For finding family/kids events stressful?

[Stigofthedumpp]

Just got back from a family Halloween kids event at a local visitor attraction. My husband was at work so was just me with my DS1 (6) and DS2 (1). God it was hard work. Wasn’t particularly pushchair friendly (despite saying it was), trying to engage with DS1 when DS2 was refusing to nap was impossible, it was packed (obviously) and full of irritating families (mine being one of them). Does anyone else find these things hard work or am I just an intolerable, insufferable old woman 🤣

I’ve just got back from a soft play birthday party with dd(4) and ds( 20months) and it was hard work both ran in different directions on the play equipment so could only watch one at a time and then ds wouldn’t sit down to eat anything because he was tired. We’ve got a Halloween party on Tuesday but dh will have finished work so we can tackle one child each, thank god.

The best thing about having older kids is never setting foot in these places again. I always absolutely hated them and found them really stressful.

I've been out with my 3yo and 1yo solo parenting today and had a lovely time, though I'm fully aware I may be in the minority!

Nope I hate them too, that's why I don't go! We've done baking and Halloween films in the house today, and will be going for a walk tomorrow.

Oh kids themed stuff is hell in disguise. So so glad I don't need to endure that kind of stuff anymore

I hated these things as well. Such a relief when we didn't have to. Now looking back I do wonder why we felt compelled to do all this stressful stuff. Woodland walks, smores over a firepit in the garden and kitchen discos far better and cost nothing. We've just finished carving pumpkins and now just watching movies.

Those are difficult ages. I have similar. The only saving grace is that the older one has at least some sense of self-preservation so I follow the younger one.

Older one has a lost child badge/wristband with my number scrawled on it in case we get separated and I dress them in a neon top/t-shirt if we are going anywhere busy.

@Okthenhavefun

Wind your neck in

YANBU. I tend to enjoy the nicer ones with DH, flying solo it's awful with two DC

I know the MN view is that struggling with my own DC makes me a terrible, incompetent mother - and maybe I am - but yeah, terrible.

I loved family days out where you set your own pace and agenda. but harder to have fun at "Fun" days where you have to be somewhere by a certain time or the expensive 'fun' you bought tickets for doesn't interest DC. (Not want tractor ride. Want donkey to bite my fingers and spend day in A&E etc)

It's cold, any kid in pushchair is cold and at sea-of-legs level - not much fun. Chill at home or on outings that you can control more until spring.

I don’t like the kind of events where children are loud, indoors, etc. I always try so that DS doesn’t miss out but I really don’t like being around other kids.

We went to a kids Halloween event this weekend that had a bar, so that helped!

I have toddler twins and an older one. Basically if the event isn't escape-proof and featuring at least one adult friend of mine who could help in a pinch, I don't go on my own.

😁
One of my friends has 4DC. She went to loads of these places with the first two, some with her third and very few with her last because she just couldn't face going to them any more.

At the moment I like them but preferably with other adults, and I have one child so I am not pulled in two different directions.

Depends very much on the size and organisation of the event, but voted YANBU because we were at a Free Halloween event yesterday and it was overcrowded with just a DJ and a tiny area for dancing and table for kids to do some drawing. It's a free event on a rainy day so half the city turned up, absolute mayhem.

Same! I often take all 3 of my kids (5,3,1) out alone and we have a ball.
I think expectations and planning are a big part of it though!
It's not always fun, and it's usually hard but I still love it.

I had a full blown panic attack at a farm park once, so I hear you. I'm otherwise quite capable of existing under stressful situations!

These activities are dreadful but they don’t last forever. I look back fondly on some rubbish day outs now!

Everything becomes easier once you are beyond pushchairs and naps.

Don't blame you. I always found those things to be a test of endurance rather than enjoyable. We saved the events for the weekends so that DH and I could take a child each, and then it was actually a nice experience

100%. My youngest is 5 now and days out are so much easier.

YANBU, OP I think those kinds of places can be stressful for lots of people. For me, one positive of having two Autistic kids is they don't like noisy environments so I rarely find myself trapped at busy, indoor events with loud music and other people's screaming kids!!

Am I the only one who loves such outings?

It's the staying at home that drives me nuts.

I do have just 1 child though. And maybe because we're in Aus the weather is usually nice so it makes me enjoy the activities ? 🤷‍♀️

Me every time I am driving out of the “car park” (impossibly muddy field featuring a man in high vis waving me forward):

“WE ARE NEVER DOING ONE OF THESE THINGS AGAIN”

Me 5 hours later, when kids are in bed:

”I’ve just booked a combined tree planting and garlic frying experience that is a 45 minute drive away and cost £600. It says there are meerkats. For some reason.”

I actually used to love those events because it was organised and got us out of the house. My 2 were 5.5 years apart in age though so I never had 2 toddlers to deal with plus they never ever ran off anywhere and usually just wanted to be glued to my side