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

[h8cake]

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?

[georgarina]

I feel guilty as well. I'm 9 months pregnant and just can't go out in this heat. At least DC are in summer school from 9-3.

[Bobbiebigbum]

We've been the same too. But same as you we've been active last 3 days and so we needed a rest. I felt guilty too. The housework had barely been touched. The kids have done a bit of painting but have otherwise been on screens. We tried to go to a park but it was too hot so we came home. I just give up on today!

[TwoLeftElbows]

I've seen on here someone say they look to take the children out every other day in the holidays. I think that's a good level - some outings every week but not an endless parade of "busyness".

I'm not convinced boredom sparks amazing creativity in my kids, but they do find ways to occupy themselves. I tend to be flexible on screens these days too - no to endless mindless YouTube videos but yes to screens if they can convince me they are teaching themselves to type, or to build machines in Minecraft for example (which is programming).

[ComDummings]

It’s too bloody hot at the moment anyway!

[ComDummings]

I never feel guilty when my kids moan they’re bored, I give them some paper and pens or chuck them in the garden

[CasaBonita]

I have an only child who also pulls this 'I'm bored' shit despite the fact that he has an amazing social life (all facilitated by me) and therefore expects me to be his entertainment on days we're not doing anything.

I don't give in to him, nor do I feel guilty. Especially in 32 degree heat. I bloody well do enough!

[crimsonlake]

Tbh , boredom will do her good, these days there is an expectation that children need to be constantly entertained by their parent's. She needs to learn to entertain herself, it will do her good, do not feel guilty.

[GoWalkabout]

We are om holiday and we are barely leaving the cottage, its too hot!

[Darbs76]

We are stuck in with Covid. Well I have a garden so I’ve chosen to lie on the garden sofa in the shade. Kids mainly been in the house

[CorianderBee]

Why feel guilty? It's too bloody hot and kids don't need skin damage. Enjoy being at home and let her go on a phone

[h8cake]

@TimeForTeaAndG we're also on the coast but was at the beach all day Tuesday so just didn't fancy it today. She's in a much better mood thanks!

[TimeForTeaAndG]

[quote h8cake]@Skybluepinkgiraffe I feel the same, there is a lot of pressure, I do way more with my daughter than my mum ever did but I do feel she looks at me as a source of entertainment and when I dare say no, or tell her we are staying in for the day I feel this overwhelming sense of guilt. Like I'm not a good mum somehow and should be doing something with her every single day. Sometimes to the point that I'll end up saying we will go out as I feel so bad. I need to get over it as I think she senses this and uses it to her own benefit. [/quote]
Our 8yo DD has been tired and grumpy in this heat so then she's bored cos she just can't think. I don't blame her for being bored, being too hot to think is horrible.

We are also up in Scotland, on the coast but it's too warm for our dog to be going down to the beach so we've been out in the garden a lot. Thankfully our living room doesn't get much sun so it's cool for most of the day of we need to cool down.

Hope the ice lollies improve her mood.

[1forAll74]

If she was bored here, I would ask her to go and sweep my shed out, and tidy the shelves, and flatten out some cardboard boxes etc, I used to do jobs like this, for my Mum. and my Grandparents when they were alive. I have a lot of old and interesting things in my shed, that some children would quite like to come across.

[h8cake]

@Skybluepinkgiraffe I feel the same, there is a lot of pressure, I do way more with my daughter than my mum ever did but I do feel she looks at me as a source of entertainment and when I dare say no, or tell her we are staying in for the day I feel this overwhelming sense of guilt. Like I'm not a good mum somehow and should be doing something with her every single day. Sometimes to the point that I'll end up saying we will go out as I feel so bad. I need to get over it as I think she senses this and uses it to her own benefit.

[SummerBreeze1980]

My DD is 9 and likes to claim she is bored when our house is bursting with her toys, games, books and arts and crafts supplies! But she usually gets on with something eventually.

My washing machine had a fault but is now fixed so I'm trying to get on top of the laundry back log today.

To be honest we've not done much this week. She was working on her Brownie Summer challenge on Monday so was kept busy We had lunch in a beach restaurant on Tuesday and a walk, Wed we had my parents over for coffee, today we are at home and tomorrow we are going to have a beach day.

You don't need to go out every day and at that age they should be able to amuse themselves for some time. I've had the 'I'm bored' today and I told her to read her book for the Summer reading challenge at the library. I will probably watch a film with her after dinner.

[Skybluepinkgiraffe]

[quote PattyPan]Let her be bored! It’s good for her to have to come up with something to do.
momlifetoday.com/2021/05/let-your-kids-get-bored-this-summer/[/quote]
I agree with this. There's so much pressure on parents to be entertaining kids all the time. I was lucky enough to grow up in the 70s, and our parents did very little with us and we made our own fun. In the 90s when I had my children, we did 'something' most days, but that something might have been a walk, or going to a friends house to play there while the other mum and I had a cup of tea and a chat.
I'd sometimes set them up with an activity and then leave them to get on with it.
They di learn to make their own fun but it's being bored that jump-starts them.
I'd find it difficult with the option to be on screens. I'm so grateful that they didn't really become a thing till my children were 10/12 or so. We had one second hand play station between them, and limited use. Its caused more tantrums than we'd had previously though. I take my hat off to today's parents trying to navigate all that!

[Wishihadanalgorithm]

It is too hot to be outside and exerting yourself if you do not need to.

We have been inside almost all of the time since Tuesday. Yesterday we popped to the supermarket for a few bits and today we went into town and visited a cafe along with a couple of shops.

DD has entertained herself with crafting. Anything else is just too much.

[ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba]

YABU to feel guilty.

YANBU to want to stay inside. we are. it's baking hot.
managed to avoid tv until now but youngest wants to watch Iron Man so that's what we'll do, watch a story about a dude in a metal suit. The irony

[DontLookEthel]

Why do you have to stay in the house with her?
Can't you go in the garden, lie in the shade with a book and a glass of something, and leave her to be bored on her own?

[inmyslippers]

We've been going out to the park in the evening when it starts to cool down. Too hot to be out in midday sun

[EastWestWhosBest]

Let her be bored.

I don’t ever remember being entertained. She will find something to do.

[greatestdancer]

YANBU! Ive been out with DD everyday this week but now it’s far too hot. We are spending today in our home.

[PrettyBlunt]

I've done exactly the same with DS who is 2. We've been to the beach everyday this week and today I just wanted to sit in and get on with some housework.

We don't have a garden so once it cools down he will go play football in the field close to our home when DP gets home from work.

[Themostwonderfultimeoftheyear]

We barely go out in this heat. This week has been paddling pool in the garden and watching films in front of fans

[Iseeyoulookingatme]

You don't need to be out every day op. Today is far to hot to be queuing to get in places etc etc. My ds had a couple of hours on his xbox this morning, he's played with some toys, we've done some baking and he is now playing in the garden on his slip and slid, while I hide in the shade.