AIBU to want a 'fulfilling' weekend? What does your weekend look like?

[DiamondsAreForNever]

I work ft (DH works nearly ft too) and housework is shared 50/50 but I do at least 90% of the organising/thinky stuff at home (that's not likely to change quickly, I know I have a DH problem there but am working on it). The weekend usually goes with DH staring into space not doing a lot on the sofa, DD on a screen of some kind (tablet, laptop, ds) or on the sofa also not doing a lot with DH if I've said no more screen time. Both of them seem incapable of entertaining themselves, DH because he's quite happy doing nothing and DD because she's bored and too lazy to find something to do (she's not generally lazy in terms of school/housework though to be fair). Drives me nuts though, I want to relax and spend time with them as I don't have a lot of free time in the week but it's so achingly dull and pointless.

I'm quite easygoing as far as preferences about what we do, I'm always the last to say 'nah, don't fancy that' even if it's something I wouldn't choose myself, but AIBU to want to spend the weekend relaxing but actually doing something most of the time rather than sat staring at a wall or a screen? I really don't care what it is but just doing something together!

Neither of us drive and we don't have a lot of money so 'trips' out can't be a regular thing and we do housework at weekends but in between is just a mix of tv, computer, the odd board game and a whole lot of nothing.

I really don't want to have to organise the weekend as well as everything else but it seems the only way I'll get it 'spiced up' at all so please can I ask for suggestions - what do you do at the weekend that doesn't involve a lot of going to specific places/spending money? Also things that don't involve me doing a lot of prep or a lot of work would be appreciated!

I am always amazed at family groups that spend their weekends mooching around the shops/going out for a coffee etc - actually I would quite like to do that but cannot imagine my DH of 27 years ever choosing to spend leisure time 'shopping' .

And no, before anyone asks, I don't do his shopping for him - he never buys new clothes and if he does need the rare thing for his hobbies he shops on-line .

We only get Sundays as a family as DH works all day Saturdays and I work Saturday mornings. Sundays are planned around F1 and rugby when they're on as we all love watching them. But we'll go for walks, maybe do some baking and get most the housework done. Our other day all together is a Wednesday. That's spent with various appts at the moment for each one of us (jabs, speech therapy etc.) But afternoons are spent with some sitting on the couch (I'm not a fan but my DH is trying to get me to spend 10 minutes sitting doing nothing even if it kills me) but mostly finding something for us to do as a family. Last Wednesday we played board games.

The last few weeks have been hard with both DCs having chicken pox. We've not been able to get out and do stuff (hence the board games) but DH and I like to spend time as a family together and purposely ale sure we doffer. Not doing ended with an argument a couple of years ago (surprisingly him getting fed up of becoming like our boring parents and me not really realising) so things changed after a heart to heart.

Oh and once a month we do go around the shops. Never to purposely buy anything but to browse and spend time doing something a little different.

We have mixed weekends here but try to get out and about otherwise it's just too easy to spend 48hrs 'chilling' in front of the TV or doing jobs.

This weekend we've done parkrun followed by a coffee in the sunshine. Done practical stuff like haircuts and odd bits of shopping. The boys went and watched a local football match (so £2 entry rather than a Premiership game). We had a takeaway last night.

Today has been mostly sports stuff, homework completed and then a family dinner and a film.

Nothing very exciting but we've all been busy, have spent time together and it's felt like a weekend.

I agree with a PP though that you need a bit of a plan or you get to Sunday night and wonder where the time went.

Just ds and I-Saturday he played out with friends for most of the day whilst I did the housework-friends came for dinner Saturday night he watched to in bed-today he played with friends, took them to a play area, then we had a walk/cycle round the park after dinner then snuggled up to watch tv before bed-quite a normal weekend.

We have to get out for a bit on weekends. Nothing exciting but a trip to the park or a walk or bike ride around a local green space is usual.

Sometimes we ll go out for an early dinner on Saturday

Bowling, cinema, day trip or out with friends or family happens occasionally.

The rest of the weekend is spent relaxing or doing hw/chores.

Find out what's on in your area, have a chat with the family and make some plans.

I tend to be alone with the DC on weekends. After school on Friday we played in the garden then made a home cinema. On Saturday we played imaginary games and dressing up in the morning, went to the park and to walk the dog then out for lunch. Baby DS had a nap while the older ones painted then we did some messy play, read in the garden and played on the trampoline/in the sand. Today we stayed and played in pj's until lunchtime then we went to play at the park with balls/bubbles/scooters etc. Came home and read, did homework and spellings and built a den in the garden. Walked the dog and played football in the garden before board games and bath tonight. Usually we go out somewhere on one of the days but we've had a busy week and the kids like mainly being home sometimes.

I forgot a couple OP,we also go fruit picking a PYO farm when the raspberries/strawberries are ready to pick.
We've been going for years and all of our DC always enjoy it,the place we go to has picnic benches set up,so on a nice day we can pick fruit and take a picnic with us,they also have a little farm shop that sells they're produce,homemade cakes,Ice creams and cold drinks.
Other times we'll stop of at a nice family friendly country pub for lunch on the way home.

Working farms that hold lambing days are something else we all enjoy as well.Some only ask for a donation,other's charge an admisson but it's never expensive,some offer other activity's on the day as well,petting different animals,pony rides,tractor shows,minature railways,archery,tractor trailer rides,meeting owls and hawks,sheep shearing shows ect.

Our oldest 2DC DS20 and DS17 go fishing sometimes with they're friends when it's fishing season.If that's something that might interest you as a family you do have to have a fishing licence but they're not that expensive and fishing gear you can pick up for a few pounds now.

Check out what your Council local leisure facilities are like as well,lots of areas now offer special rates for swimming,tennis,childrens activities,squash,football ect.They all have different rules in place some offer free swimming or taster sessions of other sports in the school holidays,Easter,May and the Summer holidays.
Others you can get a free card or pay a small fee for a card that gets you big discounts on activitys,free swimming ect if you live within a certain borough,some offer an extra discount if your in a council property within that borough.

I don't know how old your DD is but if her school have the primary times in the school for the children to take home ask your DD to pick one up,they have hundreds of suggestions and adverts for different days out,they also have special offers and places you can visit for free in there.

I've just had the best weekend ever - Saturday morning, DH took DS2 to football and DD and I went to Carnaby St. I then came home and took DS2 to the cake competition at a local festival (it's an annual thing and we go every year). Then I went to the Mumsnet meet up
Sunday, we all went to Canary Wharf to watch the marathon (well, DS1 came for an hour).
Most weekends aren't like that and we do our fair share of arguing in shops. When the older 2 were little, we used to be out of the house for most of the weekend. Now, they generally don't want to come.
As I get older, I do find that I want to spend more time at the weekend chilling at home whereas DH sees this as a 'waste' of a weekend.

Sounds fun Miss - I can remember going to Carnaby Street with my mum must be 40 years ago and also going to the original Biba store in Kensington High Street with my grandma - she was older than I am now and I can't think of anything worse, what a lovely grandma I had. .

we go somewhere every weekend, i cant bear being cooped up.

at the moment dh takes toddler out for a few hours on a Saturday and we all go out on a Sunday, walk, local town, with scooters etc. Or musuem, playfarm if we are more flush.

But I cant bear having no plans at all.
Unless its summer and the garden is lovely, then I dont mind chilling out there.

But, I do have to remind myself that DD and DH need downtime, even if its annoying to me. they also work hard all week.

We both work ft, ds is 9. Saturday morning we all go to parkrun, in the afternoon we take the dogs to the woods/ down by the river and have a potter round in the park.
Sundays dh goes out on his club cycle, so ds and I will go for a ride while he's out (ds can't keep up with the club rides) and sometimes we meet them all at the coffee stop. Afternoon we go swimming or if we need to go to the shops we'll do that.
In the better weather we'll cycle to a fete or some other local thing

We make sure kids' clubs are all during the week precisely to allow lazy weekends.

However, we limit screen time and go for a walk each day. We are close to the beach so this is easy.

I love to potter round the house at the weekend.

We both work full time.

Lots of good ideas on here.

I get you, OP, I like to feel I've been out and done something or somehow feel ive wasted the weekend. But I do have to plan it or else it doesn't happen.

It's interesting that so many of us aren't quite sure how to handle unstructured time. I was never quite sure what to do with Easter, so we now go away. At least that way I don't feel I've wasted it.