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Do we mums avoid the countryside?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1252703/Middle-class-mothers-make-countryside-zone-fear-children-getting-dirty.html
(Apologies for not being able to shorten this link, can't remember the html code.)

The above article in the Daily Mail claimed that middle class mums avoid taking their children to play in the countryside for fear of them getting dirty, according to research carried out by Herts Uni on one prep school in the South of England. They are so obsessed about them getting injured and dirty that they prefer to take them to the safe country parks and farms that catered for families.

Right. I have many points to make regarding this "research":-
1. Sample size? One prep school? Does it qualify as qualitative research?
2. None of the mothers could use an Ordnance survey map apparently. Now surprising as that may be, does it actually prove that mums don't want to take their children out in the countryside just because they can't read a map?
3. Why should just mums take them out? Were the dads questioned? Maybe they were asked what they did during the week, and maybe they went rambling en famille at the weekend. In our household, we have distinct mum/dad roles - Daddy likes playing Star Wars lego and cars, and Mummy likes drawing and colouring. Everyone's happy.

But my answer to this article really is this:
Of course I want to take my children to safe country parks and farms that cater for families. I pay upwards of £80 a year for a pass to do just this. And why? Because the two days I may go to these places are MY DAYS OFF too as well as a playdate for Elf!

I want to sit and chat to my mummy friends about Elf's latest high jinx, and what happened in last night's Desperate Housewives. I want to sit on a park bench with my nice hot cup of tea discussing the competitive parenting going on in our group! I'll leave the rambling til when we can all go together at the weekend OK? I have just worked for three days you know!

Comments

  1. Mrs PSaturday, March 20, 2010

    You're right! There are all sorts of reasons why that research could be flawed. I'll be interested to hear other people's opinions on this one. We don't exactly avoid the countryside for any of the reasons mentioned but lately our lifestyle really hasn't included much countryside visiting and that's just the way it's worked out.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Humdrum MumSaturday, March 20, 2010

    It was in the Daily Mail though! x

    ReplyDelete

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