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AIBU?

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Original poster

No thought has been put into the fact that DC are on school holidays - AIBU

324 replies

FatalDistraction · 12/08/2020 10:28

DC are off in school holidays after being stuck in for months before hand. There is very little for them to do. It's OK to shop till you drop with a mask on, but opening places for children to play and get some exercise....oh that's just too much.

I just logged on to book some cinema tickets to have something for my DC to do. There is one movie, opening at the end of August and it is a 13. There are millions of DC off school, not going on holiday, with nothing to do and they decide to put a violent, older movie on. They could have rehashed Frozen, Trolls, put on some other loved movie if there is nothing new, but no, they think we all want to see Tenet.

No one has put any thought into the fact that DC have been off for ages, are on holiday with nothing to do and are going round the bend. But shopping, that's ok. It is no wonder there are children in my town turning on others in the parks when they have nothing to do.

Shame on the lot of them.

OP posts:
Infullbloom · 12/08/2020 12:04

I grew up in the 90s too. I think we were the last generation to play out properly wasn't we.

No my ds and his friends all play out and have done for years, his childhood isn't all that dissimilar from mine in the 70's, although I know this is rarer now but yeah there are plenty kids outside of MN who have a pretty free range childhood and can entertain theirselves.

Pelleas · 12/08/2020 12:06

I'm in one of the hotspots with extra restrictions - all the children's play parks are still open here.

TheSunIsStillShining · 12/08/2020 12:06

I grew up in an arab country. No parks, swimming pools, basically nothing. We had scorching hot weather (50+ c on the sun, 40+ in the shade) and bikes. No internet (80s) and there are millions like me. And we all grew up.
So parents moaning that their kids are not entertained by someone else can go and suck a lemon.
This is such a first world problem and again putting blame on others, in a traditional british style.

I woudn't watch Frozen if they paid me, let alone in a cinema (missing point, I know)

Foreversweets · 12/08/2020 12:06

@itsgettingweird
Haha love it.

We used to get sent to the coop for a breadloaf and we would always request 20p and if that was a no we would get 10p and get a refresher chew bar, a dip dab or a 10p freddo or a packet of alien crisps. Nostalgic now lol.

funkyblackbird · 12/08/2020 12:07

[quote Love51]@notangelinajolie were the schools shut for over a term in the 60s and 70s then? I'd not heard about that.[/quote]
No, as you well know. Our children might not have been in the school building but they have still had school work to do. My DCs had work to do every day of term time and have been set work to do over the summer holidays as well; they have had to do some most days and are now about half way through the work that they have been set. We've still managed to have a lovely summer and they have been doing a lot of the things I'd have done as a child. By all accounts they have enjoyed it, they've said how much they appreciate the extra effort I've gone to to find different things for them to do.

It sounds like you are expecting entertainment laid on for your DCs rather than finding it yourself.

Candyfloss99 · 12/08/2020 12:08

The cinema isn't there to entertain your children. You are their parent, you entertain them. You sound like the kind of person who doesn't actually like to spend time with their kids, just fob them off to other people to entertain them.

SonjaMorgan · 12/08/2020 12:10

Our local independent cinema is putting on kids films. I don't think any are new releases but the tickets are cheap and lots of people are going to support the business.

We have a local animal sanctuary that is putting on animal care course for kids throughout the summer. Go ape is now open. Lots of zoos and castles that have nice areas for picnics.

I'm not sure what area you are in but there is a lot on and most businesses are trying to cash in on the fact that most are not travelling abroad for holidays.

ceeveebee · 12/08/2020 12:10

There’s lots to do! We’ve been to Alton towers, the safari park, a museum, national trust places, lots of walks, bike rides and picnics, out for lunch a couple of times (half price now too!) and the rest of the time in the garden. Also some of the kids activities have restarted - football, cricket, tennis etc. Even if indoor things were open we rarely go to them in good weather anyway.

rach2713 · 12/08/2020 12:11

Get Disney plus or Netflix and get loads of sweets and have a movie day at home will cost you a lot less..

tigger1001 · 12/08/2020 12:14

Our kids here went back to school today. Cinemas not open here. Leisure centres etc not open. It's a pandemic. And quite honestly these are the last places I would want to go to currently.

One thing this has taught me is life is what you make it. Plenty of good old fashioned entertainment to be had without expecting other places to put it on.

Chloemol · 12/08/2020 12:17

Ok I am going to say it, why should cinemas open just to cater for your kids? They will be looking t9 try and make money on restricted numbers, and people are not going to spend to take kids to see something they can buy on dvd

The weathers glorious, picnic in the garden or the park, go for walks in the countryside, you do something with them rather than try and get others to do it

One think this pandemic has done is allowed people to spend quality time with their kids,

So stop moaning and get going

pussycatinboots · 12/08/2020 12:18

@SleepingStandingUp

And we spent whole summers in the 90s with no money to do anything but hang without turning into feral little shots beating each other up
This, but in the 80s - and we didn't have the luxury of endless you tube shite to watch either!
Sennetti · 12/08/2020 12:19

Done all the usual camping,drawing,paddling pool,painting,walks,Picnics,bikes etc etc yes? Enjoyed it? Yes?

Then do it again .... and again

Enoughnowstop · 12/08/2020 12:19

They only care about profits. Staff at our local pool have said that they are not opening the pool because they don't want to pay lifeguards and cleaners whilst the government are paying them

You really are missing the bigger picture, aren’t you OP? Measures put in place to keep people safe include a general reduction in numbers that are permitted to access a facility at any given time. This means they need less staff. Businesses are keeping people on furlough because when the scheme stops and they still can’t do inflatable parties and pack the pool to the rafters, some staff will be made redundant. Sod all to do with profit, is it?

TheOrigBrave · 12/08/2020 12:21

@BrightYellowDaffodil

It sounds an awful lot like you expect your children to be entertained in a way that doesn't involve any effort on your part.
That's one way to word it, but I regard it as needing childcare while I work. I have always had that, I don't have it this year. I understand why, but it doesn't make things easier to manage.
MrsMcTats · 12/08/2020 12:23

It's 1 year (hopefully) where we have to be self-sufficient, but people just don't seem to be able to stop moaning. Of course we all wish things were back to normal, but we're in a pandemic, so they're not. With a bit of imagination and effort, there is lots to do. My DC spend plenty of time not being entertained and are quite happy.

bashcrashfall · 12/08/2020 12:24

Its odd how some people are so insistent everything is open because things near them are open. Not all things have reopened. My local pool reopened today but not to children. Lots of play parks haven't reopened. Museums have opened but missing all the interactive stuff thats actually fun for kids. Options are limited so what is available is very £££ at the moment.

funkyblackbird · 12/08/2020 12:25

That's one way to word it, but I regard it as needing childcare while I work. I have always had that, I don't have it this year. I understand why, but it doesn't make things easier to manage.

Cinemas don't provide child care, a film lasts for what, 90 minutes? What else do you use for childcare?

Choochoose · 12/08/2020 12:28

The green spaces here are really empty, we would always be out playing in the summer, admittedly it's more challenging at the moment due to restrictions, but going to the cinema etc was a rare treat rather than one of the only things to keep us occupied. There are plenty of things open for families and for children, perhaps not things that would be your first choice, but plenty of people are missing out at the moment.

funkyblackbird · 12/08/2020 12:32

Options are limited so what is available is very £££ at the moment.

No, it's really not. It's not £££ to go camping, it's not £££ to go to the countryside and on a picnic. I have spent less this summer than I normally do because we have intentionally decided to try as many different free or cheap activities we can to make up for not going on holiday. Things are open here but we haven't been using them as there are other opportunities for entertainment; you just have to find it. Each summer I sit down with a table to complete for each day and put a free or cheap activity in each one. It's not so regimented that we do the activity on the day it's in the box but we have a table of activities ready to pick from.

Nothing is handed to you on a plate and it shouldn't be.

claireyjs · 12/08/2020 12:33

What kind of secluded hell hole do you live in? Round here the parks are open, you can go for a walk and build dens in the woods, the farms and adventure parks are open, cinemas are showing loads of kids films, we can have a paddling pool and hosepipe in the garden, have been gif Nike rides and have an ice lolly on route... there is so much to do in the fine weather if you aren't to lazy to look for it!

HipsDoLie · 12/08/2020 12:35

It’s obviously a different picture in different parts of the country.

I’m in London (suburbs) and the local pools and sports centres are open, summer play schemes are running, the parks are busy. Obviously it’s all a bit different due to the need to keep your distance, but there is plenty of opportunity to get out and about.

SkatingWithBears · 12/08/2020 12:35

We have open pools and school sport sessions, cricket, biking and a few scout activities on. The cinema has multiple showing of films, trolls four times today. Not normal, but a fair bit has reopened.
Sounds like it’s a problem with the area

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 12/08/2020 12:36

Silly me thinking it was my job to entertain children, didn’t realise the government were meant to do it.

SkatingWithBears · 12/08/2020 12:36

Parks, forests etc are pretty rammed too...