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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To feel guilty having a day in the house on the hottest day of the year?

70 replies

h8cake · 22/07/2021 12:23

I have an 8 year old daughter. We have been busy out the house doing different things all week. Today I'd decided to have a day in the house to do some housework. Have done a bit but mostly been lying on the sofa roasting. Daughter claims she's bored unless she's sat glued to a phone screen.

I feel really guilty being stuck in the house but don't know what else to do. It's too hot for the park and I honestly don't have the energy today to be playing at the park, we've been busy everyday this week and tomorrow we will be busy again. Should I just suck it up and take her somewhere since it is the hottest day of the year or should we just stay home?

OP posts:
Palavah · 22/07/2021 12:24

Do you have a garden?

FedNlanders · 22/07/2021 12:24

No, staying in is far safer anyway in the heat.

FedNlanders · 22/07/2021 12:24

Kids do not need to be out every single day, have a craft day or baking or something. Mine are isolating as been in all week anyway lol

Palavah · 22/07/2021 12:24

If I had the choice I'd be going to a lido or lying in the shade outside reading a book and eating frozen grapes

TotorosCatBus · 22/07/2021 12:25

I bet that if you have her a list of household chores then you'd find that she's not as bored as she says

Carrotinsaladiswrong · 22/07/2021 12:26

i’ve kept my toddler in for the past two days with curtains shut. sometimes a day in is better for your sanity than a hot, sweaty, mardy child.

Original poster
h8cake · 22/07/2021 12:27

@Palavah

Do you have a garden?
Yes but she has no interest in sitting out. I got her garden chalk and she has no interest in drawing out the back garden, every suggestion I make today she doesn't want to do. Just complaining she's bored but I really don't want to go out today but feel guilty if she's so bored.
OP posts:
Camomila · 22/07/2021 12:27

Not at all, I took DS2 out for a quick pushchair walk this morning and then we've stayed in all day - I'm too hayfevery and he gets heat rash.

If we go out again (apart from the school run) it'll be in the evening when its cooler.

FedNlanders · 22/07/2021 12:27

Mine are saying they have been bored. I feel at 8 they can take some responsibility for being bored.

Original poster
h8cake · 22/07/2021 12:27

@TotorosCatBus

I bet that if you have her a list of household chores then you'd find that she's not as bored as she says
GrinGrin good idea actually! Yes I'm sure she'd change her tune pronto.
OP posts:
Blossomtoes · 22/07/2021 12:28

My day will be mostly spent in the shade in the garden with a book. Occasional boredom is good for kids. She can read, watch a film, just chill out.

Hlgwsbytktu · 22/07/2021 12:30

We are in the house today. This is only the second day of our summer holidays.
I'm a sweaty grumpy mess if I go out in this. Its unbearable

Original poster
h8cake · 22/07/2021 12:30

@FedNlanders

Mine are saying they have been bored. I feel at 8 they can take some responsibility for being bored.
Yes, I've literally listed to her every single activity she could do in the garden (lay out with me and read a book, practice on her skateboard, water the flowers, draw with chalk, make a hopscotch etc) and in the house (much, much more) and getting met with, 'that's for babies' 'I don't want to play that' 'can't we do something else?' It's actually exhausting.
OP posts:
Original poster
h8cake · 22/07/2021 12:31

@Palavah

If I had the choice I'd be going to a lido or lying in the shade outside reading a book and eating frozen grapes
That does sound amazing! 😍
OP posts:
Original poster
h8cake · 22/07/2021 12:33

@Hlgwsbytktu

We are in the house today. This is only the second day of our summer holidays. I'm a sweaty grumpy mess if I go out in this. Its unbearable
Yeah it is really hot today, unbearably so! We're about 4 weeks into summer holidays now as we're in Scotland so I'm pretty ready for school to begin, like dealing with a teenager!
OP posts:
Youdiditanyway · 22/07/2021 12:34

I have to go out to collect DC in a couple of hours and it’s 29 degrees here, absolutely unbearable! Dreading it.

SpringRainbow · 22/07/2021 12:36

We tend to stay in on really hot days, which means unless they had school or something they have stayed home.

If anyone claims to be bored I have a huge list of things they could do, which means I rarely get told they are bored.

To be honest they are used to not going out every day, even before the pandemic.

I just don’t have the energy to go out every day.

FedNlanders · 22/07/2021 12:40

@h8cake my 8yr old is same. Seems they don't want to play with 'toys' and say they are bored. Could you make some slime? Mine enjoy that

Caspianberg · 22/07/2021 12:41

Could you get a paddling pool for the garden?

I think staying at home is fine though some times. They need to get ‘bored’ and learn to find things themselves to occupy them. Maybe suggest you both go for a walk and get an ice cream later this evening after dinner when it’s cooled down a bit

ParkheadParadise · 22/07/2021 12:49

I'll swap you for a 5-year-old 😂😂

Dd is showing me her dancing in the garden. If I dare look away she's telling me repeatedly to watch her.
Hopefully, later on, she's fall asleep for a couple of hours peace 😉

Original poster
h8cake · 22/07/2021 12:51

@ParkheadParadise

I'll swap you for a 5-year-old 😂😂

Dd is showing me her dancing in the garden. If I dare look away she's telling me repeatedly to watch her.
Hopefully, later on, she's fall asleep for a couple of hours peace 😉

Oh I remember those days. 'Mum, mum watch what I can do...mum, mum, mum' 😂 The joys, have fun!
OP posts:
Slipperfairy · 22/07/2021 12:55

Dd, 9, has been to playscheme this morning. She is now having a cool shower cos she's so hot. I think the kids are probably going to stay in the rest of the day. I have the dentist, but at least there's aircon.

Bagelsandbrie · 22/07/2021 12:57

Go for a short walk round the local area to break the day up a bit? I can’t stand staying in all day, I feel I have to get some exercise / walking even if just for a bit.

FinallyHere · 22/07/2021 12:59

Just complaining she's bored

feel guilty if she's so bored.

She has the measure of you. You both seem to think that as well as mother, you are her entertainments manager. Do Stop.

If she complains about being bored, give her a list of chores to do and let her pick the order in which she does them. Offer a treat, very small one, Once they are all done,

If you don't crack, and enforce this consistently, she will stop telling you when she is bored because she will know there will be more chores to be gone.

ItsSunnyOutside · 22/07/2021 13:04

You shouldn't feel guilty, I know that's easier said then done.
It sounds like you have done loads of activities, I hope you remind her of that!

I have a nearly 2 year old dc, I know that it's easier to entertain a toddler then a 8 year old but apart from a few hours at the beach on Saturday and a trip to the local swimming pool on Tuesday, we haven't left our garden. A paddling pool, abit of sand, playdoh, looking for bugs and some dancing and dd is happy. I do feel abit bad sometimes thinking we should do more, but it's just too hot. I can't face the sweaty crowds just yet.

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