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Original poster

Summer holidays - how many days do you “do nothing”?!

89 replies

Wingingit11 · 26/07/2023 10:53

As above really.

How many days eg a week do your kids potter around the house without seeing others /doing any proper activity ?

OP posts:

PrancerandDancer · 27/07/2023 22:47

Some weeks are busier than others and she is doing one or two days forest school camp whilst I work but this week, she's bone tired so we are trying to stay home and let her decompress.

Luckily we have a crafter who will watch a bit of TV but then do colouring or play and just potters and does her own thing.

She just needed time to relax, school is so full on for them.

Draconis · 27/07/2023 23:10

We go out most days. Even if it's just to go to the shops, walk to the park or cycle round the streets. Love staying at home pottering but it's definitely more enjoyable once we've been out.

Gonnawashmymouthout · 27/07/2023 23:12

My 7 year old struggles “doing nothing” so it’s very rare we get a full day at home.

Ambi · 27/07/2023 23:15

It'll be most of the holidays tbh. DH and I work FT, I'm from home so I can be around for them but I can't spend weeks doing activities with them. We'll have the odd day out, mainly at weekends. We're also mid renovation so our downtime (and money) is spent getting the house in a more presentable state so they can have friends over.

bellsbuss · 27/07/2023 23:25

1 maybe 2 days during the week in the holidays and sometimes a day at the weekend depending on what we have on. Some days we might be out all day or maybe just half the day but I like to be out and about

BogRollBOGOF · 28/07/2023 08:51

I tend to do little and often to break most days up rather than lots of "big days out".

DS1 needs a lot of down time (which we have through term times anyway) but left to his own devices, it would literally be every waking hour on devices, so we do need to create windows to get out and move every day. I haven't put him into things like sports camps for years.

DS2 is higher energy and I do book him in for some sports camps. He'll come in and out with me more anyway.

NorthWestThree · 28/07/2023 08:59

Now the kids are older it's really hard to find things to do that don't cost money. We are struggling financially and so I can't keep doing days out at cinema, mini golf, swimming, theme parks. When they were little it was all exploring in the woods and going to the park but now that just doesn't cut it 😂
I have outsourced and am sending them to camp for a week, and we have a week holiday booked but other than that it'll be movies at home, maybe some baking with my youngest, and some walks.

Bouncyball23 · 28/07/2023 09:05

We normally get out couple of times a week for cheap/free days out beach new park fair etc but with this weather we have been stuck in starting to get cabin fever hopefully rain ends soon.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 28/07/2023 09:10

None. Ever.

DS(8) doesn't chill or potter, he likes to be busy and if he isn't then he pesters for screens. On work days if we're not away he goes to activity camps with friends, which he loves. I don't work Fridays and I would love a lie in and a day pottering, but no. He has been up since before seven, and we are going out to play tennis now because he is bouncing off the walls. This is so he can improve his skills for the "tournament" (the LTA would not recognise the game being played) he will be playing in this afternoon.

He has a complex schedule of playdates and I suppose those count as doing nothing, although it doesn't feel like that when it's my turn to have them here.

He doesn't even really like going on holiday because the idea of relaxing is totally alien to him 😫. I would like a one week silent retreat where I could just stare at a tranquil lake and meditate.

ivfbabymomma1 · 28/07/2023 09:11

I work at my sons school on the reception desk so we fortunately have the same holidays.

We leave the house in some capacity every day but that could just be to walk the dogs.

We do an actual activity twice a week I'd say. I wouldn't be able to afford to do this daily!

CoodleMoodle · 28/07/2023 09:15

We usually do a mix of everything. Maybe one big day out a week (farm/zoo, museum, etc), and a couple of smaller days (library, ducks, walk in the woods). Then the rest is pottering around at home with maybe a trip to the park or the shop just to get some air. We do have a garden and a trampoline and they go out there quite a bit.

My DC are 9 and 5 and either get on very well or scream at each other. Nothing else. If we're out then it's fine, but if we stay in they get restless and that's when they start bickering. When the screaming starts, we go out! If they spent a whole day being friends then I'd quite happily stay in.

marshmallowfinder · 28/07/2023 09:26

As many as possible!

dameofdilemma · 28/07/2023 10:45

Pre puberty downtime days were filled with playing with Lego/in the garden/arts and crafts etc.

Post puberty downtime days are filled with screens, screens and more screens. So yes it's chilled out but not exactly great for DD.

DD will have to have the odd day like that as we both work and there's only so much holiday club time a non sporty 11 yr old will put up with, if her friends aren't going.

brokenlore · 28/07/2023 11:48

4/5 days nothing. I work part time, and drop to two days a week during summer then go back up to four days. Dc prefer just being at home on my non working days, the two days I work, they sometimes take themselves off with their friends sometimes their friends come round and they all mope about together. It was a bit different when they were younger, but once they hit secondary school, they make their own plans. I'm sometimes a taxi for them, but as I've said they generally just like being at home when I'm at home weirdos!

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