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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Swingsets--necessary?
I have always thought we would purchase a swingset for our toddler, when he was big enough to enjoy it safely. Our neighborhood requires a wooden one. My husband recently indicated he was not convinced we need one for him. Now, it's a heated debate. I had one growing up and can't imagine not providing one for my children. We do walk to the park quite often, but still...So, I would love to know...do you have a swingset for your kids? What are your thoughts on the above household debate? Thanks!!!
Re: Swingsets--necessary?
Heated debate? How much is this swing set?
Yes, we have one, it came with the house. DD is four, we use it from time to time. Less than the park.
They were practically de riguer in my neighbor when the kids were younger. But I don't ever recall my neighbor's kids using them as a rule. The only mom I know who really saw use on hers held cub scout meetings at her home.
DS much preferred going to the big Castle Playground, so I never bought a swing set.
No, we don't have a swingset in our backyard. I don't think it's necessary. We live within a 5 minute walk to one right in our neighborhood, and within a few minutes driving distance to about 4 more
We have a water table, sport toys and a Little Tikes climber in our backyard. We got the climber off Craigslist for insanely cheap - I would never pay full price for one.
It depends on where you live, access to a local park, lifestyle and the type of set you want.
Currently we live w/in walking distance from a huge (read two stor high) wooden playground that has a sand box, zip line, wall climbing/ladders/log walk to the top activities. We are there every afternoon before dinner in the warm weather.
Our house in FL is no where near a park, even by car. The height of the summer, outside play is early morning and maybe late evening. Not going to drive to a park that close to bed, and in the dusk.
Pew will have a set that will grow with her, tall, rock climbing, house attache, etc. that way, I can send her outside in the morning and after dinner.
nec?es?sar?y/'nes??sere/
Adjective:Required to be done, achieved, or present; essential.
Noun: The basic requirements of life, such as food and warmth. Synonyms: adjective. needful - requisite - indispensable - required noun. necessity - need - requirement - requisite
It is blatantly obvious that a swing set is not "necessary". Food, shelter, clothing,those are necessary.
I never had one and don't see myself getting one for my son. Between the set, delivery and installation we will spend minimum $1,000 and I just don't think my child will use it that often to make the price tag worth it.
I think you need to sit down with your husband, ask him why he doesn't feel he wants this luxury and it is,hands down, 100% a luxury item. Perhaps you can meet halfway and get something small for your child for outside play. if your child uses that a lot, maybe your husband will be swayed into buying a swing set.
Also it's expensive to tear down and if you ever want to sell your house, you'll either have to remove it or deal with a smaller pool of potential buyers.
We are buying one in the spring. I also had one growing up and we got a ton of use out of it.
Plus, we have no parks within walking distance and I don't want to get in the car and drive whenever Jake wants to play on a slide. And, we spend almost all our time outside so it'll get a ton of use.
I had one growing up. Didn't think my kids "needed" one and figured DH was wasting time/money putting one up as a gift for them last year...we have plenty of local parks (none in walking distance, but that's ok).
I was wrong. They use it all.the.time. and LOVE having their own in the yard. And it is much easier for me because I can toss them out there and still get stuff done around the house as long as I can see them, or at least check on them every couple of minutes (and that'll get even easier as they get older and once we get the yard fenced).
I'm w/ +SMACE+ - this is not "necessary".
We don't have a swingset, but we do have a jungle gym type of thing that was here when we bought the house.
Neither DH or I grew up w/ a swingset- I don't think we're scarred from it! Somehow I made it out of childhood w/o one. Going to the park worked out just fine for me.
~Benjamin Franklin
DS dx with celiac disease 5/28/10
We thought one was necessary, and in fact it was a huge part of our kids' lives for years. Walking your kid down to the park and supervisiing their play is NOT the same as sending them in the backyard to play 'by themselves'; it makes play less artificial, less structured, and they need unstructured, 'unsupervised' but safe play. They had somewhere to play forts, to exercise, to hang around, to have their friends over and play on. It was also nice to be the house where the other kids came to play, instead of having our kids always going to someone else's yard. I infinitely preferred having one and our kids loved it.
This.
I'm in the "not necessary" camp. Our backyard is too sloped/wooded for a swingset, so it's not even an option for us; but we have a park less than a block away and we're there all the time. KHC likes it because he can meet his friends there, and I like it because I can hang out and read a book or whatever while he plays with his friends.
I don't think their play is any more "artificial" or etc than it would be at home. Trust me, they forget adults are there almost immediately.
Updated September 2012.
i dont have kids (thank god).
i think, more importantly than you and dh going round and round about you had one and he didn't-can you afford it comfortably? if so-why not get him one? if not-theres your answer.
I've made it nearly 4 decades through life and have never lived in a house with a swingset, and I lived in 13 different homes before I was 13--no fricking way it is a "necessary" and there is no way this should be a "heated debate".
I'm on Team No Swing until you can discuss it calmly with your DH without being an entitled little drama queen about it.
This sounds like a debate DH and I may have soon. I want to get one this spring for DS. Our boys are almost 3 and almost 1. We take them to the park all the time, but there is no park within walking distance. It's about a 5-10 minute drive to the nearest park. We have a huge backyard (2 acre lot) so it's not like space is an issue.
We had a swingset growing up, and we played on it all the time, even into the pre-teen years. DH thinks the boys will only play with it for a few years and then get bored.
Well, and I guess I should say, food is necessary. A swingset is not necessary like food is necessary. But it is seriously, seriously, a real convenience, a great plaything, with years of use in it and a mountain of exercise with minimal supervision and low maintenance. It's a different experience to run out in the yard and play with the neighbor kids till dark than it is to be strapped into a car seat and driven to a park to play only when your mom or dad can drive you there and maybe there's kids there you know and maybe not etc.
All good points to make when having a calm discussion with a spouse about whether to get one or not.
Yes. This was my poorly made point.
It is a wonderful convenience and luxury. If the luxury is affordable for the parent, both parents are on board and the child will use it until the end of time, great. Get it. I'm all for it.
For OP to call it necessary, she may as well change her name to veruca salt...I WANT IT NOOOOOOOOOOOOOW. Because it sure as sh?t ain't necessary.
We live in an apartment, so we don't have one. Every single day I am home with DS I wish for a gated backyard with a swingset. No, it's not necessary, but if you have a kid that likes to run, climb and basically live outdoors, it's really nice. Even if the park is just down the road, the park requires my attendance. A fenced yard with a swing set, means I can get things done around the house and watch DS from inside (where the a/c is). When we buy a house, a swing set is on our priority list of things to buy and get done.