Are backyards a necessity when you have children?
My backyard was 1 000 acres when growing up, I think I was pretty spoilt on that front. So when I went and babysat last night in the middle of Perth at an apartment that was the 13th storey high, I wonder how these families survive having the kids in such restricted areas.
As a working mum I don’t always have time to take my children to the park as often as I probably should, or wish I could. I do however have a back yard that has enough room for the children to jump and throw a hoop. I will often send them outside to play whilst I cook dinner or attend to another child. I know they are in a safe environment, but with enough room to develop their physical co-ordination and release some energy. I also know I can see and hear them to know that everything is okay.
Apartments will often have a play area for children on the ground floor. In a society that is forever changing and becoming less safe in general, I am not sure I would be comfortable to send my children to a park where I cannot see or hear them. And if something were to happen to them such as an accident, it takes time for one to come up the lift to find me, then the time to go down again.
Is this the reason children are more addicted to their ipads and phones now, because the parents need to use these to entertain their children as they cannot send them outside? Is this the reason for increased obesity within modern society?
With so many working parents, how do these children get enough physical activity, and learn the mental ability to challenge themselves? Yes we can take them to organised sporting activities, but is that enough? And outside is such a release for my children, how do children relax and get that release without a back yard?
As a couple, a central city apartment that overlooks the river and views is perfect, and it is something many people dream of. When two become 3 or 4, at what point to do ditch the penthouse for the suburbs? Is it a step backwards, or forwards?
I love my house with the kids and backyard. They have their little garden, their trampoline and their totem tennis. I dream of living in a penthouse with minimal maintenance and gorgeous views, but I know that will only happen when I have no children to care for.
If you want someone to run around the oval with your children, call Cherished Cherubs Babysitting at 0417927525 or visit cherishedcherubs.com.au
