to wonder if a daily trip to the park and an icecream is a human right?

[stella1w]

I take my 3.5 yo to the park every day and also usually cave into demands for an icecream. I don't remember being taken to the park this much when I was her age in the early 70s. But I kind of feel obliged to take her every day even though often it's tiring and hot for me and her newborn baby brother. Should I just skip it and let her play in our overgrown garden?

Get some icepops in (!) get sun lounger out, put some toys out (teddy tea party), baby asleep next to you, sit down and.... Relax! :o

I hardly ever take mine to the park and she gets ice cream once in a blue moon. I do loads of other activities but just not tht.

Depends what else you are doing with her. If she's not going to preschool due to summer holidays, and you are not doing much else in terms of outings, I think it would be a nice "constant" to her so she doesn't associate the boring summer where nothing ever happened with her new brother...

good point. I've got ice lollies at home but of course she thinks it's not the same thing as having an icecream while out!!!

Work on your garden, fill it with toys, get some ice cream, sit and relax.

No, ice lollies in the garden are lovely. Garden one day, park the next! Are you up to cutting grass and getting her 'weeding'? I make myself cut the grass so that I can sit an enjoy it afterwards!

I didn't take my dcs to the park every day in the summer holidays and neither of them got bored or deprived. We mixed our activities with some days in the garden and other days out and about. Nobody at 3.5 needs to "do much" in terms of constant, organised activities. Simple pleasures are just fine, especially if you have a newborn to look after too.

Nothing at all wrong with playing in the garden, and ice pops from the freezer! Keep the trips to the park for when you feel you all need a change of scenery.

I agree lollies at home are just not the same as an ice cream bought when out - but think it's fine to keep the latter as an occasional treat, surely it's even more special that way!