How much do you do with dc on the weekends. Feel we're in a rut

[etta0]

We don't live near family and have very few friends. So we have no social events to go to on weekends, apart from the occasional dc birthday party.

I have become tired of being the energiser and organising things to do on the weekend. I'm also tired as I work full time. Dh isn't the best at organising things either. We also don't have the money spare to be doing much that is interesting. Ds4 is also in a difficult phase and can be unsafe in public, running off and also tantrumming and so its unpleasant to take him anywhere anyway.

So we tend to stay at home. They play and watch TV and we might pop out to the park sometimes.

I worry it's a little boring for the older dc, although they never complain.

How much do those of you with primary aged dc go out on the weekend? And those with no friends or family what do you do to keep interested in doing things just as a small family unit together?

Were going through a bit of a rut at the moment as well.

We have 5DC DS22,DS20,DS17,DD15 and DD11.

For us most of the time it's because DD11 doesn't want to leave the house,she's autistic the same as her big brother DS17,she used to love to go out all of the time and we are an outdoorsy family really but for the past 18 months she constantly wants to stay home.

She goes to golf every Saturday(it's a group for children that have a disability)her Dad takes her and I get to go if it's a family session which is usually once a month.I took both of my DD's to town to do some fun shopping(buying things they want not what they need)and then we had lunch afterwards last Sunday and were going to do the same next Sunday except it will be the cinema and lunch out,DS17 went bowling with his Dad last Sunday whilst me and the girls were out,DS22 and DS20 are usually working or out with friends at the weekends.

My DH is going to take our 3 sons to play a game of golf next Sunday if the weather's okay whilst I'm out with our daughters.

When were stuck at home we tend to watch some tv,order a movie,have something really nice for lunch(I made homemade macaroni cheese and chocolate and banana cake today)either something home made or we'll buy some lunch deals for everyone or something of the hot counter from Morrisons and we'll play on the wii or xbox with our DC or play cards or some board games.

When we can get our DD to go out we either go to a National trust place(we have membership cards)a park,a drive out in the country side(I'll pack some flasks,1 with coffee and 2 with hot chocolate and I'll pack a hot picnic)swimming,bowling or to the cinema.

Sometimes we'll do art and crafts at home or make cakes and biscuits.

It all depends really,I can't wait for the nice weather to come back I think we'll be able to get her out more then.

DS (9) plays hockey on Saturday mornings year round for 90 mins and both DS and DD(7) play rugby on Sunday mornings (quite a long season, goes from August to April). They are both pretty overscheduled busy with sport and music in the week (their decision, not mine) so I do try to make sure they get some unstructured time at weekends. That said, I also like having regular commitments to give the weekend a bit of structure (I am an anomaly on MN in that I cannot imagine ever having a day when I don't leave the house unless on death bed).

We live in an apartment complex in Asia so quite often they just head down by themselves and ride bikes/ play nerf guns with each other or whoever else is around. DH and I tend to tag team a fair bit so we get some exercise in (both do a "long run" at weekends and try to do a gym session as well). Sometimes we do cinema, lunch with friends or just the four of us, trampoline park if desperate . Summer easier as the sports club we go to has an outdoor pool so we hang out there a lot. DD and I sometimes go for a run or hike (DS would rather have his teeth pulled).

I literally never bake or do crafts with them which I feel a bit guilty about but I then I do stuff that other parents don't so I feel like you need to play to your strengths.

Get national trust family membership it's well worth it.
Have friends over.
Go swimming

Usually beach, sometimes waterfalls, today was a local market. When it’s a bit cooler we’ll go fishing again. Often the kids (all teens) either want to sleep in because they’ve been up late, or others have got weekend work to juggle. Next weekend we’re meant to be having a quick weekend camp away but not sure we’ll go yet as meant to be a bit wet.

We do a lot less this time of year because it's so cold and I don't have a huge amount of money to spend on indoor things. We have some weekends where we do very little and some that are jam packed.

My DH works most weekends which I find hard.

My DC are all school age now so they are often with friends or have friends here which has made a big difference.

Otherwise various parks, swimming, cinema, soft play, ice skating etc.

We found ourselves in a rut too so joined a gym with kids club. Wed o swimming lessons on Saturdays and then gym 10-12 sunday. Then we have passes for a few local things but they are mainly outdoor so we do struggle in this weather We were super bored a few weeks ago and made a papier mache volcano.

Also live abroad, but it's relatively similar to our life in UK.

We have one very active 12 yr old ds.

Cricket on Saturday morning whilst I am at work.
Lunch together then DS and I went for a good walk along our coastline.

Rugby on Sunday. Also runs August to April here.

Homework needs to be done also.

We might go to the cinema or I might take DS to see something he likes.

He also heads to local park to play football if he's bored.

He had rugby this morning ( I took him) and now DH is about to take him off to a cricket match he's involved in.

DS not allowed on computer/ laptop today.

We don't do lots. DC's have football training and matches both days. So apart from that we might run a few errands or visit grandparents but mostly stay at home.

Dd1 has swimming and dancing sat and gymnastics Sunday so nose revolves around that . Apart from that we might go to park , library or just stay at home and play .

Mine are 5, 3 and 6 weeks.
The older ones do dance classes on Saturday morning. We usually go to a cafe for milkshake afterwards. We try and get out in the afternoon, usually an NT/country park type place with bikes/scooters to get them some exercise and fresh air.
Sundays usually a quiet morning at home playing, doing school reading (don’t have homework yet) and piano practice. Then out for a walk/to the park/go and see friends/occasional Sunday lunch out.
So fairly low key and easy with young DC, but their behaviour is definitely better with exercise and fresh air.

Yesterday I seemed to spend the whole morning trying to get them to leave the house. DS has cricket practice in the afternoon so me and DD did a bit of food shopping,window shopping and played PokemonGO while he did that.

Today DD has Cricket practice but it's about an hour away so that will take up a huge portion of the day. DS will probably do his favourite thing, Xbox.

We have just joined David Lloyd so intend to go there often on a Saturday. Church on a Sunday, usually cook something interesting one day. And leave them to play the rest of the time. We have some social events via church and friends etc to hang out with.

Dh and I also tag team some exercise. We deliberately don't do any commitment activities for the kids as it is too much otherwise and I like slobbing around.

No screens except occasional film. Ages 6 5 and 3

My friend recommended Geocaching- did our first couple last weekend and DD (8) loved it!

In the winter it's all sports training, matches, tournaments and swimming lessons. Very little time for much else.

It we usually have friends over for dinner on Friday evenings and sometimes we have Sunday afternoon things to do with our friends, but that's perhaps every 6 weeks.

In the summer months, were in the garden. From dawn till it goes dark. I love it. We have a greenhouse and veggie patch and we have a shed full of garden toys and if it's warm enough the paddling pools are always out. Heaven.

i have 2 dds, 7 and 9- on the friday we all have a brazilian juijitsu comp training class (me for 90 mins and they do 2.5 hours), this tires them out some what.
Saturday jui jitsu for me (they watch) then gymnastics for dd2 while dd1 and i make lunch.
Then the food shop finished the day. They love the food shop.

Sunday we cook together and they will just play and chill. They need it as they do a lot of sport during the week

What we do in the winter is quite different from spring, summer and Autumn. We are always outside when the weather warms up. Picnics, tennis, family cricket etc. Days out and bbqs.
In the summer everyone is tired. Everyone ikes hunkering down with a fire, a god book and a film. Play with toys. Make things.

Downtime is really imperative to health and well being.

One dd rides pony at the weekend, the other plays tennis. We walk the dogs and that is it!
If you want to add interest, we sometimes take them to see a film ( sat mornings are good value) or the theatre. Why not go out cycling or a country walk.

If your dc have very busy weeks, as ours do, they may cherish time at home. Mine plead to stay at home!

Next month spring will be here and energy will return. Bluebell walks, Easter hunts and all the rest.

I wouldn’t worry. Winter is for hibernation

We’ve changed our weekends recently. DSs are almost 5 and 7. We used to do something paid eg safari park, soft play, bowling on one weekend day and something free eg park, walk, library on the other weekend day.
Now we do something on the Saturday and stay at home on the Sunday. I cook a roast in the morning to eat at lunchtime, and we chill all day. The kids play a lot of Roblox. They do long days at school, 7:45 until half 4/5 every day, as we both work full time. We’re all exhausted by the weekend and need that day at home.

We sometimes just stay at home. Nothing wrong with that at all. There's a culture of "activities" and "days out" today which is nothing other than pressure from the vendors of such things.

I grew up with one holiday a year and my days out were with school. I am FINE. I have a healthy interest in history and art...thanks to school museum trips which awakened that.

Time spent at home can be magical.

I have a preschooler but at weekends we visit national trust, go swimming and fortnightly we meet with my friend and her son. I try not to spend money one doing things so we do tend to find free things to do.
More often than not one of the weekend days is spent at home/in our village at the park.
I work 4 days and DH works full time. DD attends nursery 3 long days and preschool 1.5 days so has a busy week. It's good to have some down time.
Also when we do something more extravagant it feels special because it's not a regular thing.

We go out most weekends. We’ll have the odd occasion of staying in all weekend but it isn’t normal for us.
I’m a firm believer in going somewhere green being good for everyone so we’ll go out for a walk if nothing else. There are lots of green areas near where I live so we go to different places.
We will also go to museums and nearby city farm.
I try to organise a day out somewhere further once a month.
Look at the National trust things to do list to get some ideas. You don’t have to do them at National trust places.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/50-things-to-do-before-youre-11--activity-list

Saturday- DD has gymnastics in the morning. Park in the afternoon usually.
Sunday- DS has rugby in the morning. One of us cooks a roast usually. We see family or go to soft play etc. Sometimes one of the kids has a party to go to.
I have a chronic illness so DH does most of the stuff outside the house with the kids. I do baking / craft/ lego with them. We try to be quite relaxed and not rush around as the week is busy for them with school.

We tend do have one day for just relaxing around the house. Between us we'll draw, do a bit of gaming (usually Minecraft), play with toys, read books. Whatever anyone wants to do really.

The other day we'll either have friends or family over here, or we'll visit them.

@ohtheholidays What is a hot picnic? Generally interested, as it sounds handy for trips out over half term.

genuinely I meant, not generally

We used to go for walks. Even in the winter. Either to the coast or the countryside or local parks. All it cost was petrol. I was on my own with them so didn't have a lot of money. Midimitch defiance at 6 years old isn't normal. He should be doing what you tell him to do.