What does your 8yo do at weekends?

[EatingWormsMichael]

When dc was little I'd be out every weekend - soft play, park, museum etc. My philosophy was active morning, wear him out, home for the afternoon.

He's 8 now and I've not been out at weekends for a long time. We sit about at home, he plays his video games, I potter and do housework.

Today he was on a screen ALL day. We stopped to do build a model together but then his friend rang to do a call while they played online together so I let him so he could interact with someone.

I have a nagging sense of guilt about this new lifestyle. He enjoys his games and I like chilling but I know we should be more active and getting out and about.

My guilt came to a head tonight when he had a headache and felt sick and I'm sure it's cos he's been in front of a screen all day. Completely my fault. I've said let's do something 2moro.

I'm not entirely sure what we will do. He doesn't enjoy sport, he used to love soft play but maybe getting too old now and I think would prefer going with a friend vs alone.

Does your 8yo get out and about much at weekends? Do you ever feel guilty like this?

My 8 year old did Tae Kwon Do, roller disco and swimming today outside of the house.

Screens all day is bad for them for sure.

What does he enjoy? You could do a activity like bowling, trampolines, clip & climb etc. Or a walk, orienteering, geocaching.

You could take a friend for him. Depending where you are there are big soft plays more suitable for 8-10 year olds. Or just take them to kick a football around the park or scooters

Clip and climb is a great idea - when I take DD (who is a bit younger) I see lots of 8 - 11 year olds doing it.

We limit screens so just an hour or so on Friday sat and Sunday (I notice behaviour and motivation is a mahoosive issue otherwise)

so football or we got swimming. They might help me to cook or do a bit of diy. but they do claim to be bored so this weather limits us

It’s so hard this age, my 8yo never wants to go out but I do make him despite the whinging and generally once we’re out somewhere he’s totally fine and enjoys it. We have a 4yo too though so have extra motivation! He has karate middle of the day on Sat so that breaks things up and we often go out straight after or arrange a play date for the afternoon. Sundays we do always go out afternoons for a walk / ride on bikes somewhere. I don’t feel guilty about screen time outside of this and we relax about this at the weekends. It’s a normal part of life for their generation, all about balance… guilt won’t help, he’s old enough to have a chat about needing other things in his life aswell as screens. I don’t think gaming is inherently bad, it can teach them a lot if skills, but just needs to be balanced out with other things too.

DSs are 10 and 6. Today they have played several board games, watched the rugby with DH and cartoons before DH and I were up, helped (DS1 more than DS2) DH with a fair whack of DIY, done their homework and had 20 minutes each on the Switch. In better weather they would have been outside (cricket bat and tennis balls in hand) for a fair few hours. That’s a pretty slack day to my mind. Most of DS1’s mates will have had football today and once cricket matches start he’ll be out all Saturday morning (and was aged 9…at 8 COVID rather scuppered that!).

Baking might be a nice option for tomorrow - get out for a walk and buy the ingredients for a stir fry and then a cake 🎂??
or let him read to you ?

Ooh yes my 8yo LOVES geocaching that always gets him out!

Yeah, not good.

Bike rides, library, play dates, beach walks, grocery shopping, cooking.

Basically anything other than screen time

My DD is 7 and in yr 3. She has a swimming lesson on Saturday mornings and then does theatre school all Saturday afternoon. Sunday mornings is netball matches and Sunday afternoons she does her homework and piano practice and chills out on her iPad or we go out for a mooch round the shops.

When my DS was that age (and indeed still now he's at secondary school) it was sports on both Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Thanks everyone. I think I need to plan ahead and book time with his friends for the weekend, then I can take them to whatever activity we do.

I've just got really lazy lately and he isn't keen to do anything so I just lapse into staying home.

I think he'd like...
Clip and climb
Swimming (wish I was thinner!)
Inflatable place
Trampoline Park
Park
Going out on bike
Laser tag

Oh there's loads it's just my laziness!!

Sports? Joining a football team will mean weekend matches and probably a training session during the week. Great for keeping them active and social.

I get what you mean. It's hard having to enforce fun days when they'd rather just be at home. Fwiw I don't think a lazy, screen day once in a while is a bad thing. We all need to unwind. But sometimes a walk, trip to the park, coffee and cake somewhere, McDonald's lunch, even a shopping trip can get them out the house.

We've not found a sport he enjoys yet. He tried football and cricket for a few weeks - he wasn't happy.

I know that if I get the balance back I'll be less bothered about the screentime.

Mine does a lot of dance at the weekend, but also stuff like baking, reading, crafts, Lego etc. I try to limit screens as she'd spend a lot of time on her tablet if not. When the weather's better we'll be back walking, cycling, and doing more outdoor stuff again too.

Between about 8 and 11 my DS really needed to do sport and get outside both Sat and Sun morning, otherwise behaviour went downhill and nagging for screens was incessant We found cheap local swimming and karate lessons (that I didn't have to join in and could read...) or a bike ride, run/walk etc. He is older now and can moderate his online use so it's all a lot easier.

Look at more individually focused sports perhaps like climbing, diving (we did that for a few terms) martial arts. Team sports were a no-go here.

Would he enjoy junior Parkrun? Timed 2km on Sunday mornings and you’d be welcome to do it with him, doesn’t matter how fast he is. Earn wristbands for participation. You need to register for free on Parkrun website and unless you are very rural there is likely to be one near you. Gets you up and about with the rest of the day to play with. My 8 year old has lots of weekend activities (music, swimming, drama) but my 12 year old has to be dragged off screens so I sympathise. We make him go out and walk the dog to get some fresh air and he’s trying fencing (also not a sporty kid) which is going well so far.

Today my 8 year old did karate this morning, we went swimming as a family this afternoon and then he built a massive snowman after tea.

and some screens in between that!

I get you OP DS is 11 (asd so a lot younger socially) and it's a struggle getting him out. His older brothers were out every weekend morning with sports - rugby/ swimming- but he's just not that sort of boy. He does karate and cubs on week nights, but reluctant to sign up to other weekend things as he has a history of just refusing to go (rugby was great for a while then he hated the early starts).

I've had all the guilt for years, but just had to accept that he's different. It was easy with the other 2, so don't let PP make you feel bad with their 'My DC would never have screen time' comments. All kids are different.

We got DC3 out to the park (stunt scooter) today, which was a win. Tomorrow weather is vile- wind/ rain/ sleet, so I'll attempt Ikea (he loves the meatballs!) or swimming, but he needs to be in the mood. If it's Fortnite most of the day I'll not stress and try some board games later afternoon. Don't beat yourself up.

Would he prefer drama to sport? My 8yo was at theatre school 9am - 3.30pm, then we walked home via the library and supermarket. My 6yo had screens until about 10am then played with his toys, helped me tidy and make rice crispie cakes, read some books and we left the house about 2.45 to go get DD.

Plays football Saturday morning, we often go out for breakfast after this. He then usually arranges to play with friends from school in an afternoon (organised this himself!) so we will either have them here, or he goes to theirs. If they are here, sometimes we will take them out for a walk or lunch or whatever with us. .

Sunday - sometimes junior Parkrun ( it very often lately!)
We are into walking and hiking so recently while we have had no Saturday night plans we've been getting up and out early on a Sunday and climbing hills/mountains which he has really enjoyed. Agreed he is too old for soft play now.
He's allowed screen time around all this. He knows if we weren't active he wouldn't be on games/devices though

Agree with PPs, he never wants to go out but loves it when we are out!
Also, we go on bike rides together. Take a picnic for half way, he loves it.
Always helps if you can take friends too

Also screens aren't ideal but if he's anything like my son he will be gaming with friends so it's quite a social thing rather than mindless staring at a screen. Agree with pp, don't let the 'my dc never use screens' brigade make you feel bad. The world is changing and there's nothing wrong with it in moderation with a bit of park/walk/baking/reading interspersing it.

F