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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I fucking hate going out during half term!

29 replies

Ditzyitzy · 10/04/2018 19:43

We already have soft play and the cinema mentally crossed off the list of possibilities due to the chaos. Today we went to an activity that had an hour wait and was operating a 1 in one out policy. 45 minutes of queuing the lady in front had an extra 5 people arrive and join her and when I (politely) mentioned it someone else jumped in saying it’s fine as she was paying for them all Angry. On the way out saw someone taking a small child with chicken pox in! AIBU to insist we only visit family friendly places in term time Grin

OP posts:
PickAChew · 10/04/2018 19:52

Do what you like. I assume your kids are pre-school age. You'll have less choice when they start school if you want indoor activities.

LittleMe03 · 10/04/2018 20:13

Well everybody wants to give their children some fun days out in the holidays, did you expect to be the only one? Confused

As for the chicken pox that is none of your business as how would you know the child is still contagious unless you stopped to have a really good look to check that all of the spots had not scabbed over.

Of course it will be busy in the hols. Stay home, hire a bouncy castle, or buy a trampoline and invite some friends, bake cakes, paint, treasure hunts, build a fort, put up a tent etc if you really dislike going out with your children in the school hols.

LittleMe03 · 10/04/2018 20:14

But no, jumping in when queuing is definitely not fair.

Flupi · 10/04/2018 20:21

Just so you know. Half term is halfway through the term, usually a week, October, February and May. We are now in the Easter holidays!
Think outside the box a bit. Go to places that won’t be full of kids, even if it’s raining you can dress up and go outside somewhere, invent some games, build a den...... outside usually wears kids out more and then you can cosy up indoors and do more sedate activities!

MotherofDinosaurs · 10/04/2018 20:22

I get you OP! I dread the holidays as all the parks/farms/zoos/museums I usually have the run of with my preschooler are rammed with Other People! Tsk!

OverTheMountain42 · 10/04/2018 20:27

Go early, as soon as the places open. We've managed soft play, zoos and farms by arriving at opening time. It surprises me how many don't go early.

DragonsAndCakes · 10/04/2018 20:30

Does your cinema have online booking? Ours does, plus seat reservations. Take our own sweets, just wander in and sit in our seats. It doesn’t matter how busy it is.

Also I agree, nowhere gets properly busy till around lunchtime. Go early!

AnxiousPeg · 10/04/2018 20:30

As flupi righty says, it's not half term

MsGameandWatching · 10/04/2018 20:31

I'm totally with you OP. So we just don't do it. It's utterly joyless and pointless. If there's something on we really want to do and won't otherwise have the chance then we get up very early and are first in the door, leaving as it's just about to fill up a couple of hours later. For this reason I also take term time holidays too though that has to stop now that dd is starting secondary school Sad.

lljkk · 10/04/2018 20:31

I always go late... these places are increasingly quiet from 2:30pm onwards.

Budsbeginingspringinsite · 10/04/2018 20:32

It's awful, some people with big bucks are seriously missing a trick here when it comes too our weather and nothing to do with children.

SoyDora · 10/04/2018 20:34

I’m with you. Mine are pre schoolers and I’m fully aware my attitude will change when they’re at school, and that I’m being unreasonable, but I bloody hate school holidays! All our usual haunts are absolutely heaving, so we stay away. The schools round here went back yesterday so we’ve breathed a sigh of relief and had a lovely quiet day out today Grin

greenlavender · 10/04/2018 20:35

Pedant alert - it's not Half Term, it's the Easter holidays.

BishopstonFaffing · 10/04/2018 20:36

Come to Bristol - we're all back at school.

SoyDora · 10/04/2018 20:37

The pendants have already alerted the OP to that fact above ^

SoyDora · 10/04/2018 20:37

Come to Bristol - we're all back at school

Same here... East Midlands!

lostherenow · 10/04/2018 20:45

I wouldn't take my kids to soft play when the weather is bad in school hols and they are (preschool) 4 and 6. Not sure why the cinema is a bad idea though, other than the fact that sometimes the films for the kids showings are aimed at older kids.

bimbobaggins · 10/04/2018 20:46

How old are your kids? In another couple of years they won’t want to go anywhere with you so you’ll be off your work just to run them about and hand out money

Original poster
Ditzyitzy · 10/04/2018 21:18

He’s 5, started school in September so many years ahead Grin. We do go out but usually after school or a Sunday.

As for the chicken pox that is none of your business yes it is, it’s ridiculous to take a child with chicken pox swimming! I got a good look at the child in a nappy and they weren’t at the scabbing stage.

OP posts:
Maddiemademe · 10/04/2018 21:49

Bloody hell, people really do miss the point! Yes I completely agree with you OP. We have spent more time at home then out during last week but my children are quite lazy so are definitely not complaining! We are going to try the zoo tomorrow though and I am dreading it.

PancakeBum · 10/04/2018 21:57

Yanbu. Hate hate hate it. Everywhere is rammed.

croprotationinthe13thcentury · 10/04/2018 22:01

Best bet is to stick them on the xbox all day and spend some of what you would have spent going out by taking them to the shops for loads of sweets to eat while they play. Everywhere you go in the school holidays here is too busy, over priced and thoroughly depressing all round, and it seems to be actually getting worse. The cinema is an absolute expensive joke, play centres are rammed and theme parks have you queuing all day, often in the rain.

Unihorn · 10/04/2018 22:05

Yes I hate it. I'm a shift worker so used to having weekdays to myself when going shopping or out and about. I needed to go to Asda on Monday and totally forgot about the bloody holidays.

SallysTeaPot · 10/04/2018 22:05

Yanbu, I always go later as usually quieter.

Waddlelikeapenguin · 10/04/2018 22:08

We home ed so usually hibernate when it's school holidays so as not to encounter a queue Grin
Sadly the Edinburgh Science festival is too good to miss!