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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:
Temp023 · 22/05/2021 08:35

I miss our days out now that my girls are older. We used to have an NT membership and the lovliest times.

OverTheRubicon · 22/05/2021 08:35

@MrsJBaptiste

We live in the countryside, so we see the seasons changing. We gather berries and make crumbles and pies 😅😅😅

This is probably the most MN sentence I've ever read!
Although I suppose you could 8have said you live "rurally" 😁

Agree. Also, I live in London and not at all rurally, and the parks are still full of blackberries and we make crumbles and pies. We even notice occasionally that the seasons are changing, this week for example it's rainy and a bit crap...
Caspianberg · 22/05/2021 08:42

‘Family time’ to me is just that, time. It doesn’t have to be rushing about going to various locations.

For us it includes things like leisurely breakfasts together. Mon-fri is eat and get on with the day, 15 mins max.
weekends are more set up teapot, make waffles, chat longer. Pre Covid family or friends may have stayed overnight so it’s just time together.

We try and have one relaxed day at the weekend which is just pottering around house and garden, local walk, lunch out locally maybe. Usually Sunday. Saturday is more visiting places, shopping, chores, people over

EversoDelighted · 22/05/2021 08:52

@MrsJBaptiste

All the people who dedicate their weekends to spending time with their immediate family, are you still wanting to do this after a year (give or take) of seeing only your family?
We haven't had a year of only seeing family, DH and I have worked outside the home throughout (apart from me doing a few weeks at home in lockdown 1), the DCs have been at school when its been open, we have all socialised and joined our sports and hobby groups within whatever the lockdown rules have been at the time.
Templetreebreeze · 22/05/2021 08:52

@LolaSmiles

We stay home, walk the dogs, go to the park and generally live a fairly typical life with children.

There's something slightly twee about rebranding a bog standard family life as "family time". When I read it I regularly imagine someone doing a head tilt and/or tinkly laugh with it as if they're super wholesome.

Disclaimer, I feel the same way about doing hobbies or chilling on the sofa being branded as "self care". This probably makes me a grump

Totally agree. Sounds so wanky. Its just normal family life. In my head its " Faaaaaaamily time" for some reason it makes me think of Peggy from EE Grin

It came about on the SAHM threads, do everything in the week so at the weekends its " faaaaaamily time"
Miserable DH and DC being marched around attractions so the Faaamily time can be documented on SM.
No thanks.

DC need time to relax and do their own thing.
Sleep in, read, play .
Get something nice for lunch, do chores and go swimming or a walk.
All this enforced " fun" is exhausting

Themostwonderfultimeoftheyear · 22/05/2021 08:54

Today we are going for a long walk in the countryside then later we will watch Eurovision. Tomorrow we are meeting up with friends in a soft play. All meals are eaten together as a family. Fairly typical weekend for us.

We are soon moving to a new part of the country so can't wait to explore all of that and enjoy all the new family outings that will be possible. Once Covid restrictions are completely over we want to take DS to London to see the museums.

Idontknowanymore05 · 22/05/2021 08:57

I'm a weekend shift worker (over night) but Sundays are our family fun days where we we'll go out for the day. Farms, Cinema, zoo, theme park - that sort of thing. My children absolutely love it, as do we.

BeaLesshasty · 22/05/2021 09:00

Movie night - eurgh! Do you mean you sit and watch a film together. Or do you watch several films with popcorn and snuggling under blankets?

MrsJBaptiste · 22/05/2021 09:01

@EversoDelighted Yes, us too but we've still had every evening and weekend together when pubs, cinemas, sports clubs, etc. haven't been open and you couldn't see family and friends apart from all those bloody walks!

BeaLesshasty · 22/05/2021 09:45

It came about on the SAHM threads, do everything in the week so at the weekends its " faaaaaamily time"

No, let's not make this a SAHM-v-WOHM thing, it's a Mumsnet/media thing.

And it's cringey. See also "me time."

Templetreebreeze · 22/05/2021 09:57

@BeaLesshasty

It came about on the SAHM threads, do everything in the week so at the weekends its " faaaaaamily time"

No, let's not make this a SAHM-v-WOHM thing, it's a Mumsnet/media thing.

And it's cringey. See also "me time."

People asked when it came about. I replied.
Chosennone · 22/05/2021 10:07

When I was a kid in the 80s it rarely happened unless we were on holiday. My DM worked Saturdays so we were left with Dad who occasionally tried to take us swimming but clearly hated it. We then usually visited his parents and they sat round having a few beers watching sport whilst we entertained ourselves. As soon as I was old enough I ditched them to hang out with friends. Su days we occasionally went for walks before Sunday dinner.

I wanted it to be different for my DC so when they were young we did something most weekends. Often soft play, local parks, farms, zoos, cinema visits, museums, pony centres, theme parks. We honestly did it all. We had the odd weekend day letting them play at home/watch films visit relatives. But it was very full on.

Now they are teens we have a take away every other weekend and watch Gogglebox/Saturday night tv together and pick a film with treats each week. It's much more chilled than when they were little but I do miss those days out at times.

OverTheRubicon · 22/05/2021 10:15

It came about on the SAHM threads, do everything in the week so at the weekends its " faaaaaamily time" Miserable DH and DC being marched around attractions so the Faaamily time can be documented on SM.

That's really not what threads said. They have said - which is pretty reasonable - that when a parent is home and not working during the week with children at school it makes sense to do jobs then, rather than spending weekends doing housework etc. Honestly, your post is really sexist. Why is the man so unhappy to be hanging out with his family?

CatsPyjama · 22/05/2021 10:18

Does family time have to be posted on Facebook as ‘making memories’ too?

We live in the countryside, so we see the seasons changing. We gather berries and make crumbles and pies.

Seasons aren’t exclusive to the countryside. I know, it’s a shock.

underneaththeash · 22/05/2021 10:21

Mine are older too, but we always spend time as a family doing stuff at the weekend (my older boys are happy to game with their friends rather than seeing them). Everyone has an activity Saturday morning - netball, golf or sailing, then we have lunch, play a game in the afternoon or watch a film.
Sunday morning we take the dog out for a walk, lunch and then bake/game again in the afternoon.

We used to have family friends around one or the other weekend days, or grandma visiting and I hope to get that going again.

Templetreebreeze · 22/05/2021 10:24

@OverTheRubicon

It came about on the SAHM threads, do everything in the week so at the weekends its " faaaaaamily time" Miserable DH and DC being marched around attractions so the Faaamily time can be documented on SM.

That's really not what threads said. They have said - which is pretty reasonable - that when a parent is home and not working during the week with children at school it makes sense to do jobs then, rather than spending weekends doing housework etc. Honestly, your post is really sexist. Why is the man so unhappy to be hanging out with his family?

Why does it make sense? All people in a household should do chores not one person. Its an insta / media lifestyle thing which has been pushed along with #blessed#making memories#so lucky etc

You see these families everywhere
They all look so miserable with the enforced time.
Its just not really that healthy imho for everything to be so scheduled.

BeaLesshasty · 22/05/2021 10:25

People asked when it came about. I replied

Incorrectly, I think. WOHMs are just as likely to use it as in "DH and I are at work all week so weekends are family time".

I hate "date night" too.

ncgy · 22/05/2021 10:33

Movie night - eurgh! Do you mean you sit and watch a film together. Or do you watch several films with popcorn and snuggling under blankets?

😆

Templetreebreeze · 22/05/2021 10:33

@BeaLesshasty

People asked when it came about. I replied

Incorrectly, I think. WOHMs are just as likely to use it as in "DH and I are at work all week so weekends are family time".

I hate "date night" too.

Not incorrect no. I specifically remember when the term came into use on here and it was on that context. No idea why everyone is so keen to use it though? Ugh date night Confused
ncgy · 22/05/2021 10:34

tbh I don't think we could afford cinema, theme park or zoo every weekend plus the dc's activities.

AdaThorne · 22/05/2021 10:49

Board games, movie afternoons, swimming, walks. Occasionally cake or breakfast/brunch out.

LindaEllen · 22/05/2021 10:52

Weekends are just me and DP because DSS goes to his mum's at the weekend.

Both of us work in the week, so a large part of the weekend is spent catching up on housework, changing beds etc. But we will always have a lie in together until 10ish, and always cook something nice and watch a couple of films. Also go to see family some weekends. It's nice!

lazylump72 · 22/05/2021 11:04

Weekends are fabulous things in our house and much valued. Not having to set the alarm to rush round doing the school runs is amazing! We all get up when we want,eat when we want and do what we want,its lovely,Some times nothing of note happens,we chill out,relax and just be,Other times we go to the coast or out for lunch and the cinema,Dull but its all of us together,Week days are so busy yes we see each other but its all rushed and not quality time so weekends are very important to me.We catch up and re group. I work monday to friday and wouldnt ever work weekends,its not worth it to me and our family,

Templetreebreeze · 22/05/2021 11:08

@lazylump72

Weekends are fabulous things in our house and much valued. Not having to set the alarm to rush round doing the school runs is amazing! We all get up when we want,eat when we want and do what we want,its lovely,Some times nothing of note happens,we chill out,relax and just be,Other times we go to the coast or out for lunch and the cinema,Dull but its all of us together,Week days are so busy yes we see each other but its all rushed and not quality time so weekends are very important to me.We catch up and re group. I work monday to friday and wouldnt ever work weekends,its not worth it to me and our family,
Sounds perfect to me !
2pinkginsplease · 22/05/2021 11:12

When our children were you fer then weekends were family time in between my work shifts however now they are 17 and 19 weekends are for relaxing, walking and more couple time for Dh and I. Ds works weekends and dd hangs about with her friends .