...to be irritated by people who pack their DCs off to clubs as soon as the hols start?

[juicy12]

I'm not talking about people who work full/part-time here. But really about people who are SAHM/SAHDs. Some people seem to be terrified at the prospect of spending any time with their DCs just in the home, just hanging out or doing home activities. I've got a DS - 5 and a DD - 2.5, and I'm looking forward to some weeks of chilling out, painting, craft stuff, swimming, playing etc. I've lost count of the number of other SAHMs who take the "can't possibly have them at home for 6 weeks" line and schedule the entire break to within a nano-second. Or am I being mean not booking DS1 in for loads of different activities?

You're obviously a far better parent than me

Well Done

You're obviously a far better parent than me

Well Done

Yikes. Be careful.

Ive spent most of the day with my DD and she has just gone out to a club, where she will meet new people, as well as see the ones she knows from school. I dont see any problem with it. If she wanted to go to a club during the day, Id organise that for her too.

Like everything in life, its all about balance.

If the dc wnat to go then i think it's a great idea. Mine just never wanted to go sadly. It's only mean to make them go if you can't be arsed having them with you imo.

Twice (for emphasis)

my DS is having a great time at his summer club. he wouldn't go if he didn't love it, and he gets to meet up with his school friends and meet new friends. Before I had children old enough to go to these sorts of clubs I had the same narrow minded opinion as you, juicy12.

You are not mean for not sending yours, just as people who send theirs aren't.
Lots of children actually like going to places where they meet their peers and do organized activities.

I don't know though, we are only in Week One of hols and I 'm knackered already

If I had the dosh I'd be tempted, just for a week maybe

Why have you posted this?

Ds spent 3 hours doing football, tennis and cricket this morning. He loved it.

If we had a cricket pitch, football pitch and a tennis court in our garden I'd gladly let him stay at home and play them here.

Dd would happily stay at home and paint, draw and do craft things. Depends on your children.

YABU

Dd is booked into stagecoach for a week next week and I am soo looking forward to it.

I do think that, where possible, children need to spend the first two to three weeks of the holidays not doing structured/organised activities, in order to wind down and to occupy themselves with whatever catches their imagination.

But at some point during the very long summer holidays (DD has got 9.5 weeks in all), that children can do some kind of organised activity, preferably very different to whatever they do during the year.

How about you do what you want with your children and you let other people do what they want.

Surely with all the activities you're doing with your children you don't have any energy left to waste being irritated by things that have no real impact on your life.

I kind of knew that this would put backs up, but don't people want to spend time with their DC? That's my point. Obviously, Flier, your DS wouldn't go if he didn't want to.

I agree SAHMs and dads should be chained to their children.

I'm irritated by smug gits.

juicy12, I'm not so sure why you are so irritated that other people choose to let their children go to these clubs. So what if they want their children to socialise with other childre, and partake in masses of organised activities?

Mine aren't going to any clubs, but that's my choice - I think learning to deal with havingnothing to do is character building.(And something that only happens in child hood/maternity leave/retirement)

Yes, I used to find school holidays easy when I had a 5 year old and a 3 year old.

Come back when you have a 10 year old bickering with an 8 year old and a stroppy pre-teen 3 year old.

ok, juicy, I must admit that there are some mums I know who seem to pack their dc (only children) off to anything and everything, but each to their own - before they know it their dcs won't want to spend time with their parents......but, as long as dcs are happy, that is the main thing

People want to spend time with their children, perhaps not 24/7, I find.

Oh fgs, didn't we do this with that stupid kids club thread a while ago?

Let it go, you are being at best nosey and at worst obnoxious.

Actually, I probably will sign them up for football I really don't want to spend all day playing football with them, and a professional coach will do a much better job than me. oh, and they'll ahve a really great time with the other children.

It's not about not wanting to spend time with my dcs.

I still have things I need to do at home. I can do these things whilst the chidren are occupied elsewhere and then spend time with them when they are at home.

It's a win win situation, as afra as I am concerned.

When my two were same age as yours, they were great together. Now they have separate interests and when they have been out doing some activity, come home and are much happier to be together.

Give yourself 2-3years, lol.

YABU, it is none of your business.

Seriously? This is what irritates you? What other people are doing with their kids during the summer holidays?

It's not about not wanting to spend time with my children, it's about not actually wanting to kill them.