Mom who can't tolerate the heat and kids who want to go outside.....?

Question

This week has been sunny and HOT so far, my kids want to go outside to play but I literally cannot tolerate the heat. It makes me nauseous and gives me a killer headache. I have been planning things to do IN the house for everyone, and they can visit the park in our gated apt. complex on their own, it is only across the parking lot from our apt. and I can see them from the front window. I feel terrible, but this heat literally makes me sick, I can't go outside for any length of time in it.

Anyone else have such an intolerance for heat? How do you deal with it when you're a momma?

Answer 1

Oh, I'm with you on this one!  I'm in Boston, and we've had some scorchers in recent weeks.  I bought a spray bottle and filled it with ice water, which helped keep me from passing out while chasing my three - year - old around the park.  Also, as others have said, try playing early in the morning and later in the evening.

Answer 2

We live in Ontario, and it's been hot like that here too.  We go to the air conditioned Early Years Centers, or to pools, or to parks with splash pads.  Wear lots of sunscreen, bring water bottles, a hat and sunglasses can help.  We also will walk around the mall near us or go to the library.

Early in the morning, at about 7 am is a nice time to walk too.

Answer 3

My daughter has a humidity intolerence.  It has to do w/ her diabetes.  There are days when we butt heads because she and her brother want to go outside but it's not good for her health because it's just too muggy out.  Days like that we go to the town pool, or lake.  Is that an option for you?  Or I distract her by saying "let's make (arts/craft project)".

Answer 4

Very low heat tolerance... I get so dizzy, I nearly faint; the temps are very hot, here in OK!

My 10-year-old and 9-year-old, play in our privacy-fenced backyard, and I can see them through the back sliding-glass door... My 16-month-old loves to be out, too, so, when I make the trip, I turn on the sprinkler, and take frequent dips in it, and it helps to cool me off... I usually don't stay out longer than 20 minutes, especially since I'm now 7 months pregnant, and the heat seems even worse! I splash my face and neck with cool water, when I come inside, and drink lots of water.

Answer 5

I'm with you on this one.  The sun gives me migraines, I'm pale and a redhead.  We have a huge fenced in back yard but not one tree!  So no shade.  The only shade we have is the covered porch that runs the length of our house.  Luckily I can sit on the porch swing and Bradley is brave enough to venture out into the yard by himself.  My elderly neighbor came out yesterday and commented on how amazed he was that Bradley will go out to the far reaches of the yard by himself and play without worrying about where mommy and daddy are.  But, I still worry about sun exposure so I lather him up every two hours with SPF 60 and we usually on go out from 8-10am, for 30 minutes after we get home in the afternoon from daycare at 3pm and then after daddy gets home from work from 5-6:30pm.

Answer 6

I'm a big weather wimp.

We actually re-did our kitchen to add big windows so I can watch the kids in the yard from the kitchen table.  They have more tolerance for both heat and cold than I do, so I do sometimes watch the older three from indoors.

That doesn't help with the 2-year-old, who obviously needs me out with him.  I stay in the shade, wear a hat and sunglasses, and wouldn't hesitate to take a couple motrin before going out! We go out for lots of short bursts rather than one marathon session, and I try to engage them as much as possible in indoor active play.  We have a gymnastics mat and toddler's slide in our basement, do a lot of dance parties, juggle, etc.  It doesn't take the place of being outside but makes me not feel so bad about it if they're out for shorter times in extreme weather.  If it's bad enough to make me feel ill, it's probably not a great thing for them to be out indefinitely, either.  We also make an effort to go out as early as seems fair to the neighbors (the stroke of 8 am) and also in the evenings, when it's cooler.

Answer 7

I'm 12 weeks pregnant and my 22 month old LOVES playing outside. However, these Mississippi summers can get the best of you! Since I work all week and she has to go to daycare.. on Saturdays and Sundays EARLY in the morning I take her outside to play. Usually it's around 7:30 after she's gotten up and had breakfast. By 8:30 it's really starting to warm up outside, but she's already been out there for about an hour so she's ready to come in. During the week, my husband and I either both go outside with her for half an hour or so.. or he'll take her out while I'm fixing dinner. It's just too hot in the middle of the day!!