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?'

I don't think there are many countries with all year good weather - even sunny countries are often too hot to go outside. I visited north africa in winter - inside it was freezing as they have stone floors and little central heating, outside ideal for outdoor sport!
Had a holiday in central France - seems they are often snowed up in the winter.
Found Australia cold indoors too as not much central heating (that was 12 years ago).
If you can ignore the rain we have a very pleasant temperate climate compared to just about everywhere.

If you can ignore the rain we have a very pleasant temperate climate compared to just about everywhere.

Whilst I obviously agree we have a temperate climate (that's a fact), I do think threads like this often ignore the huge differences in UK weather. I moved down to England (Midlands) from Scotland 17 years ago and it's just a completely different kettle of fish. So many sunnier days, the sunnier days are hotter, far less wind and driving rain. The English are less good at getting on with things in the snow though! I'd love to move back to Scotland, except for the weather - it's absolutely the reason that stops me.

Honestly, I think attitude is the biggest problem here. I get it op, you were looking forward to a holiday. It was a lot of money, the weather is disappointing. But when life gives you lemons…

In Scottish schools, they have ramped up ‘outdoor learning’ on the curriculum. Our nursery is now fully outside, all day long. Some of the staff have spent 30 years in that nursery, in a warm, dry environment. They have just had to suck up the massive change to their job (they actually love it, they say it’s incredibly beneficial to the children’s well-being).

I have to take my class stomping around outside for several hours every week. I quietly rolled my eyes at first and spent much time trying to plan my lessons around the weather forecasts. However, having spent a fortune (we got funding to kit out the kids for all weather, but not the teachers…but that’s not a surprise…) on waterproof outdoor gear, the now rain doesn’t bother me in the slightest. It can actually be quite good fun.

Ah, the ‘when life gives you lemons’ trope

@Bookaholic73

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.

4 posts in and we get the standard 'puddle jumping' post

First day in a holiday cottage with a 4yo & 6yo here, morning conversation has been why do they still get up so early and debating the accuracy of the met office forecast vs accuweather vs BBC. Hoping for accuweather...

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

There's a reason for that.

In Scottish schools, they have ramped up ‘outdoor learning’ on the curriculum. Our nursery is now fully outside, all day long.

Outdoor nurseries are great as they teach independence, stamina and resilience. Not skills I want to be working on while on holiday relaxing.

@PlanDeRaccordement

Arts and crafts
Board games
Children’s films
Reading stories
Baking

That sounds lovely, but not something under 4s can really do or engage with for longer than 10 min.

@Dozer

Ah, the ‘when life gives you lemons’ trope

Well, constantly moaning just makes you more miserable…

It's true that children don't mind the weather and getting wet, to an extent but all day long every day for a week, no. The cost of indoor places aquariums etc is really high too and not something you can do everyday. My children need to go outside or they would be climbing the walls. They wouldn't sit through a movie on holiday and I would worry if they would be happy stuck indoors all day. We have generally been lucky with UK holidays the last few years but this year has been particularly bad summer since the children broke up from school

I am pretty robust about bad weather. I don’t drive and live in Scotland, so you have to be. Very much a “just put some decent waterproofs on and get on with it, nobody’s ever dissolved in the rain” person when it comes to going out.

Still: pre-DC, I would happily spend a rainy Saturday watching films and reading books all day. Maybe walk to the pub and then stay there for a few nice relaxing hours. Was lovely. With small children, indoor activities are a lot more time-limited and outdoor ones just are less fun with a shorter lifespan when it’s pelting down with rain. “You can still go to parks!” Yes and we do, regularly, but the climbing bars are slippy and a toddler in a rainsuit goes down slides like an Olympic luge team. “Toddlers love splashing in puddles!” And like everything else toddlers love, it lasts four and a half minutes.

At least it’s not the depths of shit that was last winter, though. Trudging round in the sleet because everything was shut. Urgh.

Who’s ‘constantly moaning’?

Ive grown to hate the rain too. With 3 boys they all need to get exercise every day which is possible indoors but not easy. None of them particularly like going out in the rain and nor do I. Eldest's cricket practise has been rained off again this morning. It was the last chance his dad had to watch him this year as all other days he was either working or it rained (again). Yesterday cost £33 for 45 mins in the trampoline park as an activity. I expect this in the winter but its frustrating weve had to go so many times over the summer as its been so wet. As for arts and crafts, baking etc thats the sort of thing I associate more as a winter type activity. We have done some of that but we live in a fairly small house and like others have said it creates a huge mess to sort out after and plus they are still raring to go and im drained! Looking forward to them going back to school to be honest. I enjoy spending time with them but im bored with trying to conjure up new activities all the time due to crap weather.

YABU, lots of people without children wait for good weather too.

I'm conflicted, because I am a beaver scout leader, but also, truth be told not really that outdoorsy.

This last year all our meetings have been outside as well.

@DanielTigersMummy21

As the owner of an especially ginger toddler I find really hot days just as bad. The constant fear of her burning makes a day outside stressful.

I love a warm, slightly overcast yet dry day. But it always seems to be one extreme or the other!

I think I might be your toddler. I feel their pain!

No. My 7 month old son can go to museums and other indoor attractions.

My dog on the other hand needs walking whatever the weather.

@Just10moreminutesplease I hate to break it to you but a 7mo baby is very different to a 18mo - 3yo.

No. My 7 month old son can go to museums and other indoor attractions.

So could my son at 7 month, he would just sit in the pushchair and I'd be able to enjoy going around at a leisurely pace. Now he's approaching 2 however it's a completely different story.

@Just10moreminutesplease. Indeed? And which is his favourite museum? If he's into Roman history, may I recommend the Nero exhibition at the British museum? My 3yo didn't appreciate it much but he's a bit uncultured.

[quote shouldistop]@Just10moreminutesplease I hate to break it to you but a 7mo baby is very different to a 18mo - 3yo. [/quote]
But surely by then he’ll be able to interact more with the children focused exhibitions and go to even more places? And there’s always soft play for burning off energy?

I’ll come back to apologise for my optimism in a years time .

reminds me of a recent thread where the mum of a 3yo was talking about his diet / he was quite fussy. Someone piped up saying her 9mo would eat anything.

@Welcometotheterrorzone

I don't think my issue is that my DC's won't have fun, to be honest they would have fun pushing a Octonaught figure through a pile of rabbit droppings outside the caravan. Selfishly, it is my enjoyment of holidays which is affected by the weather. Obviously I can take my children to a museum, and I have done this summer. They ran through the exhibition I wanted to see, didn't want to attempt the child friendly treasure hunt aimed at getting the children to actually look at the stuff in the cabinets. I don't think they asked one question about the things they were seeing apart from 'is there a gift shop?' I have an art degree, I have tried my hardest to get them to take an interest and this is my experience. It's nothing like going to a museum as a childfree person.

Haven't read the rest of the thread yet but this is absolutely my child in the museum. I am glad to hear she's not the only kids who has zero interest in those treasure hunts!

[quote shouldistop]@Just10moreminutesplease I hate to break it to you but a 7mo baby is very different to a 18mo - 3yo. [/quote]
Preach! 7 months old is an compliant as they get

@Hellotoallmyfans

I do miss the days of spending rainy days in bed with dh, having sex, eating and then going to the pub to start drinking all over again...sigh!

Those will days return! I now have two lovely older teens, with busy lives, partners etc and dh and I now have so much free time at the weekend - it's bloody wonderful