Or am I indeed the worlds meanest mum?

[Titsalinabumsquash]

My children have been off school 1 week and 2 days, they have so far spent every day "chilling" on the sofa and playing Xbox with friends.

The bickering has got worse and worse until today I marched in and turned it off and yoke them both to go outside.

But they're bored, there's nothing to do, no ones around (we have no local kids) etc etc etc.

I'm fed up of them being entertained by screen alone, there's no where local to go that doesn't cost ££££ r they've deemed babyish or boring so I've told them they can make their own entertainment until it's time to pick DS3 up from holiday club.

They're 9 and 11 (v.nearly 10 and 12) and I'm fed up of them moping and moaning about the house expecting to be spoon fed entertainment or screen time.

For what its worth DS1 has a scout camp 4 days this week and tomorrow they're both off out with our community support team for the afternoon.

I've been declared the meanest mum in the world and DS1 had muttered that it's akin to child abuse

Pearlman is spot on. You're (generic you) not doing your children any favours by constantly entertaining them rather than teaching them to engage brain and entertain themselves. It holds back the development of concentration and creativity and leaves you with entitled children who expect that entertainment as a basic right, rather than recognising it as a privilege.

Titsalina is already providing more than enough resources to get them through the entire Summer and they've turned down the offer of camps that would give them even more fun. 'Just throwing outside' lol, really?

It is so difficult. My DD is an only, and I can remember making a colour coded timetable for things for her to do during the long summer holidays.

At 10 and 12 they need entertaining

Really? I would have been very disappointed if my kids had needed entertaining at that age.
Op says her kids have lots of stuff they can do in the house. If they are really bored they would find something amongst the stuff they have.
I think kids grow up lazy and entitled if they always have entertainment laid on for them. Why can't they use their brain and come up with something themselves?

Mine are a bit younger but can you not all go out together to do some things? swimming, out for a hike, beach day (depending on where you live), tennis in a park if you have any courts, den building in the woods, a museum, an art gallery, a picnic in a park, baking session, cooking on a campfire etc. All low cost and not unreasonable activties for a 9 and 11 year old.

Christ, leave them to it. They should be able to amuse themselves for a few hours without parental supervision. It's good for their development to not have their free time micromanaged. I'd get on with your day and let them find their own fun or be bored.

I'm not saying an activity like that every day. I fully agree being able to entertain themselves is a very important skill. However they are a week and a half in and it sounds like they've pretty much done nothing. The camp sounds like a great idea though.

Jobs are the answer. Weeding, lawn mowing, planting out, digging something out if necessary - I probably wouldn't let them prune anything without supervision though!
Suggest you need a vegetable plot, tell them where and ask them to dig it over for you. Then next time you're at a shop, get some seeds so the next time they're bored, they can plant them.

Car washing - if it's a nice warm day then it's a fun way to play with water, soap AND get the car clean.

Failing that, really shit-boring jobs like dusting, vacuuming, washing up, hanging laundry - give them a REASON to be bored!

My summers involved my mum going off to work and either we'd have to tag along and sit in the miniscule back room of some corner shop for 9 hours, or by about 11 we were left at home with strict instructions not to go anywhere.

You have to learn to make your own entertainment. I think at their ages they're too old for the sort of swimming-and-baking-and-park-and-museum gubbins you entertain a toddler with. Also the mother has better things to do that constantly spoonfeed daily entertainment at them.

They're old enough to go the park, museum, art gallery or swimming by themselves. There are buses, right?

Mine are both under 8 and I was going to go to the park today, but we didn't because they've played all morning without a pause - stuffed animal birthday party, the elder then drew maps and they played treasure hunts, they got out the Lego, drew new sorts of Pokemon, then they read (the youngest can't, she just pretends, but for a long time) and now they're drawing again. Yes, OK, very innocent pursuits and I'm not saying a 12 year old is going to draw/colour all day, but I'm happy they simply got up, got some things out and cracked on with it.

Can they cook? I'm planning on getting my oldest 2 (9 and 8) to start cooking 'properly' over the summer, I think. They bake cakes occasionally. They love junior bake off, but I'm thinking more dinner-like!!! Then I'd like to start exploiting their new-found cooking skills .

Me and my partner says that everything has to be equal reading, tidying and playing games etc. You can't just put them in front of a game all day their brains will fry. Can't they find someone to play football with if their friends are coming to play video games then surely they can play football or whatever.

Children can easily become spoilt which I have no problems calling my own spoilt.

I don't get the obsession on MN about it being so wrong for kids to just chill out and play on their consoles during the holidays. My 13 year old spends 75% of his time on his and he loves it. He chats with mates/plays games (how different is that from a board game for social time) watches movies (again, how is that different from watching on the TV) and listens to music (same as the radio). If he ever fancies it, he meets up with his mates at the park or the field for footie or a bike ride.

Summer is a time for chilling out, not enforced activities that kids may not even be interested in.

I'm a bit at the suggestion of crayons and puzzles for 10 and 12 year olds.

They can't cook but I'm happy to teach them.

I have said the friend is more than welcome back anytime after DS finishes camp, I suggested they picked our tent in the back garden and had a sleepover.

I always give them as much time as they want to rest doing absolutely nothing after a school term, DS1 has a chronic health condition that takes 2+ hrs 2x a day to medicate/physio so during school time he's up at 5am and he gets very tired going to school so come holiday time I leave them to sleep in and hang out on the sofa with plenty of food/drink and home comforts to watch films/ play games until they start showing signs of being bored (like today!)

I'm aware that may be a huge drip feed before someone points it out.

Currently they're making a list of 20 things to do each this holiday, like a mini bucket list.

Then I said we'd stick everything we've got on the calendar.

My dd 1 is almost the opposite she's 6 and almost goes feral in the summer I only see her when she's hungry! (Not literally before someone accuses me of child abuse!) She's either out "helping" daddy or seeing what the workers are doing or in the garden on the trampoline or jungle gym.I am glad she's not much into screens but sometimes I miss her, although in glad she's out being active etc. Least dd2 is a mummy's girl so far although she's only 17 months.

With respect, Farmmummy, I think you are going to find there is a world of difference between a six year old and a toddler and a 10 and 12-year-old.
Mine were the same when they were the ages yours are now, these days they would be permanently plugged in if they could be.

Make a den? Do messy crafts in the garden? Ask them if they have outgrown the trampoline? (Reverse psychology!) Find a park with an arial runway or borrow a friend's dog and take it for a walk? Look for craft ideas and new hobbies you can try together on pinterest? I know it's hard when they don't want to be sociable!

TutanKaDashian its not an obsession I have seen people in my youth nut themselves of with those games. I want my kids to have imagination and I don't think they will get that from a game. I don't ban them completely from playing them but only in moderation. Thats my opinion if you think different then thats okay to. There is no right or wrong answers to what you want to do with your children.

Is there anything on FutureLearn they are interested in? Or learn a language with DuoLingo?

I stole some screen time rules from a Facebook post. To get it they have to:
Get washed, dressed, brush teeth, brush hair
Make their bed
Had breakfast and a drink
Tidy a room
20 mins reading
20 mins creative / Lego
20 mins colouring
30 mins play outside
Offer to help someone
Cared for one of our pets (feed / groom / clean out)

It's working well so far and they have to use their initiative for some of it.

Hmmm. I think you're slightly unreasonable in that you're excusing yourself from taking them anywhere because of the baby or house work. They're old enough to help with the chores, so they do X and it gives you time to take them to Y.

But, on the whole I expect my 8 year old to entertain herself to a good degree. The 6-4yo's not without a little supervision at times. Perhaps you're going to have to bite the bullet and let the older one start travelling a little way to meet Up with friends. The younger one could have a friend come to you and then they can play together.

I do think your asking for a bit too much. I don't think they should have to do everything alone at 10. Can't you all go for a long walk somewhere and baby nap in pram on future, so your not trapped at home. Take a picnic if it's nice.
Board games and puzzles and arts I think you need to show interest and do some with them. Get a family puzzle that's huge (1000+ pieces) and you can set up on table, do together for half hour, then leave them to do together. Same with other stuff.

I do think this is slightly mean, yes.

Nothing wrong with kids entertaining themselves, but I think a whole week of screens isn't good.

Comments like 'it's good for kids to be bored' is a convenient way of feeling less guilty of lazy parenting. It's good occasionally, but not for six weeks solid! I want my dc to enjoy their childhood.

I would take them to different places where they can entertain themselves, explore, get fresh air - the beach, a walk, a forest etc