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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To say I'm dreading Easter Bank Holidays ?

217 replies

Pappadontpreach80 · 26/03/2024 18:25

DH & 2 mid teen DC at home. They will game, maybe see mates etc. They are too young to be left at home all day alone. Me and DH are always around, even if we're in & out the house doing errands etc.

There is nothing going on this bank holiday. Its due to rain the whole time. DC refuse to go away (uk). They might come out for a day. I do not want to be stuck at home doing jobs the whole time. Which is what I do most weekends.

I'll go for a run, see local family etc but apart from that it's going to be be bloody boring. I could go out with friends but I would feel bad leaving DH at home, alone, bored on a bank hol weekend. I don't even know if my friends are around tbh.

What on earth am I going to do ?

Tbh, Friday night I just wanna piss off to the pub with DH. But a bit meh just the two of us. DC like us to be at home, even if they are gaming in their rooms. They like to know we are there. Boring.

Saturday we will go out with DC in the eve for food.

To add, DC don't do walks/ national trust/biking etc so anything like that is out of the question. We don't do the theatre. There's nothing on at the cinema.

Please can someone give me some inspiration. I can't face 4 days in the house/ doing jobs.

OP posts:
Mumof2teens79 · 26/03/2024 19:37

FoodieToo · 26/03/2024 19:30

Sounds like you enjoy almost nothing so of course you will feel bored and fed up !

Exactly
I am not sure what you are complaining about, you are the one that doesn't want to do anything.
Really not sure why you can't see your friends.

But just do whatever you want to do and stop whinging

shenandoahvalley · 26/03/2024 19:37

You're miserable because you're allowing yourself to be held hostage - by guilt re your DH, by your DC wanting to game and have you around to ignore while they do it!

Fuck's sake, woman!. They're all getting to do what they want, you're not. Tell them that at least one of the four days is going to be spent doing something you want to do, and with good cheer.

And stop with the guilt, and stop letting teenagers guilting you (I've never heard anything like it!! Little princelings!).

deluxe · 26/03/2024 19:36

This is so weird!! My kids were left home alone from the age of 11 and 12. Get your man and head out for the day ffs. Let them game or chill at home. Get a grip!!

pilates · 26/03/2024 19:35

Why can’t you go out for the day with DH? You don’t have to go out for 12 hrs. If your children don’t want to come that’s fine- nothing worse than sulky teenagers. It doesn’t mean you have to stay in all day.

sleepyscientist · 26/03/2024 19:34

Why not go into a local city and do something they want to do. Climbing, adult crazy golf, axe throwing and shooting ranges are popular round here. You could then go for a chain pub lunch.

SugarMitts · 26/03/2024 19:32

Also why is the pub ‘meh’ with just your DH? Don’t you enjoy each others company?

TheYearOfSmallThings · 26/03/2024 19:31

I agree with those saying you are putting up barriers to your own enjoyment. There are four days in this weekend - you could go out with your friends one night, your husband could go a different night, and you could invite friends around for a meal or drinks another night, or arrange to both meet them for a long lunch. Also the weather isn't looking THAT bad - you definitely won't be confined to the house with only rainy dog walks to vary things.

FoodieToo · 26/03/2024 19:30

Sounds like you enjoy almost nothing so of course you will feel bored and fed up !

SugarMitts · 26/03/2024 19:29

This is crazy
Why are the kids deciding everything that goes on?!
Tell them you’re all doing xyz at x time until y time, then they’re free to do as they please
Also a day out for you & DH doesn’t need to take ten whole hours (wtf!)

There are plenty of things to do with teens (bowling, skating, swimming/water park, trampolining, ninja warrior type course, cinema, museums, theme parks, even just a walk round a new city to explore with a nice lunch) but you seem to have given up

DrJoanAllenby · 26/03/2024 19:28

Turn off their gaming equipment and get them outside!

What a hellish way to live.

tootiredtospeak · 26/03/2024 19:28

I mean, come on, you are being dictated too by a couple of kids. Make them compromise 2 days of hanging around 2 days of trips out cinema walk etc if they say no do it alone and leave them. so what if they like you around. If they like it so much, they will come

LivingDeadGirlUK · 26/03/2024 19:26

If your husband feels the same why are you not having a conversation with him about what you should do? I can't wait for our kids to be at an age we can leave them and go out for lunch or a mooch about a garden center by ourselves.

GogoGobo · 26/03/2024 19:26

I think the tail is wagging the dog here. Your kids sound selfish and you sound like you let them get away with it.
I have a gaming mad mid-teen.
over the 4 nights we will go out for a family curry. DH and I will let him have an evening gaming session and we will go to the local pub for a drink without him, We will see friends at least one of the evenings and he will come with us (drinks/chatting/ends up with cards or a Wii game with their older teens and other friends from the village) and the last one we will go bowling/cinema/ etc.
In the daytime, DH and I will leave him alone for a whole day whilst we crack on with the garden. We will all choose 1 thing we want to do on the other days and I am voting for a vintage market, DH wants us all to play Padel and DS has voted for a dog walk at a big park where he can take his scooter too for a whizz around.
I think it’s massively important that they can do things that aren’t just on their own terms all the time and I guarantee you the thing my DS least looks forward to will likely be the one he has a brilliant time at!

BooksAndHooks · 26/03/2024 19:22

Why does a day trip mean being out for 10 hours? surely there is somewhere you can go that doesn’t take 10 hours?

But even then if the teens are old enough to make food and are seeing mates etc that wouldn’t stop me going.

Whaleandsnail6 · 26/03/2024 19:20

Youre the adults, tell them you are going on a day out with them one of the days if you want a day out.

Hike with pub food or drink at the end is always a go to for us. The teens moan before we go but soon start enjoying it. Or a seaside town (assuming you dont actually live in a seaside town so this isnt something you do every weekend) and let them take a football to play on the beach whilst you and dh have a walk round. Or whatever you want fancy really. Dont let them spoil your bank holiday weekend, just tell them they are coming...they can just make the best of it.

soupfiend · 26/03/2024 19:11

Why cant you leave them for 10 hours?

I was baby sitting local kids when I was 11 and 12 (and my sister)

Obviously that was the 'old days' when we didnt infantilise children.

So two parents both want to go out and for some reasons arent making plans to go out? Even though their children are old enough and capable enough to entertain themselves for the day. Do they have door keys?

Pappadontpreach80 · 26/03/2024 19:07

When I say leave DC all day I mean for 10hours or so while me and DH go on a day trip. We wouldn't leave them that long or go that far if they are home alone.
They won't game all day every day and will see mates etc. They will game in the eves and expect at least one of us to be around.
We don't like the theatre, I mentioned that before anyone suggested it as an option. None of us like theme parks.
I haven't suggested meeting up with my friends because I don't think that's fair on DH. "Sorry DH, I'm out with friends in the day/eve, if you're mates aren't around then tough, you're home alone for the day/eve". When I know he is feeling the same as me about this weekend.

OP posts:
FleetwoodMacAttack · 26/03/2024 18:59

What a defeatist attitude. WiFi off, you’re the parent, sounds like their world revolves around gaming. Insist on time out and as a family.

5128gap · 26/03/2024 18:57

If budget allows (which if going away was an option it might) I'd do one day at a theme park (probably sunday as the quietest day), go bowling or mini golf before or after your meal on the Saturday, then Monday go for lunch and a walk with DH, leave at 12 back by 4 so not leaving them too long. Friday I'd potter, relax and do my usual things knowing I had stuff to do the other days.

SnickersWasAHorse · 26/03/2024 18:57

Who is in charge here? Why are they dictating everything?

calligraphee · 26/03/2024 18:56

I do understand the slightly trapped feeling, but I think you could make it a lot more fun for yourself if you put your mind to it!

You and DP can have a day out each, while the other has a lazy day at home doing what they like. We did divide and conquer a lot in those days because being home with the kids is not work like it was when they were younger.

Cook some great food, choose something good to binge watch with DP in the evenings.

You can also force them out for a walk - in fact you should for their health.

idontlikealdi · 26/03/2024 18:53

Leave them to it, revisit in Five years when they might be more reasonable.

Nmchanger · 26/03/2024 18:53

They WANT to game all day. It's not healthy (speaking as a gamer).and it's up to you to parent them accordingly.

PutASpellOnYou · 26/03/2024 18:52

In working all over the Easter break, come and join me on dot.com, everyone will head to the supermarket if raining then moan we are all in the way whilst they waddle round with at least six other family members in tow.

Temporaryname158 · 26/03/2024 18:52

They can’t have it both ways. Sat in their rooms gaming yet expecting you to be home! they
need to get out their rooms by the sound of it. Make that mandatory and go and do something together.

have a family film night, do a family day at
a gym. They won’t do NT etc if gaming is an option. Make it not an option! You sound like you want to have fun, make them get on board with you!

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