I didn’t realize the evidence is strong that daylight keeps kids from becoming near-sighted. Making young kids study all the time is killing their eyesight!
This sunlight thing makes a lot of sense though. I kept hearing proposals during the pandemic about holding classes outside if the weather allowed for it. Might not be such a terrible idea in climates where it’s suitable.
See the dart game scene from Ted Lasso:
They confirmed it wasn't that I was reading only with my right eye, and it's obviously not like my eyes got different amounts of sunlight, given that they go everywhere together, so I've always been suspicious that that was a lazy answer.
I got glasses before kindergarten, and I needed them for longer than that.
Later on, I did end up spending a lot of time in childhood reading, but I was myopic before I could read.
‘Explanations’ like ‘you read too much’ have always struck me as obvious nonsense in my case.
The basic Kindle model is grey and can be comfortably read in sunlight, and yet somehow people are convinced that the "PaperWhite" model is better...
Maybe it is that if pupils are outside they focus far away when looking up, rather than sun light?
But apparently there is an issue where mothers with low vitamin D in Scandinavia (especially immigrants from sunnier places) are more likely to have autistic children.
I'd love to know if some sort of focus training exercises for eyes starting as children would help everyone.
I very much doubt kids 'studying too much' is the problem - staring at iphones all day watching tiktok and playing video games is more like it.
The reality is near-sightedness is a massive problem in countries with insane childhood studying hours, eg all across east Asia.
Civilizational myopia is not a new phenomenon. It is much older than iphones or video games.
Also, getting used to all sorts of weather improves the immune system. By spending too much time indoors we are becoming glasshouse flowers.
Guess it’s a bit hard to combine with a baby <6 months, but eventually they should both fit.
so it’s no problem to even have both of us pick the kids up, walk home to eat lunch, walk kids back to daycare, and go back to work.
I can pick them up any time I want, but after that they have to stay home :P
Under the age of about 1 to 1.5 then you get to call the shots of what happens when. Walk as mu h as you like.
After that age, the kids start to get their own opinions and won't always just do what you want them to do. You may want to go for a long walk, but the kid wants to do something else. They'll spend 95% of the time trying to escape the buggy/stroller or trying to run off or just sit on the floor if they're walking.
At that age we've found that it is best to not have any plans for things you need to do - e.g. don't plan to "walk to the store", because it might take you 25 minutes to go about 200 meters because you need to stop to look at a traffic light or a store front or a car that is red or whatever - i.e. you'll never get to the store without a fight. That said, they usually love the playground though so swings and slides and stuff can replace being a docile lump that you cart around.
However beyond that IMHO frankly it's critical safety imperative that children do what their parents tell them when it matters. If you're in the street near traffic a child disregarding parental instructions is a life and death issue. There are other safety critical situations too. This is why I feel it's vital that children and parents have a relationship of trust and respect, in both directions, that allows for that. It's not easy, I know.
You need to let kids be kids (while being safe which I obviously agree with)
What you do is normal at that age. If you walk to store frequently it is normal routine and lead to fights only occasionally. And while kid stops to look at boring things, it is not like they would stop for hours, most of time you nudge them after few seconds and they go.
It is slower then adult speed, but not that impossibly slow.
Every child is unique. Some are more stubborn than others. This is a challenge with any parenting advice because there is so much variance. My experience is my kids do fight or linger every time despite the routine and nudges.
Plus, there are millions of single parents around the world who don't have cars and walk+public transport their kids to daycare daily.
Unfortunately I didn't do nearly as much of this kind of walk with his little brother, because it's not safe if your attention is divided between multiple kids.
https://bancosparenting.wordpress.com/2018/05/24/freedom-wit...
You can absolutely get a kid excited about a long walk. It sounds like in your case your kid was enjoying it more than you were ;)
Efficiency vs anti-fragility. Pick one, but not both.
I thought it would have been to do with the consumption of starches and carbs https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2003/sep/21/shoppin...
If you wear UV protective glasses most of the time you can almost elimate cataracts.
The UV index here in southern Australia tends to be high to extreme most days during the warmer months, so I tend to wear UV protective sun glasses anytime I'm outside.
That said, there is emerging research that the lack of NIR light is very detrimental to all kinds of health conditions[0].
Over the past two years, I've moved to ensuring that I get plenty of indirect sunlight. As NIR can go through most clothing and foliage produced shade, it's quite pleasant and relaxing to spend time in it.
I also have large concerns with the move to thermal insulation efficiency that we now have. Indoor Air and quite easily become stagnant due to lack of outdoor exchange and the the low-emissivity glass used in high end windows block most NIR. Couple that with a lack of NIR emitters (incandescent is gone, camp fires are gone), and I think we are in for a world of hurt, even more so than today.
Indoor Air quality can be mostly solved with use of ERVs to cycle the air with minimal energy loss.
I'm not sure how you solve for low-emissivity glass other than not using it and designing your structure to limit direct sunlight exposure for the window itself and use shade/curtains/blinds for thermal control when needed.