Does anyone else struggle staying in for the day with the kids?

[williteverstopraining2024]

Two kids 4 & 6 been a busy few weeks been camping and festival and just general work etc x
Staying in today with both kids to chill out but they just fight and argue all day long!!! Is this normal?! I just wanted a nice lazy ish day and it just ends up being more stressful 😥

My kids are adult now but we needed to be out every day when they were that age. Might only be a run to the park but they were absolute pita at home all day.

Yep. My friend commented the other day that I seem to be one of those ‘got it all together’ mums as I upload photos of so many different days out. Nope. Just can’t cope with the mess generated at home and the constant demands to help with craft projects which then litter the house for months. Much better to be at a park or soft play or cafe where no mess is made.

I have two boys aged 4 and 7 and to be honest I'm quite lucky as 90% of the time they play really well together so days at home aren't too bad. Plus we have a big garden for them to burn off some energy and they'll quite happily watch a film or some TV together. I feel I struggle more staying at home than they do. I feel like a spend all day tidying up after them and sorting snacks. I find days out much easier and nicer and so tend to do that. If we stay at home it might be for a morning or afternoon but I like to try and get out at some point.

I have a 2 year old and days at home dragggggggggggg… plus the pull of a little tv is too strong. I’m sure one day I will miss my constant shadow but today is not that day!!

Yes but my house is quite small. I think it’s easier in a bigger house with a bigger garden!

God. I remember how they did at that age. Much better to get out with tiny ones.

I've got 2 boys age 4 and 6 - we have a decent size garden but we still need to do a daily local walk /trip to the playground as a bare minimum, or by about 4 o'clock they are jumping off the furniture.

I realised early on that staying in wasn't an option. It looks like the easy choice too, but by 9am if we weren't heading out my son would be bouncing off the walls.

Yeah, we have to go out each day. Even if it's just popping to the shops or his nans. I found it easier to entertain him this way when he was little so now it has become expected. Each day starts with him asking what we're doing today. What I have done is created a monster because he now finds it very difficult to entertain himself and just 'be bored'.

When my son was younger, we had to get out every day or he would be bouncing off the walls! We did a lot of bridal park walks and parks!

He's 10 now and a day at home is fine as he is chilled out (only child so no sibling bickering).

I do try to make sure we go out most days - even just for a short walk.

Gosh I feel so much better off these replies my SIL always stays in with her two but I really struggle to stay home and prefer being out so was feeling like I should stay home and have a relax - I'll be going to the park
Shortly as I'm climbing the walls already 🤣

Dead right.

'Craft'.. AAARGHHHH!

During the holidays mine used to loll around and entertain themselves in the morning while I did whatever housework/ ironing/ admin I needed to do. I'd give them lunch and then we'd get the hell out...

Change of scene and fresh air. They can run around and wear themselves out. Feed them tea while you're out too - picnic in the park or share a jacket potato, brand and cheese in the supermarket cafe or whatever - and then you come home to a nice, tidy house. Straight into the bath and then they can potter/ play/ watch a bit of telly until bedtime.

We always go out even if it’s just to the park or town. I struggle to stay in myself. It makes such a long boring day otherwise. I always think my dc are like dogs (kindly) in that they need to be exercised!

Yup, my dc are both a bit like a puppy - i need to take them out for a walk to the park twice a day to burn off some energy.

Ds was 6 when covid started and i have no idea how we got through the weeks where we had to isolate. During the second lockdown (the winter one) i resorted to running couch to 5k with him even in the pouring rain just to try and exhaust him a bit.

Yep I have a 10 year old and a 6 year old and we don't have a garden. Indoor days are filled with them arguing and whining and wanting consoles all day. They might play nicely for about an hour max. As a result we rarely have indoor days, even if it's just a visit to the local park.

I have dc the same age and we always get out every day. It's good to get out and have a change of scenery and to see other people around, and there are lots of fun activities put on over the summer so if we don't go out then they miss out. We have a decent sized house and garden but being in the same place gets boring after a while.

Just found this thread & glad I did as I so relate! Although my Dses are older, 10 & 13 (with SEN so he is more like 8/9). Also 15 but he does his own thing. We have to get out every day or it's not great 🙈

We were trying to have a lazy day today but it's not worked out so going for a scoot after lunch.

It has obviously influenced DS3 as he said to me yesterday that although lots of his friends would find picking blackberries (as we were doing) boring, he would find the idea of an unlimited screen day boring. Not sure if that's good or not!

i think we all hated staying in, well i did, even when we had a large garden

Mine are 3&5, I had to double check I'd not written your post. Mine just constantly bicker and fight. Our house isn't particularly small in that they have a play room and their own bedrooms. You'd think they wouldn't get in each others faces but they seem to gravitate to the same room as each other then to the same toy. I despair some days I really do. They have massively different personalities which doesn't help. DD5 is very outdoors, quite happy to be dragged round museums or walks from dawn to dusk. Whereas DS3 is much more at peace being at home and playing with toys by himself. DD tries to interfere because she doesn't have much imagination so DS goes for her. She runs off screaming and he chases her snarling and teeth bared like a wolf. Then when DD takes herself to her bedroom to play with her toys in peace, DS barges in and starts taking her stuff and off we go on the merry go round again...

I find I talk to and play with my DC more outside.

it’s too easy to do why I’m doing right now (on mumsnet) or bits of housework while they potter.

it also means we get dressed - this is our first day in this 6 week hol (I’m on mat leave) and we’re not dressed yet 😳

Just to add - everyone is different, my cousin is in most times, she and kids get stressed on full activity days out.

Her kids fight regardless of in/out anyway - small age gap so they compete a lot.

I wouldn't want to stay at home all day (even though I love my home), so why would my kids want to? At the absolute minimum I would want to get out for a walk and a cup of tea or similar. So for the kids, they need the equivalent, and not every trip needs to be a big one - playground, library, even going to the shops to pick a few things up can be enough.
Next time your SIL says something to make you feel bad say something like "I find it is so important for everyone's physical and mental health to get daily fresh air and exercise, and such some of possible. So much better than being cooped up like we were still in lockdown."

I'm not great at it and I am better with them out and about. The only thing I've found that has helped is being a bit strict, they get told to go and find something to do if I'm trying to get housework or cooking done for example. If they whinge I tell them I don't want to hear it and I'll chuck them out to the garden if they are playing up inside for example.

Mine were the same at that age.
just take a picnic and go out!

We’d literally be out by 9 every single day. Staying in was not an option. I need fresh air and a change of scenery. Like others have said many a day spent walking down cycle paths and the like.