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AIBU?

To ask how much time you spend together as a family?

33 replies

ShowMePotatoSalad · 01/01/2017 10:59

Do you generally get some downtime with your family, and if so, how much?

Even on New Year's Day, we've got so many jobs to do. Decorating, cleaning, putting up a new stair gate, blah blah blah. We probably won't get 5 minutes together until later tonight. Do other people actually just chill out with their families or is it once in a blue moon?

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Beebeeeight · 01/01/2017 14:28

OP your 14 month old doesn't give a what colour their room walls are.

Put down the paintbrush and spend time with your precious DC.

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gottaloveascamhun · 01/01/2017 14:31

My DC are 6 and 3. On Saturday mornings eldest has swimming and we take it in turns to take her, then go to soft play and cafe at the leisure centre. Home for lunch altogether. Then she might have a party or we'll go to the park. 3 yo is happy to tag along anywhere she goes and they both love being at home bumbling about with toys together or watching tv. Sunday's we try to go somewhere all together- pub lunch, visit family, day out at farm park etc. We tag team for some of the weekend and spend time together for other bits. I try to take my eldest somewhere on her own once or twice a month e.g. ice skating, cinema etc as she's at school during the week and youngest gets more attention (I work 2 days a week so have more time off with him). Board games, hide and seek and crafts are all good ways to spend time as a family at home.

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ShowMePotatoSalad · 01/01/2017 18:28

BeeBee

Thank you for that. I spend plenty of time with my DC. I was at home with him for a year then went back to work part time. I'm at home with him 4 days a week and obviously every evening. The issue is us not spending time all 3 of us together.

We're redecorating his room because the wallpaper got damaged after our roof leaked.

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ShowMePotatoSalad · 01/01/2017 18:33

Nicky haha, occasionally we do faff but most of the time we're just running round like blue arsed flies trying to get stuff done. Although the first half of this week I felt so unmotivated and listless - I couldn't get anything done.

We've just had a lovely dinner together so that was great. I think I maybe just need to be more appreciative of the time we do get as a family. And maybe hire someone to do the decorating next time.

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Biffsboys · 02/01/2017 02:06

It's about priorities - my house is a bit of a mess with Christmas and the holidays but I'd rather spend quality time with my dcs than clean ? Plenty of time for that soon . I definitely wouldn't be decorating on New Year's Day ?

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LockedOutOfMN · 02/01/2017 02:08

Saturday nights and Sunday mornings, unless one of us is invited elsewhere. We go for walks or bike rides or swimming, read aloud, play board games or cards, and cook and eat together.

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altik · 02/01/2017 02:11

Not enough! But my children are older (13 and 10), so between them they have hobbies or something on 7 days a week. Therefore, we tend to do it so that one of us takes the children out to their hobbies, whilst the other does jobs around the house. We only really have Sat tea and Sun mornings together.

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forwhom · 02/01/2017 02:20

We don't have tv or internet at our house (currently on holiday) so after DH finishes work we do things together and sort of more focused then if screens were about. In the weekends we make sure each adult gets a lie in (take turns) and then we always do most things together, garden together etc. also appreciate the time each of us needs alone so happy for DH to go off and potter for three hours by himself if I know the next day will be spent relaxing as a family.