to wonder what you do at the weekend?

[ACupOfTeaSolvesEverything]

What do you do with your weekends (or days off if you work weekends)? I think there’s loads to do (from chores to fun stuff to relaxing) and am rarely bored. Friend says there’s nothing to do and the weekend is an interminable stretch of waiting for Monday. We both have families and both work Mon-Fri. Friend doesn’t have many local friends to nip round to or go to the gym with (friend won’t go alone) and says that’s the difference between us, but actually I don’t do much of that anyway, I maybe see a friend at the weekend once every couple of months.
So.
YABU: the weekend is dire and I’d rather fast forward to Monday
YANBU: there’s loads to fill your time with, no need to be so bored

@PollyIndia

I LOVE the weekends. It's just me and 9 year old DS and the dog. I do yoga, he builds lego or watches TV, we go to his BMX class, cook nice food, we go to the forest with the dog and watch films, or sometimes I take him swimming. And sometimes recently he has a sleepover and I get to go out! Maybe it's easier as just the two of us so nobody to worry about but each other.

@PollyIndia

I'll be a solo parent soon and am thinking about the transition from being single and child free (not by choice!) aged 39.

I was really struggling before being single and childless... I'd found myself losing the motivation to do tings just for myself... every single weekend...and there were too many solitary activities, nobody consistent to share them with...especially if you already live by yourself and have plenty of downtime alone/solitude...I'm sure with a baby in Dec all will change (it has to!)

My weekends fly by- single parent who works full time means by the weekend the house looks like a bombs hit it!
There’s plenty of chores to do plus usual DC hobbies, probably a party, definitely seeing friends, homework and some chill time too.
Sunday night always comes around far too quickly!

Live alone and no kids/partner making an effort to be more social and also just do more stuff on my own. So things like go for lunch, go to the cinema etc.

We look after our dc but, being 9 & 10, they don't need a lot of supervision. We do household chores. We sit about drinking tea and watching TV. Very occasionally, we go out if there's a local event happening. We're a bit bored but we're definitely not just waiting for Monday!

I am disappointed every weekend at my wasting time every weekend.
I work Monday-fri and then have an extra job and work every Saturday night shift.
So i kind of feel that it’s ok to fo very little. Consequently I laze on the sofa.

Today though determined to not waste my weekend lazing, I’ve done loads of gardening, laundry and cleaning.
I’ll have a bath later and go to bed for a couple of hours before I start my night shift.
I’m permanently tired.

Life Admin, exercise, cleaning, errands, family & pet care.
Lie-in on Sundays if I'm lucky.

I work Monday to Friday and love that feeling when I finish work on the Friday. At the weekends I catch up on housework, washing, ironing (there's only DP, DD17 and I) etc and do the 'big shop' and relax too.
However, come 5ish Sunday evening, I get that horrible sinking feeling at the thought of another week and it feels like groundhog day . The weekends go far too quick for my liking.

@Damnyoureyes

I am disappointed every weekend at my wasting time every weekend. I work Monday-fri and then have an extra job and work every Saturday night shift. So i kind of feel that it’s ok to fo very little. Consequently I laze on the sofa.

Today though determined to not waste my weekend lazing, I’ve done loads of gardening, laundry and cleaning.
I’ll have a bath later and go to bed for a couple of hours before I start my night shift.
I’m permanently tired.

@Damnyoureyes

I'm sorry you feel like this. I've experienced this many times. Do you have people to talk to in RL about this? Or do something on Sunday with?

@Dazedandconfused10

Live alone and no kids/partner making an effort to be more social and also just do more stuff on my own. So things like go for lunch, go to the cinema etc.

Yes, this is what I have tried to do...I think those who have partnered for a long time don't understand what's it like being long term single/childless(child free)...it's tough to do everything on your own all the time I've found

I love the weekend. We usually get out somewhere nice, do some gardening, cook something fancy. Lots of playing with little DS.

Today we're going to a farmer's market, and we'll cook something with whatever we pick up. We also like to binge watch a series whenever DS falls asleep in the evening. Just finished Squid Game and now we're halfway through The Terror season 2.

It'll all probably change as DS gets older, and when we have another, but I always just prefer to have a loose plan and just approach whatever it is at whatever pace is working for all of us.

There’s so much to do! They always go too quickly.
I don’t understand anyone with young children being bored on weekends?
Theme parks, water parks, swimming, farms, zoos, bowling, parks, out for dinner, train to a different city... there are so many things to do with children

Loads of errands - post office, food shopping etc etc. Running DC to sport. Walk the dog. Reading. Pottering. Bit of housework.

@Musttryharder2021 it's true! It can be so easy for me to just stay in all weekend and do nothing. I'm find I enjoy getting out the house even if it's just to go to a coffee shop and read, it makes me feel less alone even if I'm not actually talking to or with anyone. Just having people around is nice.

Your friend must be lonely and not have hobbies. I'm married, no kids, and almost always thrilled to have nowhere to go on the weekend. Seeing one person is enough for me, and our dogs are also good company.

I love making progress with a project around the house or garden, spending lots of guilt-free time on my hobbies, sometimes putting in extra effort making something delicious to eat, or just lying around watching TV or reading! I only wish weekends were longer!

@RussianSpy101

There’s so much to do! They always go too quickly. I don’t understand anyone with young children being bored on weekends? Theme parks, water parks, swimming, farms, zoos, bowling, parks, out for dinner, train to a different city... there are so many things to do with children

@RussianSpy101

I think those who have children definitely seem to have more options... Maybe it's also the novelty of the activities? And sharing the experience/nurturing your child/children through them?

As a single female (currently pregnant) so technically childless, I seem to have gotten extremely bored of the 'activities' on offer as a late 30s something (cleaning my flat/food shopping/bingeing on Netflix/drinking (when I do get invited out) it felt like reliving my 20s but without a group of friends!...or the activities are too solitary (can't find single/available friends or anyone that's free for me in couples). I'll be honest, expanding my social networks is one of the reasons I wanted to be a parent . I'm tired of being alone and I don't want a partner/husband (been married previously).

@shakehandswithdanger

Your friend must be lonely and not have hobbies. I'm married, no kids, and almost always thrilled to have nowhere to go on the weekend. Seeing one person is enough for me, and our dogs are also good company.

I love making progress with a project around the house or garden, spending lots of guilt-free time on my hobbies, sometimes putting in extra effort making something delicious to eat, or just lying around watching TV or reading! I only wish weekends were longer!

It's not always about having hobbies - sometimes you want to do some of these hobbies with someone. It gets tiresome (at least for me it did) to do all the 'hobbies' on my own all the time. It's the shared experience you're looking for not a time filler....Op's friend has a child so technically isn't alone though lonely he may be

Never bored, they are so full that we never really have time to test which annoys me every weekend, but by the next weekend there seems so much to do still so hectic on repeat again.

Today - spent morning cleaning ( run B and B), dh took Ds out food shopping whilst I cleaned. Then we all rushed out to sort out viewing new car and finalising order.
I’m now sitting in Ds room trying to get him to nap ( well ignore him so he sleeps). Dh is in work call.
As soon as Ds is asleep we will be in garden filling trailer with green waste and trip to tip later.

Tomorrow - I need to ideally paint shed, add wood chip and wooden borders to new trees in garden. Walk and coffee out with friends planned. Start clearing cellar for new heating system there soon.

There’s still 101 things on to do list still.

I have a 3 year old & typically we spend one day with friends or family & the other day staying local & going to the park/ playground. Also we eat out a fair bit & get a takeaway one evening. I enjoy weekends more now that DD is 3, she can still be very demanding but less so than she was during the terrible 2’s!
@Musttryharder2021 I was single a fair bit in my 30’s while a lot of friends were settling down. I can relate to finding it difficult to fill weekends at times. I don’t think I appreciated my free time that much. Having children really does make you appreciate your free time! Saying that I do miss some of the things I used to do when I was child free.

Wishing you all the best as you embark on this next stage @Musttryharder2021. There is a wealth of knowledge on here so if you ever need anything just shout!

I live for the weekends. I love the feedom from time construct.

Saturday: Leisurely breakfast, bass practice/'band' practice with DH (he's a guitarist), walk or gallery/museum/cinema, pub, cocktails at home, dinner, film, bed.

Sunday: Another leisurely breakfast, maybe read a bit, out with DD (usually shopping and lunch), bass, possibly a beer or two, family dinner, watch daft stuff (Sunday evening is usually vintage period drama night).

I do love our weekends!

Those of you who have partners and children, do you think your lives would be as busy? Assuming you aren't in your 20s...it does seem reviewing the thread that those with families have 'more' going on 'activities' wise....do you ever think how things would be without your partners/husbands and children?

@zonky

Those of you who have partners and children, do you think your lives would be as busy? Assuming you aren't in your 20s...it does seem reviewing the thread that those with families have 'more' going on 'activities' wise....do you ever think how things would be without your partners/husbands and children?

I have a partner and a 14 year old. My weekends aren't busy but that's what I love. Doing nothing.

@zonky

Those of you who have partners and children, do you think your lives would be as busy? Assuming you aren't in your 20s...it does seem reviewing the thread that those with families have 'more' going on 'activities' wise....do you ever think how things would be without your partners/husbands and children?

We've always done something of a weekend, even pre DC. I suppose the difference is back then we had longer lie ins of a Sunday morning, possibly more frequent hangovers.

The weekends don't feel extremely busy but when I count the things we've done, I suppose they are. The older DS gets the activities will change I suppose, or maybe get added on. I think it all really depends.

Thanks @rosegoldfan

I used to do too much of nothing on the weekends....I even used to get drunk on my own to pass the time so sad to admit to this...it actually felt like 'something to do' to be drunk and then hungover. Otherwise it'd be just lying in bed waiting for Monday. I was really suffering from extreme isolation/loneliness...No partner/children/family living far away/few friends and they are partnered with children..and this was pre-pandemic. It was truly awful. I now have a few friends, am pregnant and my life is infinitely better than what it used to be. Loneliness is awful and not much spoken about (and doesn't only affect the elderly).

I think being single, in your 30s, childless (not by choice) and not having a good family/friends network is the situation I was...really dreadful and isolating. I think it's difficult for those who've never experienced this to truly understand the day to day cumulative/emotional effect of it on someone