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Original poster

What are you doing today with your kids?

33 replies

ActonBell · 03/10/2021 09:14

Feeling quite down and could do with some reassurance that I’m not a totally crap mum. What are you up to with your little ones today?

I’m 29 weeks pregnant and knackered. DH is working today. 4 year old doesn’t seem to be able to play independently at all. I foresee a lot of screen time today Sad

But yesterday (DH also working) DS and I went to the park, played board games and read books/listened to audio books. We were going to make homemade pizzas but the car broke down so we couldn’t get the ingredients. Had takeaway pizza instead which is a massive treat for DS.

So, today…
Try to relax about screen time
Get him to do some “cleaning” with a spray bottle and a cloth
Get him to help make batter for toad in the hole for lunch
Maybe fairy cakes
More board games
More books

We’ve not signed him up for any clubs yet as he’s only just started reception and we were worried he would be too tired. After Christmas I think we’ll look at him starting a regular sport on a weekend.

We also used to go to church on a Sunday but we’re being cautious with Covid at the moment because I’m in the third trimester and the kids activities haven’t fully restarted anyway.

What are you up to today?

OP posts:
firstimemamma · 03/10/2021 09:17

Lazy morning
Off out for a walk somewhere
Baking banana bread

Ds is 3 and I'm also pregnant so I understand!

sittingonacornflake · 03/10/2021 09:18

I mean me and 3yo DS are on our second film already.....

DunderMifflinSalesRep · 03/10/2021 09:20

It's chucking it down with rain here so I'm guessing lots of screen time. Eldest has homework to do. May go for a walk round the block if the rain eases off just for some fresh air. Youngest wants to wash her Barbie dolls in the bath.

Interested in this thread?

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3rd trimester 4 year olds Families General pregnancy
SpicyPickle22 · 03/10/2021 09:20

Sounds quite similar to our day! I’m 34 weeks pregnant and on crutches and pretty ill and home with 7 year old while husband is at work. We’re going to nip to Sainsbury’s to get some stuff for a roast and popcorn for a movie day. She wants to watch something scary as she’s all in the October mood.

riotlady · 03/10/2021 09:23

I’m unwell so lots of screen time here too, I think. Will convince DH to take her to play in the garden for a bit and might make some cakes from a packet.

Footprintsonthemoon1 · 03/10/2021 09:23

Kids party soon. Walk free lunch then a movie afternoon with lot of snacks. Hopefully they'll play nice after the film and I'll get a lamb dinner made

Snowdropsandbluebells · 03/10/2021 09:25

Theatre visit (first in nearly two years)
Planting a few bulbs.

Roast dinner

We've had a tough week so it's going to be a welcome visit.

Nutrigrainygoodness · 03/10/2021 09:25

Dd (12) is at my mums- so I'll wait for her to walk home (when she finally gets out of bed)
We will make French toast and bacon for lunch
Dd needs some new walking boots for a school trip, so we might wander down to the Mountain Warehouse if the weather isn't too bad.
Probably play either a board game or a few card games.
Then have tea and slob infront of the TV together and watch last week's bake off.

Snowdropsandbluebells · 03/10/2021 09:26

Honestly we don't often do anything so if you need an easy day or two take it !

AllotmentTime · 03/10/2021 09:36

OP - does he like baths? “Play bath” was my favourite rainy day activity for the DC at that age. Plenty of bubbles and throw some random things in like an empty washing up bottle he can squirt water out of or a sieve he can wave around in the water to make the bubbles go frothy. Anything plastic you can find in your kitchen basically. A few ice cubes are fun. Take a book or your phone in and sit next to him enjoying the fact that you’ll have the bath out the way so one less thing to do at bedtime Grin

CigarsofthePharoahs · 03/10/2021 09:42

My children are currently "sorting" the laundry.
My parents are coming over later and they'll probably still be "sorting". I'm planning bribing them to tidy with the offer of some angel cake.

Bowtie292 · 03/10/2021 09:42

My DS is now 13 so he pretty much does his own thing but I remember the guilt of screen time well and I look back now and think it was so ridiculous!

You're doing an absolutely fantastic job. No harm will come from a day in front of the TV. Relax, get cosy, rest as much as you can. Run him a nice bath and let him play in it for a while, bake the cakes, read a few book and then get the TV on.

RedToothBrush · 03/10/2021 09:46

Home work. Mainly.

Ds had extra phonics set and teacher told us we needed to go on an autumn walk (buying ingredients for dinner on the way). He has already had 4 items of homework this week. He's 7.

Then will get him involved in making pie for dinner as DH has been away for the weekend and will be like a bear with sore head on return so need to entertain child and stuff husband full of food for my own sanity.

Original poster
ActonBell · 03/10/2021 10:16

@AllotmentTime - yes! We’ll do a bath. That will be brilliant.

Tipping down here too which is why I made sure we got out yesterday.

@RedToothBrush - that sounds like a lot for a 7 year old. We’ve done DS’s school reading book this morning and at some point today I’m going to try to persuade him to write the letter ‘d’ but that’s it. He is only in reception though and is one of the youngest. He loves reading so we’re lucky with that.

My worry about screen time is that he plays a lot of Mario on the Nintendo Switch. Husband introduced this when I was very, very ill earlier in pregnancy. He only plays this game, nothing unsuitable in it. In the week we have a system of tokens with ten minutes on the switch per token (he gets 6 for the day) and he often doesn’t have any other screen time. But at the weekend it goes to pot especially as I’m so shattered lately and having lots of hormone-induced headaches.

Still, we’ve read and he’s had a healthy breakfast so that’s not a terrible start.

OP posts:
lifecoachingandotherbollocks · 03/10/2021 10:20

You're a great mum! Flowers Ds is coming home from camp today, im getting over a cold, it will be a quiet day

TheLovelinessOfDemons · 03/10/2021 10:22

My DC are older and we'll do absolutely nothing.

Myusernameisnotmyusernameno · 03/10/2021 10:36

My DD is 8. DH is in a band so we're going to his gig this afternoon. This morning she has a piano lesson. But she is an early riser so she will have already watched tv this morning

Waxonwaxoff0 · 03/10/2021 11:44

DS is 8. We have a bit of a routine on Sundays as they are centred around his hobbies. He's currently at swimming practice, when it finishes we will go to a café for a light lunch and then he has horse riding this afternoon. Home for about 3.30, then read some of his school reading book and then I let him have screen time until dinner while I do some tidying/washing/ironing.

Don't feel guilty over screen time, technology is everywhere now, they even use bloody iPads at school. I think it's just the way of the world these days.

lollipoprainbow · 03/10/2021 11:45

Sorting out my dd's bedroom it's got way out of hand !!

Imatwinmum · 03/10/2021 11:48

We have new babies, so yesterday I did a mummy daughter date with DD. Shopping and cake, then she had a nap and we played at home.

Today we had a lazy morning, it’s sunny but freezing. DH has taken DD swimming, we’ve got a stew in the slow cooker. I’m sat on the sofa cuddling my babies with a cuppa.

She goes to nursery 4 days a week at the moment so weekends are relaxing for all of us. A chance to have one on one time with eldest (and DH with babies).

May go for a walk later. It’s my absolute favourite time of year. Smile

HerRoyalRisesAgain · 03/10/2021 11:50

We did homework and now they're watching cartoons. Going to play a board game in a bit

Imatwinmum · 03/10/2021 11:50

Don’t worry about screen time! Seriously you’re third trimester, give yourself a break. When I was pregnant with my twins DD watched Peppa most of the day because I could barely move, and we sat cuddling on the sofa and played with her dolls with lots of snacks. She loved it and isn’t worse off at all.

EllieSattler · 03/10/2021 11:53

My DC were off school on Thursday and Friday because of a closure (not covid related thank feck) and have been hyper and unsettled. We had a playdate and a birthday party yesterday, and they've been bickering this morning, so I'm letting them rest in front of the finest Disney+ has to offer.
Later - reading, bath, hair wash, maybe a walk seeing as the sun is out. I might make a raspberry loaf cake for lunchboxes this week and get them to 'help'.

TheWayTheLightFalls · 03/10/2021 11:53

Another one here who is very pregnant and has a 4yo.

DH woke up with her. Long breakfast. Bit of schoolwork. Then she played a vaguely educational app. Now she’s off at a language class. She’s usually knackered when she’s back so we’ll be in front of the TV for ages.

Tbh I signed her up for swimming and this (v important, to us) language class a few months back but she comes home from nursery (not reception even) absolutely done in, so a weekend of not doing very much beyond a potter round the shops/local park is ideal imo.

MumOfTwoChildren · 03/10/2021 12:25

My little boy is 3 today so having a bit of a special birthday day, currently cosy on the sofa watching the Paw-Patrol movie for what must be the 10th time, the weather is surprisingly nice so will go for a walk soon, my newborn is quietly fixated on a balloon that's bobbing around the living room, so a rare peaceful Sunday here.
Got birthday cake for this afternoon and a bottle of Apple pie Baileys waiting for me once the kids go to bed.