Busy vs Lazy weekends

[Imabadmummy]

I am sure I have seen post about this but really can't find them now.

Kids both knackered after a long week at school. Me & husband also tired after a long week of work.

I really don't wanna "do" anything at the weekend, maybe a bit of batch cooking & cleaning, but I feel like we should go out even if it's just to the park for an hour to get the kids out.

AIBU to expect the kids to stay in all weekend & play (they could play in the garden if they wanted) just so I don't have to go out?

Kids are 4 & 5. Eldest would watch TV 24/7 if we let him, youngest is happy to get all the toys we own out & play.
Eldest does ask if we can go out somewhere, which is annoying as often on a Fri we have tears as he's tired & doesn't want to go to school! (He sleeps great at night so that's not the issue!)

Can't help but feel lazy and like I'm not setting a great example for the kids!

[LovelyBath77]

Oh I know just what you mean!

We send ours (8 and 11) to the city farm which has a club for them to help feed the animals and play on the farm from 10-11.45 Saturday mornings. DH takes them and then that is his time to go running, me to have a bit of time and them to have a bit or outdoor time as we live in a city flat.

Apart from that we just tend to chill at home, cook, play computer, games and homework. Finding homework getting more as they get older as well.

We also each have a mile long school walk so nice to have a bit of a break from that. i think it's hard as a parent not to feel guilty for not 'doing stuff' but our lives have got much easier since relaxing a bit.

[MusicToMyEars800]

we stay in every other weekend, it's great no getting dressed and not doing much but chilling together, it's also a good way to get real quality time with the kids they love having pj days too and playing with their toys or snuggling to watch a film, doing arty things etc they don't get bored inside which Is nice

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

We try and do one thing at a weekend as sometimes I work, last week we met with friends for a walk and lunch out, today was village panto, next week we have friends staying so will go out then, we are lucky to live near the sea so will probably go down there weekday evenings and go swimming, paddle boarding etc in the summer,

[LadyHelenOfShitsville]

At this time of year, pah! My kids don't want to go out in the cold and going to the park is more trouble than it's worth what with having to scrub mud off shoes, coats and most likely change dirty trousers etc.

In the spring/summer/autumn we are definitely out every day. Long bike rides, picnics, hours at the park.

I went through years of forcing DC out every day so they didnt get 'bored' and worrying it was unhealthy for them even to spend a day inside without taking them out . The stress when they didn't want to go was ridiculous. I have chilled out now in my old age! Older ones are teenage now and don't get up until lunchtime anyway, youngest is 6 and he prefers pottering at home.

[museumum]

An hour in the park or on bikes will do you all good.
I like a lazy weekend but would feel awful if I didn't get out the house for fresh air at all!

[LadyHelenOfShitsville]

We are always washed/dressed/lippie on though. Could not stay in PJ's all day. That would be a step too far!

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

You could always try doing stuff for a bot at home like baking

[MusicToMyEars800]

I agree with pps, in the summer we are hardly ever home, but I love summer and being outside on those warm sunny days

[SomewhatIdiosyncratic]

I like keeping weekends without regular commitments. The DCs (3 &6) get time to entertain themselves across both days, but I find two whole days cooped up in the house too much for them. They need to do something to burn off energy otherwise Sunday afternoon gets ugly. I also struggle with what Douglas Adams described as "the long dark tea time of the soul"

It's much easier in the warmer months when our lawn isn't a joyless swamp with puddles on top!

I like doing things spontaneously, catching up with other bored friends also suffering with cabin fever from a pair of lively boys. Somehow joining forces makes it better! Parks, the local woods. Again, there's more options in the summer.

Thinking back to my childhood, I'd go to the shops with my dad on a Saturday morning. Sunday afternoon would involve pottering around the garden with him or going to the tip. The dog had his big walk in the park. So I did leave the house most days, but not usually for a great exciting "activity".

[Mindtrope]

No such thing as a lazy weekend in our house.
DS and I work, DD dances both days, OH often on call. Otherwise charging around shopping or catching up with stuff.
We eat together as a family once a year- on christmas day.

[heron98]

I think the off lazy weekend is fine. But every single one? It seems like a waste. The world is your oyster. Seize it. Visit somewhere new. Try a new activity. Explore. Sitting in the house means you miss out on so much.

[mygorgeousmilo]

We are a very busy and outdoorsy family - but this weekend we are all having a lovely rest indoors and playing Lego, cooking, eating, and watching movies in our pjs. We all really needed it, to decompress, to just think and be. Take it easy

[Lilaclily]

We eat together as a family once a year- on christmas day

That's sad really , life flies by so quickly

[felinewonderful]

I would get cabin fever if we didn't go out at the weekends. The dcs would be irritable too. We do something every weekend, at least a walk in the country or park or trip to cinema etc. The dcs still get downtime before/after going out. I don't really understand not doing anything most weekends, doesn't it mean that all people see/ experience is work/ school?

[Kennington]

We alternate: one busy day and normally one quieter one.
If we have a full on weekend then it is tough for her and me on Monday.
I do try and be home by 4pm on Sunday to prep for the week and have quiet time plus do homework.
I restrict activities, play dates and parties now at weekends. We just do swimming now.

[Cyclingandriding2016]

We never have really lazy weekends (i.e. Don't leave the house)

But I do sometimes like weekends where we don't have anything planned (i.e. Having guests, visiting people etc) .on these weekends we go for walks, go cycling, I have my horse riding lesson and go to my exercise class so still not completely lazy. In between those activities we mooch around the house/garden.

We don't have kids though.

[clearsommespace]

We try not to have plans every other weekend. But I wouldn't call those plan-free weekends lazy. (Although we usually find time to sit in front a movie together and play a board game as a family). DH and I get loads of stuff done around the house and garden. I take time to get the kids involved in cooking. (There's no time for that on activity packed weekends or weekends when we socialise) Without these weekends, we'd never have anytime to teach the DCs any life skills and the house would be a tip and falling to bits.

[NeverTwerkNaked]

Its a bit of a balance for me; Ds does a few activities after school so none at the weekend (for now) but Dd has dance lessons Saturday morning. The rest of the weekend we have no fixed plans, sometimes there are birthday parties or we might swim or go to the cinema or on a trip somewhere. It's good to have time each weekend when they can just mooch about and play; but if we didn't go out at all mine would be climbing the walls!!-

[Sara107]

Kids need downtime. Playing is good, I would say constant TV less good. My dD (7)often wants a day at home to just pay with her stuff. But, I always try to get some fresh air in, even just a trip to the park nearby for 10 mins on the swings, or some time in the garden. Because by the end of a day without some excercise she will be obnoxious, silly and giddy and not wanting to go to bed. She had a friend who she used to play on the street with, biking or scootering, but unfortunately she moved away. It depends on the time of year as well I think - it's so much nicer being outside in the summer, we would spend much more time in the garden then.

[SpookyPotato]

I think when DS is school age then there will many lazy weekends... The only thing we did growing up in the early 90s was the shopping and playing outside. No organised fun at all and I loved it! There is lots of pressure these days to provide full on entertainment.

[PumpkinPie2016]

Each to their own -nothing wrong with not doing anything if everyone is happy with that

I do go out each weekend - my DS is 3 and very active so trying to spend a whole day at home is like torture

Saturday's we go grocery shopping and combine it with seeing my aunt and doing my nans shopping. Then we all spend time together at my nans which is nice and DS enjoys

Sometimes in the afternoon DH will take DS to visit his sister/friend/park.

Sunday's varies - we don't often do a 'big' day out as I need to get things ready for work but usually soft play/walk to feed ducks/park/walk to garden centre for a cake. We are lucky to have good bridal paths nearby so can easily go for walks.

Sometimes I long for an 'at home' day but DS is just not that sort of child despite going to nursery full time in the week

[MrsWombat]

I class a lazy weekend as one where I haven't had to make a packed lunch or picnic at some point as we've needed to eat on the go!

My kids are still at the ages when they need to get out of the house every day otherwise they drive myself and themselves mad. (Aged 2 and 8) In Winter if the weather is really bad then it might be a quick walk or even a drive to the supermarket or library. We are lucky at the moment as the 8 year old has a swimming lesson on Saturday and does junior park run on Sunday so I class that as getting out of the house, and we spend the rest of the day indoors doing homework, housework, cooking and playing. As the weather gets warmer we might stay at the swimming and park run venues longer to play or go somewhere else.

Children under 5 need to do 180 mins of exercise a day and over fives 60 mins which should include light activities like walking and "huff and puff" energetic activities like running and active play. If they are doing this in the week, I wouldn't worry too much about doing it to the minute at the weekend though.

[HyacinthsBucket]

I trained as a playleader when mine were little, and had an amazing leader who taught us the importance of down time for kids, where they could use their imaginations and free play. They are surrounded by noise, bustle and routine at school 5 days a week, so evenings and weekends for us have always been very relaxed and the kids chose what they wanted to do. We had a dog and they often chose a walk to get outside, and they loved being in the garden or just days in the house in their PJs. I really miss those weekends now they are all older and obsessed with shopping!! I feel really sad when I see kids dragged from one activity to another all weekend.

[NeverTwerkNaked]

There's an irony in your post though @hyacinth - I never spent weekends shopping as a teenager and nor did any of my friends who had been brought doing a few activities each week...

[NeverTwerkNaked]

*brought up, that should say!