Bad weather only really matters when you have children

[Welcometotheterrorzone]

This might be a bit of a 'well duh' thread but...
Since when did so much of my happiness depend on the weather?
Child free friends still seem to have amazing weekends and holidays despite it pissing down all week. 'Let's just go to the pub or musuem or stay in and watch interesting box sets' all of which are denied to parents of small children.
Now my life seems to revolve around 'please don't rain' 'did I just feel a spot' and 'we've paid £1,700 for this cottage and we are going to the beach, kids, get your waterproof trousers on!'
I mean, I chose this life, but I never expected to have to spend half my life in a car 'waiting for it to ease up a little?'

This.

As a new owner of a toddler I have recently found myself googling adult puddle suits.

Can't you go to the pub for a meal, the museum for a day or have a movie film day with small children?!

When it was raining we did everything as normal as kids! Family walks, meals out, day trips etc. It's Britain - it rains far too much to not just do things anyway!

I thought this, just got a puppy. Now we definitely have to just deal with the grim weather

Honestly, I think a lot of it is mindset.

When mine were toddlers (and up to the age of 5 really), if it was raining we would put in our waterproofs and go puddle jumping. Or through the woods, or playing pooh sticks etc.

As long as it’s not too cold, I’d bundle up and then get on with it.
It’s not as fun if it’s raining, but it beats staying at home.

Plus, the beach is much more fun in the rain, as it’s mainly empty.

I hear you! I’ve said the same through gritted teeth to several well meaning friends who have questioned my reliance on good weather for a relaxing holiday. DH was a Scout leader at one stage, we have all the bloody wet weather kit known to man but a 5 year old in a good wetsuit can still only last 30 minutes in the sea off Cornwall! And a soaking wet playground is miserable. Yes, we could book indoor activities but I can do those as easily from home without having shelled out for a cottage!

But I think it will get better by late primary. It’s already better this year (DSs are 5 and 8) than it was the year we were rained on for two weeks in Cornwall when they were 8 months and 4).

My most viewed app is the met office - even that is wrong this “summer”. I feel your pain! Hard to do things impromptu now due to covid too

I'm childfree and I do think it puts a downer on a holiday if the weather is bad.

If you've taken a dog with you, that can limit your indoor options - in terms of museums, theme parks and other indoor attractions there are more child-friendly ones than dog-friendly ones.

Leaving the dog factor aside, I agree there are more options for adults such as those you mention - but I don't go on holiday to watch TV, and I wouldn't want to be in the pub all day, everyday although it can be nice for a couple of hours - DH and I will do crosswords and so on on in a pub on a rainy day.

So I sort of agree in part but not wholly - I don't think it 'only' matters if you have children, but it probably is more difficult to manage.

Can't you go to the pub for a meal, the museum for a day or have a movie film day with small children?!

Museum, yes, but as to the others, have you ever actually tried it?!

Small children go feral if not exercised outdoors. No you can't just "stay in and have a movie day". They're screaming and literally ricocheting off the walls.

Yes! And I find myself anxiously looking up at the sky hoping it doesn't rain because I have washing out.

I think covid makes it worse, especially in winter. Lots of indoor options - family visits, indoor leisure etc were shut and it was freezing and that was hard. This summer though has been ok, we just get a bit wet from time to time. But lots of indoor and outdoor stuff to do and weather on the whole has been ok. But I guess if you’re used to foreign weather maybe it’s hard not being able to travel.

No chance would I sit in a car with kids waiting for weather though - either we are at home or we are putting waterproofs on and getting on with what we’re doing. I’m not sitting in a stuffy car with bored kids not going anywhere!

I disagree. Whenever it rained on holiday in a cottage we would have a day in with
Arts and crafts
Board games
Children’s films
Reading stories
Baking

As well as going out in rain itself.
You are only limited by your imagination.

I knew people would be pushing the puddle suit.

Rainy days should have dozens of smiling mummies and daddies in waterproofs unfazed by the rain, looking on fondly as their rosy cheeked darlings leap over puddles laughing delightedly in their puddle suits.

The reality is deserted playgrounds, soaking slides, wet swings and anyone who does walk by looking at you like you’re mad (or asking if you are ‘all right.’)

We're just back from a grey, damp, sunless beach holiday.

It was shit.

We did go to the beaches, we did all the walks, we did mini golf and we even went to a Cathedral but fuck me it would have been so much easier with some sunshine.

@PickleAF

Can't you go to the pub for a meal, the museum for a day or have a movie film day with small children?!

When it was raining we did everything as normal as kids! Family walks, meals out, day trips etc. It's Britain - it rains far too much to not just do things anyway!

No.

I have a 3yo and a 2yo. Taking them to a museum or pub would be a disaster and ruin the day for everyone else there. I'd be lucky if I got anywhere near the TV unless I was putting Frozen back to the start.

Little monsters.

Thankfully soft play exists

Exactly Squirry. Whether you have DC or not, if the weather is important to you, you don't do things that rely on good weather, and then complain when you get typical British weather.

I wouldn't pay £1700, plus travel, food etc for a UK cottage holiday if I wanted good weather because (obviously covid allowing) you could probably go abroad for that and be virtually guaranteed the good weather and warm sea that makes a holiday for you.

@PlanDeRaccordement

I disagree. Whenever it rained on holiday in a cottage we would have a day in with Arts and crafts Board games Children’s films Reading stories Baking

As well as going out in rain itself.
You are only limited by your imagination.

All of which is lovely with primary aged children but pretty useless with preschoolers.

I think actually it’s the limitations of cottage holidays you’re describing. We’ve given up on that concept, we do day trips/overnights to beaches on the spur of the moment if the forecast is good. Go on holidays to theme parks, city hotel breaks, center parcs, even caravan sites with entertainment and stuff to do - but never again will I spend thousands on a “cottage in Cornwall” type holiday with smallish children.

@legalseagull

Do we need to start giant soft plays to save the country from rubbish weather holidays?

Soft play terrifies me...the thought of what's hiding in those foam pits haha

Oh come on, we’re on holiday too. I don’t want to spend it doing arts and crafts all day with the rain beating down

@PickleAF

Can't you go to the pub for a meal, the museum for a day or have a movie film day with small children?!

When it was raining we did everything as normal as kids! Family walks, meals out, day trips etc. It's Britain - it rains far too much to not just do things anyway!

My children need to get outside daily for exercise other wise their behaviour and sleep is rubbish. Over winter as covid cases go up and as DH is ECV will be need to more carefully about indoor places so yes the weather is important for us.

The reality is deserted playgrounds, soaking slides, wet swings and anyone who does walk by looking at you like you’re mad (or asking if you are ‘all right.’)

Exactly! Everyone on MN insists they still take their kids out even when it’s raining but when I’ve taken mine to the park in the rain we are either the only ones there or if it’s starting to rain when we get there everyone is leaving, even one time there was a lady cleaning the park and it was raining and she said to me “you know it’s raining right?” Like why are you in here 😂

No wonderful folk go abroad, best option in normal times

@Planetsandstars

I knew people would be pushing the puddle suit.

Rainy days should have dozens of smiling mummies and daddies in waterproofs unfazed by the rain, looking on fondly as their rosy cheeked darlings leap over puddles laughing delightedly in their puddle suits.

The reality is deserted playgrounds, soaking slides, wet swings and anyone who does walk by looking at you like you’re mad (or asking if you are ‘all right.’)

Oh absolutely this!!!

I live near several parks and in wet miserable weather I hardly ever see any other toddlers all togged up in puddle suits jumping happily in puddles like they are in some corny nature advert. 99% of the time if we are out and it rains the playgrounds are deserted and its just me and 1 small person crying over a soggy swing.

I also agree with a PP that the weather app is my most used app. No matter how much I wish, how much I persevere or how much outdoor gear we have sadly my toddler does not like being outside in the rain.

What a weird comment.
If you can’t take a child to a museum or some sort of indoor activity and you need to run them ragged all the time then you’re probably not doing parenting all that well.

Most children can happily do something indoors if NT. if they don’t have an ounce of patience that’s poor parenting

[quote PickleAF]@legalseagull

Do we need to start giant soft plays to save the country from rubbish weather holidays?

Soft play terrifies me...the thought of what's hiding in those foam pits haha [/quote]
Last month My youngest went to the top of the slide, pissed himself, then sat there crying whilst I climbed three floors of rope bridges to get to him as DH frantically tried to 'blue roll' the river of wee.

They're disgusting, but serve a purpose