Would you prefer four distinct seasons, or sunny and warm weather year-round, FOR YOUR KIDS? (school, living in)
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This is a question my friend and I happen to come across.
It seems that most people in Canada including this forum would prefer LA or San Diego kind of weather over four seasons, which is what they have now.
My friend and I were the same. We like that change of seasons, but having a warm and sunny weather year-round sounded better (though we don't know since we never experienced it).
However, interestingly we shared an opinion that we would actually prefer four distinct seasons when it comes to raising our own kids. Some reasons were:
-We'd want our kids to have direct experiences of the change of seasons, and enjoy different scenery, food, clothes, ways of life and playing,
-We thought kids can learn a lot from having tough seasons rather that mild weathers throughout the year.
We don't want our kids to experience happy and easy days only, but also rather tough and hard days to overcome, and learn to enjoy it.
Of course the weather is only one of many factors deciding an easy or a hard day, but we thought having it as an environment could actually help the kids' mental growth.
-We thought having differences in each season can let the kids truly appreciate the differences and know how to enjoy the good weather.
In general we felt like four seasons are better for raising kids. We also thought of some possible reasons why year-round warm weather can be better:
-Kids can enjoy outdoor activies with friends any time of the year and can grow more of a friendly and outgoing nature.
-Having stable weather throughout can help the kids build a comfortable and stable mentality.
Of course this is arguable because these are just ideas we brought up and are not strongly supported.
So, I want to ask you guys and share ideas about what you would prefer for raising your kids - four distinct seasons, or sunny and warm weather year-round.
p.s. Don't take yourself into account (e.g. I can't stand winter and I have to be with my kids, so I prefer year-round warm weather for my kids too).
Try to imagine there is a kid you can't be with, and what you would want for them.
I tend to be in a foul mood when it's not warm,
and this would affect what activities I'd be interested in taking children to.
Higher summer temperatures than Toronto normally sees would be better for watersports, imho.
As long as they weren't born with the opposite weather problem I have
then I wouldn't mind my kids never living with seasons.
It might be interesting to take a vacation somewhere with Autumn, Winter or Spring weather,
but I don't think I'd want to live where I see Canadian versions of any of those seasons.
Seasons I wouldn't mind:
Winter = 18+ C
Spring/Autumn = 24-31 C
Summer = 30+ C
I have fairly young children and live in a climate with four very distinct seasons. The idea of a year-round summer is appealling in the practical sense because it is much easier and cheaper to dress them and get them ready.
However, I wonder if all that opportunity for the great outdoors in a warm year-round climate is not lost on most people living in them. Simply because there is nothing special about nice weather when you have nice weather pretty much every single day.
Any Canadian can tell you that Canadians simply go crazy for the outdoors in the spring and early summer. Everybody eats all their meals outside, the streets are full of kids, etc.
But even in Canada, the warm weather loses some of its lustre in August, and I have always noticed far fewer neighbours dining outside, swimming in their pools, and generally doing outdoors stuff. Even if the weather is still every bit as nice in August as it is in June.
So I really do wonder if there is a "spoilage" factor to nice, warm weather.
I would be really interested in what average percentage of people engage in outdoor activities in San Diego or New Orleans, compared to Quebec City, Ottawa or Calgary for example.
It seems that most people in Canada including this forum would prefer LA or San Diego kind of weather over four seasons, which is what they have now.
It wouldn't be exact to say that Canada really observes four seasons. With the exception of BC, I'd say that spring is practically non-existent. And the summers are too short and winters too long. Personally, I found the fall as the season where Canada is indeed more special (in a positive sense) comparing, for example, to Europe.
It wouldn't be exact to say that Canada really observes four seasons. With the exception of BC, I'd say that spring is practically non-existent. And the summers are too short and winters too long. Personally, I found the fall as the season where Canada is indeed more special (in a positive sense) comparing, for example, to Europe.
Southern Ontario near the Great Lakes is more stable.
I would say Toronto is guaranteed 2 solid weeks of Spring even in a weird year.
Normally Spring is from latest March/early-April through through mid/late May.
In a warm year Spring can start sometime in March and end in mid/late April.
Some years summer takes for ever to show up, like in 1996
when our leaves just started to pop out in late-June.
We had almost exactly the same weather starting in late-March. (9+ C highs)
So that would be 3 solid, confusing-months of Canadian Spring.
I wonder how coastal parts of the Maritimes fare for winter-spring-summer transitions?
(for places that get real summers like Halifax; avg of 24+ C in the warmest month )
...So that would be 3 solid, confusing-months of Canadian Spring.
I wonder how coastal parts of the Maritimes fare for winter-spring-summer transitions?
(for places that get real summers like Halifax; avg of 24+ C in the warmest month )
Pretty much like that in the maritimes as well - you could get super hot or super cold weather in May, for example.
As a kid I loved the four seasons - I loved building snow forts, having snowball fights, walks in the woods in the fall, all the different leaves falling, pressing them between wax paper and old paper bags. For kids, winter is awesome - cause they aren't shovelling.
You're more appreciative of great weather after experiencing Canadian winters.. that's for sure.
Nothing like winters on the prairies. Going to school when it's pitch dark outside, having to plug your vehicle every night, icy roads, and up to -50 degrees outside with the wind chill. Never again...lol
Love it here in VT but I could use more than 3 sunny days a year. I was in NM recently but it was to dry there. Where can I find VT summers and sunshine year round?!
15-20 years cumulatively living in Florida summers gave me a real appreciation for Canadian winters, bring on the 4 seasons especially the cold one, although winters in the prairies are a bit over the top.
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If I had children...
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