a twenty minute drive between towns on a winters night. Everything's good because she has her phone, right? ...Well, it wasn't. Both her and the kid was thrown from the vehicle (never understood how, if they should've been secured with belts), phone gone, cold and injured. The accident itself may have been unavoidable, but the outcome should have been ...if she were more prepared. We assure ourselves with false security like warm cars, phones and door to door trips ...but it's sooo wrong to be thinking that way. And to top it off! Some of us are conditioning their kids to think the same way by either depending on the fact that nothing can go wrong or the exact opposite. By totally wimping out and not adapting to changes. My wife had to work minus a few people these past days because co-workers felt it too cold and "drifty" to drive in from the Shilo area. Really? They chose to live there. They should have a plan for days like these. Get up earlier, pack a shovel & essentials, dress accordingly, suck it up and get your @$$ to work. And that's the same for kids going to school. Prepare them, don't pamper them. Walk with them if you're concerned. I did that. Especially if there were no crossing guards. This is such easy stuff, why must it be made so complicated when the weather gets harsh. Oh, that's right! We aren't prepared for it. So who's fault is that?  
 
Just my opinion, I could be wrong. ...but warm.

I remember my grandma and my parents giving me crap for only wearing runners in the winter, and not having a hat, but I shrugged it off and ignored them, then froze my toes after we hit the ditch. Now I find myself having the same conversations with my kids who roll their eyes and ignore me for the most part.  
 
Then my son's buddy hit the ditch a few days ago and they came to get me to help pull them out. Before we went I was layering up while they stood there watching me impatiently. I offered them better boots, mitts, toques, etc but they didn't see the need. OK I said. 15 minutes out there trying to get the tow rope on and they were absolutely frozen stiff. Lesson learned, sort of.

in Douglas, whenever the windchill got to that magical value the busses didn't run. But the school was open. And being a town kid, I had to bundle up and still walk to school. Even when it was -40 or worse. The same with blizzard conditions. I very, very rarely had a ride to school. And depending on where the our babysitter was located in town, it was a long walk. And that i:ncluded crossing railway tracks.

Allie I certainly get what you are saying. As a grandparent I look back and feel society collectively are often training our youth to be victims. In situations like walking in the cold demonstrate that a thinking person can easily cope. Yes exposed skin will freeze almost instantly. Dress appropriately and you will be fine. Like another poster said, walk with them. I grew up on a farm where animals had to be cared for in all weather. Society needs to quit thinking for everyone all the time. I am serious when I say school buses should have cold weather drills same as fire drills. New vehicles can have fuel lines freeze. It doesn't have to be an accident. A short walk on a cold day could be a real life saving learning experience.