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Original poster

Weekends are for “family time”

119 replies

HarrietHairbrush · 21/05/2021 17:37

I have read this a couple of times in the last couple of days on here.
What do you all do as a family at the weekend?

OP posts:

APurpleSquirrel · 21/05/2021 17:41

We try to spend at least one day at the weekend doing something fun together as a family - zoos, NT/EH places, beaches, forests, walks, farm park, soft play; visit friends & family.
We also do gardening though the Dc often lose interest after 15-20mins.

WildWestWanda · 21/05/2021 17:43

Similar to pp. tomorrow we’re going to a farm. Last week was swimming and a movie afternoon.

mindutopia · 21/05/2021 17:45

Actually see each other mainly as the week is pretty much breakfast and out the door, or dinner and to bed and then Dh and usually have to work til our bedtime.

We spend time together, go for a walk, to the beach, chill and watch a film, might meet friends, go to the playground, go for a bike ride, have lunch together at hone. I think the sort of things most people do if they don’t have to work.

Dh and I do see our own friends sometimes or might go traveling or do an activity without everyone else, but not most weekends. Otherwise we’d barely spend much time together.

NerrSnerr · 21/05/2021 17:47

We do things separately with the children (so one parent take one child to an activity while the other does something else with the other). We try and all go swimming or something together though.

katy1213 · 21/05/2021 17:47

When was 'family time' invented? I can't think of anything I'd have wanted less as a child and especially in my teens!

firstimemamma · 21/05/2021 17:48

DP is a shift worker and I'm a SAHM to a toddler so weekends mean bugger all to us!

CatsPyjama · 21/05/2021 17:49

We spend Saturday running the kids to their various activities and watch a film with a takeaway in the evening. Sunday we don’t do much, but we’re all generally together.

Icancelledthecheque · 21/05/2021 17:51

We have teens so family time is rare these days. They’re off doing their own thing most of the time. We just insist that they are home on a Sunday for an evening meal together.

Sometimes we have Saturday night games night. We take older 2 DC to their hobbies one of the days which usually takes up half a day.

DD15 has struggled a bit with feeling penned in due to Covid so we’ve been trying to get out with her a bit, even if just to go to the shopping mall or for a drive somewhere pretty. It’s easier now she can see her friends again though!

motogogo · 21/05/2021 17:52

When the kids were small we would take them to the park, do the supermarket shop then go home and watch a film

TheLeadbetterLife · 21/05/2021 17:54

@katy1213

When was 'family time' invented? I can't think of anything I'd have wanted less as a child and especially in my teens!

Same here! Bloody nightmare. Any time we weren't at school we were just out (or in) playing amongst ourselves.

I still absolutely loathe Organised Fun / Activities.

Ihatesandwiches · 21/05/2021 17:54

Laundry, housework, gardening while DC on bikes, take away hot chocolate and walk, watch movies, picnics, camping in the garden, homework, trip to the park with school mums (and their kids), visit family, longer drive out and walk with fish and and chips or ice cream. Tomorrow we are going to the cinema for the first time since Oct half term!!!! And going out for Sunday lunch with my parents. I'm a single mum and most people I know are busy with their other halves and kids at the weekend so we have to find stuff to do or we wouldn't get off the sofa/screens!

Seafog · 21/05/2021 17:56

We go canoeing, to the beach, hiking, camping, skating, depends on the season.
We like to make pizza together on Friday night, and watch a film, or game together.
If one of us is working, the other may take the rest out for a day trip, or to visit (non covid times)

WildWestWanda · 21/05/2021 17:57

@katy1213

When was 'family time' invented? I can't think of anything I'd have wanted less as a child and especially in my teens!

If my 6yo child didn’t want to spend time with me I’d be concerned.

Does your child not want to spend time with you?

ncgy · 21/05/2021 18:01

We try & do something like a trip to NT or day out, or visit friends.

We often go to the park during the week & generally eat dinner together anyway so that doesn't change.

Twilightstarbright · 21/05/2021 18:05

I’m somewhere with no Covid restrictions, weekends are generally a play date or going over to a friends house- but we’d all go as we’re friends with both parents. We might have friends over for a BBQ, or Sunday lunch or if there’s a family day at the museum we’d go to that and see friends there. I feel like we have a lot of time just the three of us so I like meeting up with other people.

DH goes to the gym when I take DS to his sports classes, I might go out with my friends for dinner once every 1-2 months, DH the same.

FourTeaFallOut · 21/05/2021 18:06

Go out, visit a family, watch a movie, play games, have friends over or just bod around one another being available and not on a mission to get things done.

Middleofthenight2 · 21/05/2021 18:08

A variety of stuff... visit family/friends, attend parties, go swimming, take a trip to the zoo/farm/trampoline park or just spend the day at home pottering in the house/garden. We might bake together, have a bbq, play in the garden or watch a movie.

rooarsome · 21/05/2021 18:15

We tend to have one day out (swimming, farm, cinema, zoo etc) and one chill out day. They also love a movie night- staying up a bit later, having popcorn and a takeaway.

Summercocktailsinthesnow · 21/05/2021 18:16

Fun days out as a family, watching movies together, going out for dinner etc. Usually it is time just for us dh and dc - quality time we are free to do whatever we feel like.

flowerycurtain · 21/05/2021 18:17

Work.

Feel horrid after reading the thread about weekend work. We struggle for staff too. I do think sometimes Mumsnet is on a different planet. I'd love to be able to offer everyone Monday - Friday 9-5 for plenty of money. Hell, I'd livaa as

Totallyrandomname · 21/05/2021 18:18

We try to have time together as a family at the weekend because get little time in the week together due to school and work. I don’t refer to it as family time (I don’t think) we just organise things together.

I do also occasionally do things with my friends and my husband with his.

Checkingout811 · 21/05/2021 18:18

Days to the zoo / farm /theme park / beaches / NT places

We always go out for the day on a Sunday. On Saturday morning our DC all do clubs, Saturday afternoon is light lunch and then we usually see grandparents for an hour or so. Saturday night is movie night.

I remember having lots of days out with my parents when I was a child. I loved it.

Summercocktailsinthesnow · 21/05/2021 18:19

Mine are teens and still enjoy it, they choose what we do, so that makes it easier. Instead of farms and child orientated stuff it is now dinner out somewhere cool, a game of cricket, a city break or a BBQ with friends. its more important than ever to make time for teens.

Checkingout811 · 21/05/2021 18:26

@Summercocktailsinthesnow this sounds lovely. We hope to do similar when our children are older. Currently all under 7.

tunnocksreturns2019 · 21/05/2021 18:30

I’m so grateful not every family is having ‘family time’ all weekend. I love spending time with my DCs but I’m a widowed parent and some adult company is nice, when you can break into the lucky ‘compete’ families.

Admittedly tonight it’s me and 3 additional DC, so 5 on my own

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