Is this an acceptable routine for the holidays?

[juliantwo]

I have 2 ds aged 9 and 6.

It just feels like we have been at home for such a long time and it's getting harder and harder to motivate them in the holidays.

My non-negotiables are:

Sit down meal at the table x3 a day
Reading practice for 30 mins a day
One outdoor activity ie walk or bike ride per day, whatever the weather. For at least an hour, depending on where we go.

I try to encourage them to play in the garden, play games like Dobble, uno, etc which they do quite happily.

The rest of the time, ALL they want to do is minecraft. They watch minecraft videos on you tube and then go On the switch and recreate stuff.

Should I be trying to limit screen time more? Give them more chores? It's just so hard to think of more ways to occupy them. We have two whole scrapbooks of crafting activities they did during proper lockdown and I feel totally spent of ideas and motivation because it was hard back then.

We'd usually meet up With friends but people either seem to be away or a bit cautious about meeting up. We have sometimes met friends for walks.

I am a teacher but do have bits and pieces of work to do in preparation for sept and we are also supposed to be moving house soon so I am trying to do some decluttering and packing.

I'm really feeling the minecraft guilt!

It sounds like you are doing a fantastic job!

I think that sounds fine. Maybe do some longer days out, beach, different park. That what I’m doing.

Mine read freely as book worms
And very sporty
So idea of having set reading and sport times seems.... odd. Forcing something that really should be viewed as Pleasurable or at the very least not a “task“.

Gaming time - 2x 45 min sessions a day. They can pick whenever.

TV not until after dinner and half a film - usually works out to be just over an hour.

They’re 10 and 7.5

Have you heard of geocaching? Could be right up their street, they're a fab age for it!

The only chores they have

Pjs under pillow
Make bed
Turn of lights
Recycling
And eldest dyson hoovers the dining room after dinner

That’s it

Off

Sit down meal at table 3x a day... presumably ok for picnics in the garden?

The youngest is really struggling with his reading and would never do it of his own accord. So I say to the oldest he needs to read while I am reading with the youngest just so that the youngest doesn't complain that it's unfair. The eldest does read a bit outwith the "set times" and both always have bedtime stories still.

I would love them to be book worms because I am but it doesn't seem to be panning out that way.

Yes geocaching sounds good.

They also enjoy those treasure trail map thingys.

Yes we could have picnics for a change

@Waytoomuch82 half a film? Not judging just wondering how you convince them to turn off a film half way through?
My 2 have similar list of chores to you plus 1/2 hour reading and get outside for at least an hour a day. But must admit we watch a lot of films together

I think that sounds fine op! Being completely honest at the current moment in time there isn’t much else to do! I was practically brought up watching tv in holidays with the odd few days out/trips to grandparents but it’s not that easy to do that now!

Also have two boys aged 9 and 6 and they are having tons of screen time and I have utterly lost the motivation and energy to do the wholesome activities of early lockdown. I do the same about meals, get them out every day for a walk, they always read every day and I am trying to force myself to play board games (they will only play if I join in) but I am lacking enthusiasm...a lot. We aren’t managing to meet up with people and I’m very worried about their social skills and friendships what with them being home since mid-March. I have a constant feeling of guilt about not doing enough but also relief that they are for the most part happily occupied...it’s been a very strange, intense time and I think it’s impossible to maintain the structure and discipline of the earlier part of lockdown - I have been through a range of emotional states and I guess so long as we get through, some excess screen time for a few weeks isn’t the end of the world.

Minecraft is basically 3D art if they are creating stuff - and honestly better than many options out there. My 10 year old plays Fortnite and I always cheer internally when he goes back to Minecraft for a bit!

What you're doing sounds absolutely fine op. We're doing broadly the same and I decided to drop the guilt over screen time right at the beginning of lock down. They are developing skills through minecraft by the sounds of it; researching, planning, team work.

Yes they insist on showing me what they have created on minecraft and I usually find it insanely boring sometimes I am impressed at what they have done.

On our bike ride yesterday we bumped into a friend of the eldest, and he was asking him if he played fortnite "or any other shooting games" and it glad we haven't gone down that route yet!

Yesterday they were sitting in the garden chatting and I realised they were planning their latest minecraft creation in great detail

[quote 2anddone]@Waytoomuch82 half a film? Not judging just wondering how you convince them to turn off a film half way through?
My 2 have similar list of chores to you plus 1/2 hour reading and get outside for at least an hour a day. But must admit we watch a lot of films together[/quote]
By time had dinner and settled down, by 6.30. Half a film takes up to circa 7.45
Then teeth and in to bed. Light off for youngest by 8, Eldest has audio book for 20 mins

Seems reasonable and they know they have the second half the next day. Delayed gratification!

We are exactly the same here. I am also a teacher and have found it so much harder to occupy my two lively boys than plan and teach my full timetable! Our routine sounds the same but I do try and do a couple of pic nics each week to extend the outside time. Mine also love the skate park and we live near a beach so spend time at both of those too. Den building in the woods has also been a favourite I bring my kindle and pic nic blanket and read whilst they build away. Reading is a challenge and I have resorted to a magazine subscription each which they will read and enjoy. Here football has started up again so they are doing that twice a week too. It's just been such a long time all together and the youngest is missing his friends luckily we have been meeting up for walks and bike rides with the eldest's friends.

I wouldn't be too concerned about Minecraft, it's digital Lego and we have to accept our kids generation are going to be a lot more digital in all aspects of their lives.

I've got a 6yo only child and he'd happily play computer games all day if I let him. I too set reading time and going out for a walk/to the park each day.

You may not be after Switch recommendations, but take a look at Animal Crossing. You get to design your own island and you grow plants, catch fish etc. May be a nice alternative to Minecraft, I find it very sedate and don't mind him playing it at all.

The 3x sit down meal thing sounds very controlling. I would've hated it!

Mine has 4 days a week with family and can’t take their electrical items so he has to be outside playing all day (tree climbing den building bonfires etc) then the days he’s with me we go out for an hour and then he’s free to play minecraft ! Works for us 😊

@RedPanda2 it's important to us as a family. They don't know any different.

As a teacher I'm aware of so many kids who eat their evening meals in their bedrooms and I'm never going to let that happen.

I wouldn't be too concerned about Minecraft, it's digital Lego

I was about to say something similar. Not all screen time is the same. There's a big difference between mindlessly staring at/tapping at a screen and what it sounds like they're doing. They sound like they're being very creative, learning/researching on YouTube, talking to each other about their plans, recreating them in Minecraft.

My son is only a baby at the moment so I don't have anything to compare it to, but if I had your routine and boys I think I'd be pretty content . Sounds like you're doing a great job.

I work 4 days a week so DS is with other family or at holiday club with no devices. So when he's with me I let him have as much screen time as he wants as long as we go out for some fresh air with a walk/bike ride once a day. Sometimes we go for a day out to the farm/cinema/trampoline park as well.

My DS isn't into reading at all either.