Anyone else not been able to take the kids out much?

[heartbroken22]

I know last year we had quite a few family days out. This year we've got Disneyland for 2-3 days. It will be our first time with the kids abroad. With everything being so expensive now my partner is not too keen to go here and there and spend on days out. We've been to the park but feeling guilty for my dd5 my baby is also teething (molars) and it's been chaotic. I feel like I should be taking my kids out more. At the moment even doing the weekly shop is so hard for me because I have to take both kids with me as partner does night shifts.

During the worst of Covid ds5 's favourite thing was a little picnic in our local park!! 2 years on he still loves it!! Doesn't have to be a flash do!!

Parks, forest, beach, country side walks, home made treasure hunts, water fights in garden, picnics, at home or out and about - all free! Carboot sales and give the 5year old a few quid to spend, free family activities- music in parks etc - keep a look out online.
Just make the everyday things as “ special “ as possible. Kids don’t know the value of money so don’t care if things are free or not so don’t be wasting your time feeling guilty!!

5 years olds don’t need days out that cost loads of money. Picnics at different local parks or even in the garden, can help make the food too. Arts and crafts at home, paddling pool or water play outside, some councils have free activities throughout the summer too. There are often days out websites which list free activities or places to go locally.

Play dates! That's what we do. We host some and get invited to others. Just for a couple of hours.

Little ones are happy with the park.
do you have a free farm nearby, a river they can paddle in? You can get scooters off free cycle and go to the scooter park.

also warm your husband when you go to Disney how expensive everything is and TELL him not to get grumpy and spoil things. We had our first meal out there 10 years ago and our two sandwiches, cokes and children's hot dogs were 50 euros - which is obviously going to be even more now.

I'm in the same boat, although we're not going to Disneyland or anywhere really! I've a 4YO and a 10MO, the baby is teething THREE molars at the same time. It's been a nightmare. I live off coffee and even thinking about big days out gives me a headache.

I managed to make DH book a day a week off work for the whole summer, as I thought it will be tough, and I was right. That's the only day we're going for short car drives somewhere. Which also sucks as DH doesn't drive and I don't feel comfortable driving too far on so little sleep.

Today we just went out puddle jumping. There are some stalls in the town park tomorrow, with face painting, which might be fun. We're doing lots of nature walks and took some pictures of plants, we'll be drawing them later.
Seeing all other mums on social media having 'big days out' several times a week makes me feel a bit bad, but all I really want to do is have a nap!

At 5 it really doesn't matter. Give your ds a bucket and sponge to wash the car/garden furniture whatever. Make an obstacle course in the garden, use chairs and blankets to make a den. Fill a shoe box with compost to make miniature garden. Write letters or draw pictures for people and take them to the post office. Get him involved in gardening or house work. Even if he's rubbish, he may kill an hour hovering!

I'm struggling to get the DCs out; the humidity has sent DS's asthma haywire, so his most exciting outing's been a trip in an ambulance for an all nighter in A&E.

I'm struggling to even go to shops as the contrast from outside to air conditioning/ chillers has triggered 4 of the asthma attacks in the past week and the other was in a park.

We've got a couple of 'holidays' for the DC. Both are visiting friends who live in other places. One Yorkshire the other East Sussex. for two nights each. Then we are hosting one of them as well for two nights in October half term.
It won't be particularly exciting but gives them the experience of being somewhere else, other surrounding, different playgrounds etc. And it won't cost anything more than petrol and a meal out.