to think that children are over entertained these days (and I include my PFB in this!)

[PussinJimmyChoos]

Went to Legoland today with DS (4)..he moaned the whole time and there were a number of other kids moaning as well..

Ok, it was humid, maybe he was tired or he's coming down with something...

But I couldn't help thinking 'in my day' if I was taken to an amusement park, I would have been far too excited to moan and whinge..

Which led me to think that maybe kids are becoming blase about entertainment due to pressure on parents to entertain them all the time and thus they are used to it?

I include myself in this by the way...much parental angst suffered when I think he's bored, despite my mum and Great Granny nodding sagely and informing 'its good for kids be bored now and then...

Hm...

your Mum and Granny are right x x x

What was he moaning about exactly?

Way too hot for legoland
and the wasps swarming round the ice cream places
eek!

I don't wanna go on that ride, I wanna sit in the buggy, I wanna get out of the buggy, I'm hungry, I'm full, noooooo you can't go on the ride without me mummy, I wanna go home, I wanna go to the shop

This aside, he's a lovely little boy but today he was, quite frankly, a tad annoying

We ended up leaving early!

They need to experience boredom, they really do

This is the 1 aspect of parenting I feel absolutely 100% confident about

Yes, you have to put up with a lot of preceding whingeing and moaning but eventually they find something to do and amuse themselves for ages (DD1 - ends up reading a book, DD2 - looks for bugs in the garden and makes a 'home' for them using Tupperware is what mine did recently anyway)

Compo - we checked the weather forecast and they said cloudy with sunny spells and 24 so we thought ok, not too bad temperature wise...but he was in cool sandals, baggy t shirt and not over heated...but even so, maybe it was too much for him..

I find it hard to let him be bored though...the guilt

some parents probably take them once a week with passes

DD2 is nearly 4 - I must confess to NEVER feeling guilty about her being 'bored'. We do enough during the week as it is

Chill-out time is essential IMO

And they need to learn to make their own amusement... I mean, I would NEVER have suggested to her that we go and look for insects in the garden and make a house for them, EVER If I'd had 'laid on' some activity instead she wouldn't have done it

(looked for the insects, I mean)

Those big days out can actually be quite difficult for children as young as that though.
Tiring and overwhelming.
I've not been able to face a big theme park with DD (5) yet - I'm waiting til she's a bit older. We've done days out, zoos, London etc - just not a big theme park.

He loved Drayton Manor and Alton Towers as he's a ride fan like me - can't wait until he can go on the scary ones

But today...non...

It got me thinking though...when I had my school holidays as a child, it was a few trips to the seaside, trips into town shopping - that sort of thing...and I wasn't deprived or anything - that was how it was (and I'm only 33)

Now it seems to be the norm for an activity planned every day - and I'm a tad guilty of it myself!

A friend of mine works as a nanny, and the one year old she looks after has some kind of class or activity every day, sometimes twice a day - aqua tots, gymboree, baby signing, monkey music, french etc etc. They are literally never in the house unless the child is asleep

yanbu. I love just leaving mine in the garden to aimlessly (sp?) potter about.

I think everyone is overstimulated and overentertained these days. Now I have laptop permanently connected to the internet, Blackberry, Ipod, DVDs, Facebook, etc. I know my attention span has shortened a lot.

I have a (not very scientific) theory that your brain needs stimulation, and if it can get 'cheap' (i.e. easy, techno-fed) stimulation constantly then it becomes lazy and can't be bothered to do something harder but more worthwhile, like something creative.

I am really trying to cut back on technology in my life (not going so great atm)

French - for a one year old?! {shock]

YANBU.

My favourite moments are those when the dds are off doing some serious, intense playing together.

If I tell my dc they can't have TV, nintendo or computer they act as if they are so hard done by and then don't know what to do with themselves. It's at this point that you musn't give in - because after half an hour they do and can entertain themselves.

Everyone is so busy nowadays so we do tend to give in too quickly just to get peace.

When we came back, he went out in the garden and DH and I were hoping he would potter quietly, but he kept coming in and wanting us to see the sandcastle he had made, to play spiderman with him, to put water in the sandpit etc...but when I saw his little face looking so eager, I didn't have the heart to say no!

When I was a kid I loved to go anywhere, just for the ride, or to see something new! I'd even volunteer (sometimes) to go to B&Q or whatever the equivalent was in those days! (Sad I know, it makes me sound a bit deprived but it wasn't like that at all). About the only place I wasn't pleased to go was Sainsbury's...

Maybe my parents remember it differently though!

Bless him

I also do the 'Start them off' thng then gradually withdraw to my book/paper/MN

I agree with you. I recently started just saying no when they asked to turn the tv on..they whinge but they come up with some great games too. The more they watch it, the more they want it and the less they watch it (or the more I say no!) the less they seem to want to watch it. I just need to keep saying no! (Has been ahrd this week being sick, but ho hum)

I plan to organise only a few activties in the school hols. Mean mum I am!

I am a previously self confessed, deliberately, "lazy parent".
Children need to be a bit bored from time to time, it makes them stretch their imaginations and become independent and more creative.. I just gently encourage from the sidelines and only intervene with an idea to set them off again when absolutely necessary (ie. they are hanging off me!)

I have a few things on my list for the hols, for as and when we really need them, but mostly it is going to be playground, garden, local nature spots, meet friends at aforementioned playground/our garden/their garden/local nature spots. And just, generally, amuse ourselves or possibly just stop and get a teensy weensy bit bored and just lie on the grass and watch the birds and the planes.

The power of a simple picnic blanket is extraordinary in my opinion, you put down a picnic blanket and suddenly their morning biscuit becomes the most exciting thing ever. Well, it does for my two, maybe they don't get out enough!

I have never ever taken my dcs to Chessington, Legoland or anywhere else.
I have done my fair share of making train tracks, but the impetus waned at about 7 of actually "doing things".
Prefer them to have a friend round, imaginary play etc.
They are now 13 and 11 and are past the age of "days out" to be entertained- they can go with friends.

at jimmy.

Or....maybe you did moan and winge but don't remember it

DD had a serious meltdown on sunday at her own birthday party, all a bit much for her poor thing, but I am sure her memories of it will be running and wooping with her friends!

Oooh hello Maybe down next week actually - watch this space

Me - moan??? Never ....

Hol all booked but after today, DH and I were looking at each other and a tad worried about how he will take Florida and if he is too young to appreciate it....

lol, it will be fine. Honestly. You will have an absolute ball. Even if he does not take to it or be that bothered, you and DH will love it

or

you could leave him with someone and run away yourself ?

cat me and I will send you my mobile, it has changed as I now share DHs. He is not happy but he hates texting/i hate calling, so it works well for me