Parks on a weekday?

[pageta]

Do you go to parks alone with your children, like for a nature walk, during the day on a weekday? I'm not talking about city parks where you can see cars driving by. I'm talking about going hiking in a state recreational area or something.

 

We always went to parks on the weekend as a family as I was growing up, but never on a weekday, but we were busy with school and work so that was why. Now I'd like to take my kids hiking on a nice day if I could, but I'm hesitant. I haven't heard of anything bad happening to anyone at a park during the daytime around here. I just am wary of being that alone.

 

Am I just a big chicken after growing up in the city? Do I really need to go on a weekend or have my husband with me in order to go hiking and not be afraid? I could take pepper spray, but I'm worried I might get it on my kids instead of the "bad guy" (whoever he is, if he even exists). Do I just need to get over it?

[rwjx2khsmj]

We've gone on walks and hung out at state parks and the local forestry during the week. I always let dh know where and when we are going. Once there, I usually find a park employee, at the ranger station or elsewhere, and chat with them for a bit before we go for a hike. We also don't do anything too advenurous and we stick to the trail.

 

I don't think there's any problem with being cautious. I'm usually more concerned about the "bad guys" of nature than the "bad guys" from the city when I'm on a hike with the dc. I can't tell you how many times I repeat, "Slow down and watch where you step."

[elegantlion]

We have a state park not far from our house. We go on the trails during the week sometime. I carry my phone and yes I spend more time telling him to watch for snakes. There are alligators too, but the only ones we've seen were confined to the lagoon. :001_huh:

 

I find going during the week more relaxing. One of the trails is just across the river from a neighborhood and on the weekend you hear more lawnmowers than any sounds of nature.

 

ETA: I do call dh before we go and let him know which portion of the park we will be in.

Edited October 23, 2009 by elegantlion

[Daisy]

I won't go to the county park or remote recreational areas unless I'm with at least one other homeschool Mom. I prefer a group of us.

 

There are some parks in this city I won't go to without my husband, but most are okay. And usually there are preschool moms out with their small children.

 

The biggie for my children (disappointment-wise) is that hubby asks us not to go on the bike path without him. I can understand. It winds for miles along the river and we have a HUGE homeless and meth. population that live down there. It just isn't wise to be on it without another adult.

[Tutor]

I follow the same rules as I would if I were going with my dh or a large group of people. I leave a map of where we are hiking (if it is a large hiking area, otherwise I just leave the name of the place) highlighting the area we are hiking, brief descriptions of what we are wearing, my cell number, and times we are leaving and expecting to come back... one in my car at the park and one on the kitchen table at home. My ds8 also read somewhere (cub scout manual?) to make hiking boot impressions to leave at home, but so far we've only done that for overnight hikes. I carry a cell phone, and each of my kids has a hiking whistle (and knows how to use it), knows basic hiking safety, and carries some food and water with them.

 

If we were just going for a stroll in a more urban park setting, I would just tell someone where I was going and when I was planning to be home.

[BridgeTea]

MrTea comes with us to hike in the state park during the week. We do this for safety AND because it mildly resembles a date.

[SheWillFly]

I do often. We are more likely to be at a park during the week than on the weekend. I prefer to not be disturbed while hiking. I have no fear about being alone in the woods. I do tell my husband where we are going to be, what we plan on doing there and the general time we are going to be home.

[Mommyof4ks]

We don't go hiking where we will be the only people there, but we do go to less traveled parks during weekdays for nature walks and such. I am not so much concerned about 2 legged critters as the 4 legged ones. We have mountain lions here. If we go geocaching during the week, then sometimes we end up alone, but it is not for long and DH knows where we will be. I tend to get lost lol.

[lionfamily1999]

I follow the same rules as I would if I were going with my dh or a large group of people. I leave a map of where we are hiking (if it is a large hiking area, otherwise I just leave the name of the place) highlighting the area we are hiking, brief descriptions of what we are wearing, my cell number, and times we are leaving and expecting to come back... one in my car at the park and one on the kitchen table at home. My ds8 also read somewhere (cub scout manual?) to make hiking boot impressions to leave at home, but so far we've only done that for overnight hikes. I carry a cell phone, and each of my kids has a hiking whistle (and knows how to use it), knows basic hiking safety, and carries some food and water with them.

 

If we were just going for a stroll in a more urban park setting, I would just tell someone where I was going and when I was planning to be home.

If you bring tin foil, you can make squares big enough to step on and create shoe impressions by stepping on the foil on soft ground. We do that too :)

 

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OP, use the same amount of caution you normally would. I do make sure that a ranger knows my vehicle, what path we're on, what we look like and all that stuff. I let two other people know where we're going (usually Mom and sister) and leave a note for dh. Of course, I do that whenever we break out of the house :p , just to be on the safe side.

[Wendi]

We go hiking in the nature parks nearby; there are almost always other hikers/runners about. Hiking is very popular here. I'm hoping to try an easy hike soon; it's been awhile since I hiked due to tendonitis.

 

I bring my cell phone and tell dh where we're going. But we don't go to remote areas very often. We go to popular trails. I have even hiked alone on Saturdays, especially during wildflower season when I want to take pictures. I like the peace and quiet. (We never see snakes when we hike, because ds TALKS so much!)

 

Wendi

[Stacey in MA]

Just last week I had my car window busted and purse stolen while we were hiking w/ a group (on a weekday). We live near Boston, so sort of more crowded than rural, but still annoying. I am glad we were with a group so that when I got back to my car there was someone with me to wait for the police. I would have been very nervous w/ all 4 kids and no other adult, KNOWING that a criminal could be lurking around.

 

Anyway, it won't stop me from hiking again, but I won't do it without a group, and next time I will be sure to have EVERYTHING extra out of the car. If he looks in and sees absolutely nothing, then why bother breaking in? (I had my purse in back, under a baby blanket on the floor, near other baby items.)

 

GL! - Stacey in MA

[joannqn]

Am I just a big chicken after growing up in the city? Do I really need to go on a weekend or have my husband with me in order to go hiking and not be afraid? I could take pepper spray, but I'm worried I might get it on my kids instead of the "bad guy" (whoever he is, if he even exists). Do I just need to get over it?

 

Living in the worst part of Tacoma for 10 years has made me more and more scared of my own shadow. While I used to go hiking by myself before kids, I never go by myself or with the kids now.

[fivetails]

We have a bunch of really neat sounding trails winding around through the woods here, but I was afraid to take the kids out to investigate them this summer (when we moved here last Nov, it was full on winter and too cold for that) because they have bears here! BEARS! Big Black Things That Want To Eat You. :001_huh:

 

Okay so I don't know anybody who got eaten by a bear before, but still. I'm not exactly used to roaming wildlife - the biggest wild animal where we moved from was the neighbour's overweight dog. (PEI doesn't have large predatory wildlife!)

 

They also have WOLVES in the woods here ~ sometimes you even hear them howling! It's a very cool thing to hear, yes, but I'd rather not go for a walk with them. ;)

Edited October 23, 2009 by fivetails

[lgm]

Yes, we go to the park on weekdays. One adult and children OK if populated enough with other people engaged in recreational activities rather than people hanging out in groups. If more rural and rugged , it's three teens/adults or we don't go. Three b/c of accident possibilities- one is needed to stay with the victim, one to go for help. We don't go to parks in troubled areas; prefer to go to hike in areas that charge admission and are away from major highways so have little 2 legged predator trouble.

 

Biggest problems have been dogs..many people let the pet off the leash despite the park rules, forgetting that another hiking party with small children may be around the bend. Try holding a preschooler near your shoulders with a kindergartner climbing up you while 2 dogs who can stand higher than your height are barking and jumping all over you and the owners are not in sight...ack. The only comfort is that you know the bears have left the area.

Edited October 24, 2009 by lgm

[Chris in VA]

Thanks for starting this thread. I've been an oblivious hiker for a while--I can see I need to take some reasonable precautions. We are going to be doing more hiking/trail walking as part of the Jr. Ranger programs around here--I feel more prepared because of these posts.

[kalanamak]

I just am wary of being that alone.

 

 

 

Hey, everyone, run this through your memory banks. I cannot remember a newstory about a woman hiking with kids being r*ped or abducted. Kids, yes, female joggers, yes, but not family groups.

 

Do you have a friend or neighbor with a good big dog? I used to loan out my great dane to college girls who wanted to go hiking alone. The dog will love it and really, who wants to mess with fangs?

[Tap]

I wouldn't have a problem with it, but I may call the ranger station and ask them if there were any known problems you may run into. They will know if there are people living in the woods in that area (homeless, survivalist etc) and if they are problematic or not. They will also know if there are any animal issues that you should be aware of. They can also let you know if they are finding drug paraphernalia in certain areas, and thus you are more likely to find someone who isn't there for the scenery.

 

If they say it is safe, then I wouldn't worry about the random person I ran into. Be safe, leave info, carry a cell, pepper spray (just in case), a pack with essentials, and go enjoy yourself.

[katilac]

Yes, I will go on walking trails and into parks with just me and the kids. I don't base it on whether other people are nearby or not; that would just be too limiting and we'd rarely get to go. Plus, the other people on nature trails tend to be annoying, ;).

 

Now, I would not go on a major wilderness expedition with just me and the kids. We're not climbing mountains hours away from help. We do have danger from cottonmouths, but you usually have a good hour or so before you die. We always have a cell phone, plus the kids could make it back to a ranger station by walking if they had to. If an alligator decides to attack, I don't think it matters a great deal who is with me (and they rarely attack on land).

 

It's definitely true that someone could decide to wait on a trail to attack a hiker, but it's no more likely than having it happen as you get into or exit your car, etc.

[Moni]

Do you go to parks alone with your children, like for a nature walk, during the day on a weekday

 

Yes.

 

And sure, it's a Little Spooky... :lol:

 

I'm more afraid of Cats than Bad-Guys though......

 

:seeya: