How much do you do with your dcs in the holidays??

[WinkyWinkola]

I mean, I'm starting to get the guilts.

I've got 3 dcs, aged 5, 3 and 14 months.

Every day of the Christmas holidays so far we've spent half a day doing something like the zoo, soft play, play dates etc. Today we're going swimming after the man has come to pick up our car that needs repairing.

But I've also had stacks of stuff to do today - done a lot of it already - like hoovering, dishwasher etc. So, they're watching the telly (baby is sleeping). I've just sat down with a cup of tea to read the papers online and an MN catch up.

They've just complained that I never do stuff with them. . When I was a kid, I just got on with stuff as my parents never took me out or did anything with me beyond reading me a story every now and then. So, I was there thinking I was doing a grand job taking them out but it seems they want more.

Is what I do already not enough? Should I be sitting with them all the time, doing craft and painting etc? I do feel guilty but I also feel guilty about the mundane life stuff that needs attending to.

Roll on school!

[WelshSara]

I know what you mean. I've often found my guilty voice whispering at me when my 2 girls (5 and 2.5) are watching the tv or at the table colouring when I'm rushing around like a look trying to keep the house in order.

Logic says however, that it's healthy for them to be in a position where they have to look for things to do. We cannot take them places all the time and we should not feel obligated to buy them things that will take up their attention. I remember a young girl, about 8 years of age (member of my family) proclaiming she she was "bored!" when she had a room full of technology, every crayon/pencil imaginable, games, toys, plastic tat EVERYWHERE. Yet she was bored. She was totally unable to occupy herself because her parents had over-indulged/constantly stimulated her whilst she was younger. I told her she was "boring" for being bored - that went down like a lead balloon, but I always vowed to let my kids 'find' their own fun, teach them to daydream, teach them that life can't always focus on their wants and that certain things have to be done for everyone to be happy.

[WelshSara]

meant to say "rushing around like a loon"

[ConnorTraceptive]

Bit of a mixture sometimes we go out to park/soft play/meet up with friends but some days they just have to get on with it whilst I get jobs done.

TBH we did very little going out over the xmas holidays as ds1 was very run down so we mostly stayed at home. I would get on with jobs but would also stop every couple of hours and play with them for a bit. They had plenty of new toys to keep themselves occupied.

I do feel that we could have perhaps gone out for more walks or to the park but it's so bloody cold and wet here!

I do feel guilty but tbh neither ds has once whinged that they are bored so I guess that's ok!

[PlanetEarth]

Think you're doing too much for them actually. An activity every day is certainly not necessary - though I do think it's nice to get out of the house all or most days. But for me this includes things like doing the shopping or going to the library, not just major and fun stuff like zoo or play dates.