What do you all do at weekends?

[BrokenLampShade]

Just following up from another thread where I’ve said how soul destroying I find weekends I know I need to make some changes, but what do you actually do?

I can’t look at another bloody park, I find all other families are busy being families, going out for lunch is more stress than it’s worth, so what do you all do?
And please don’t say walks, walking is a mode of transport not an activity 🙈

I haven't seen the other thread but at weekends we usually see friends we don't manage to see during the week, the DC do some activities on Sundays and we go to church which takes up most of Sunday morning. We try to soend some family time on Saturdays and play board games or do the type of crafty/construction type toys that need adult input. We also let the kids play and potter about while we do housework as they don't get that much time to play with their toys during the week. Written down it sounds boring but in practice I don't find it that way.

we don't do much to be honest. We have no family nearby . We might occasionally see friends on a Saturday evening but only a handful of times a year. Sorry but we do walk at the weekends, but we have to as we have 2 boisterous dogs ! I do the family food shop on a Saturday. I will then mooch around the local charity shops, sometime walk with a friend. I will sometimes bake if I'm in the mood. To be honest sometimes I am glad when the weekend is over as I like to be back to the routing of work.

Do you have kids that need to be factored in?

@Letsallscreamatthesistene sorry yes we have 4 DC, between 12 & 3

@Ca55andraMortmain that doesn’t sound boring at all, sounds like just the weekends I’m after, but tbh it all just descends into chaos in my house
What I’m struggling with is the lack of feeling like we’re all together, we are all very much on our own schedules doing different things without each other
Do you all get up at the same time??

Sometimes loads sometimes very little, to me that's the whole point of weekends. Do exactly what you want. Friday night usually takeaway and a film or a box set we can all watch (me, DH and DS13). DH and DS have a season ticket for football so that takes up one afternoon eow. Yesterday I went to see my Mum, DH went to look for a new bike and DS did some homework, this morning they went to DS football match, I walked into town and had a mooch around. This afternoon more homework, food shopping, washing and getting sorted for the week. DH will run while I do dinner and the Dr Who, Strictly and Top Gear with a glass of wine or 2

No we don't get up at the same time. Dh and I take turns to have a lie in. I get Saturday and he gets Sunday. Everyone is up by 9 though and whoever isn't having a lie in has to have the DC breakfasted, dressed and ready for the day by the time the other one gets up so we're ready to start the day by 9.30.

Ah ok. Well I have a 19mo. Our weekends involve something as a famoly once a day - like a trip to the beach/aquarium (ANYTHING - although its probably easier with one than trying to find something to suit everyone). Then we do stuff we want - yesterday I went to the gym in the afternoon whilst my OH looked after the toddler. Today my OH wanted to go to a Remembrance Parade, so I looked after my son in the morning then we'll do something this afternoon.

My dc are 11/13...I ferry my eldest to football training and matches. We visit family. Occasionally eat out...watch TV, catch up with homework. My dd and I might do some crafts or baking. Yesterday we made candles!

When my DC were younger, I literally took them to the park every single weekend come rain or shine.

Every Saturday morning my DS has sports matches. We sometimes visit family or friends after or go and get shopping. Or go fishing, my son loves fishing. Sundays are usually spent doing something together, swimming, ice skating, museums or local kids attractions etc. Today my son had a sports festival to attend and DD (12) is away in to town centre to go swimming and look around the shops with her friend whilst I've caught up with housework.
At night we often have a film/series night where we make snacks and watch something together or have a games night.

Some weekends though...we don't do very much and kids sit and play their games consoles etc. They both have very busy quite structured weeks so I'm happy to let them dictate how much they want to do at the weekend.

@Ca55andraMortmain

No we don't get up at the same time. Dh and I take turns to have a lie in. I get Saturday and he gets Sunday. Everyone is up by 9 though and whoever isn't having a lie in has to have the DC breakfasted, dressed and ready for the day by the time the other one gets up so we're ready to start the day by 9.30.

This is what we do too (I have a 3 year old and a 9 month old). We tend to spend the rest of the mornings all together, either going out or staying in, and then the afternoons are when either DH or I get some time to ourselves (right now he's out - the baby is napping and DS1 is watching a film, which is why I'm messing about on my phone!). Obviously if we're doing something that takes all day that's fine, but that's our usual pattern if not. Saturday night is the only night of the week that the DC don't eat with me and DH; they have tea and then we have either takeaway or some other sort of 'treat food' (which includes anything the DC won't eat!), have wine or beer and usually watch a film snuggled up together.

Written down like that it all seems really scheduled and boringly predictable but it seems to work for us - I guess that's life with tiny children!

Our DC are older but much of our weekend time revolves around the DCs sports and our own hobbies (cycling for DH, allotment for me). We get up whenever we need to or want to, not all at the same time. We don't tend to eat breakfast or lunch together, just dinner. Maybe go shopping, do housework, laundry, everyone just cracks on really.

I'm divorced with an 8yo DS. If it's my weekend with DS we do a day out on Saturday - mini golf, bowling, zoo. Sunday he does hobbies.

When it's my ex's weekend with DS I see friends, go on weekends away, etc.

The DC are grown, so now its hiking, canoeing, pootting about the second hand shops, going for drives.

When the kids were young, it was their friends over, or them at friends, visiting GP, getting all the running around done for the up coming week, plus whatever outdoor recreation we could squeeze in.

I find life very dull at the moment- weekends are spent doing a food shop, taking dd (14) to meet up with friends, helping our older dc with things they need doing (dh is flat hunting so we are currently looking at places online and emailing estate agents).
Am on a diet and all spare money is bring channelled towards Christmas, so it all feels a bit joyless right now. There are jobs which need to be done everyday such as laundry and cooking so the weekend is just more of the same.
I also know that something needs to change.

… we’ve a 3 year old and I’m 37 weeks pregnant. I can’t wait to get this baby out and hopefully get up to much more.

Currently - supermarket/park/library/family to visit is all we do. A trip to a local farm park was a highlight last week; but only doable as my parents visited (we don’t drive). Also all our friends with toddlers are (like us) constantly battling sickness so we haven’t seen much of them for months!

Joining a church has helped me enjoy weekends much more. We’ve made friends there and I enjoy the routine of it.

I also like that it’s always there. My DH is sometimes away at weekends and so going to church for half a day on Sunday gives me some much needed adult company.

During lockdown we also go into a habit of cooking elaborate Sunday roasts, that was fun. We’d all just collapse and watch a film afterwards

Clean and try and organise for Monday, also game of football or chasing, a walk (sorry) and some board games or tv and sc one reading

This weekend was pretty typical:

Sat:
I took DS to swimming lesson while DH and other DS collected Tesco shop.
Pub lunch with in laws (a duty thing, didn’t enjoy). There was a playground so spent most of the time out there.
Kids went to their friends’ house for tea so me and DH sat in bed watching telly.
Strictly, The Wheel and The Chase, classic!

Sunday:
I took DS2 to a birthday this morning (started at 8:30!!!!!!). Home at 11 ish. Meanwhile DH was doing homework etc with eldest.
Have been studying this afternoon, kids playing and on screens, DH went to the tip. I did a workout.

For me the key to a good weekend is do lots of little things. One big day trip means the weekend goes so fast and nothing is achieved. IE we have done lots of chores around the house etc in between other engagements which we couldn’t have done if we were on a day out.

Saturday morning I put a load of washing in then go food shopping, extended family zoom at 12 then soup for lunch.
Take the DCs to riding/gym in the afternoon one of them might go out with friends, more washing, try to have something interesting for dinner (or a takeaway) and often watch a movie.

Sunday go for a long run, then take DS to football afternoon is homework and cooking sometimes see friends/family, might zoom the other half.

We do everything you hate! Saturdays are pretty much taken up by DD's hobbies.

Sundays, we usually do whatever she likes - which is usually brunch/lunch in town and shopping or sometimes in the next (larger) town for variation, soft play, walk/scooter/bike ride, playground, mini golf, shopping, a drive to the seaside and a walk across the beach/chips/amusements. At home we'll have a day where we play whatever she wants, watch a film and eat popcorn or pop out to get a magazine and spend an afternoon reading the stories and doing the activities or baking.

I’m single with adult children, I do absolutely nothing at weekends. Today , Well , I’m still in bed , I can’t be bothered to do anything , I’m wondering if I’m depressed actually.

Saturdays- DD has drama club in town late morning. DH and I take turns to take her, the other one does something with DS. This week it was crazy golf. Dinner all together. No evening plans this week, dH and I watched Red Notice on netflix.

Sundays- I go to a body pump class at the gym in the morning, get the sandwiches made for the next daytime, put washing away etc then we either have a pub lunch or lunch at home eg baked potato, then go and visit family or go to a country park or go bowling or something all together.

Sunday:I took DS2 to a birthday this morning (started at 8:30!!!!!!).

@WakeUpLockie I have a few friends who take their DCs to swimming lessons or football at this ridiculous time on a weekend morning but inflicting this on other families is not on! I would definitely decline the invitation

Kids are teens. They do what they do. Often watch a football match in Sunday afternoon. If not i walk. Miles. Snowdon very often. If its really shite weather, i batch cook.

Im rarely bored

Sorry, OP, but we do go for walks every weekend day! We have a dog though, so we have to. We try to find at least one new place a week and have a good hour there, usually try to ensure there is a park or pub involved at the end too. We do national trust places, forests etc.

This weekend looked like this:
Saturday:
I lay in bed all day feeling like death warmed up with a cold. DH took DDog for a walk along the beach. DS2, DS3 and DD spent the day in their rooms playing, crafting, generally having a pyjama day. DS1 had drill practice in the morning then spent the afternoon with his girlfriend.

Today:
Up early for parades. DH took DS2 into the big city for the big parade, whilst I took DS1 and DD for the local village one. After that we all had lunch together (including DS1s girlfriend) and then DH and I took DC's 3 & 4 and the DDog to the farm shop for a wander and to get nice trips. Now all home, we've cleaned and tidied bedrooms. I've got dinner on the go and I'm ironing. DH is helping DD with homework, the boys are doing theirs upstairs.

It's fairly mundane/boring to be honest. DD usually has a riding lesson on one weekend day but hasn't for a few weeks.

Most people aren't living the life they put on insta every weekend :)