Pushy Mothers .... I can't keep up ......

[Crystaltips]

This is more of a rant than anything ... but I am finding it all rather hard to keep up with.

I am really enjoying the summer holidays - but feel that I am ruining them by beating myself up about what other people's kids are doing.

Without exception my mates seem to be run ragged whereas I am taking it easy and having "fun" with the kids.

We are week 7 of the holidays ( Irish holidays ) and everyone is out there doing stuff.

One week it's tennis camp, the next week it's football camp ... and any days in between the cricket pitch
Someone elses kids are "spending the whole summer on the golf course" ...

Why aren't I doing this ...?

We get up late - the kids spend most of the morning on th PS2 and then ( once I have pulled myself put of my book ) we go and so an afternoon activity.

No I admit and I am not hugely sporty and neither are the kids ( DS 13 and DD 11 ).... so we go to the movies, or the beach or invite a mate around.

I KNOW that I should not worry .... but why aren't I doing what everyone elses kids do ...

I feel that after school they need a break from all that organisation and should be allowed to switch off .... am I being a bit lazy / selfish.

SHould I up my game ???

Thanks

OMG Postie has just come to the door and I am in my Jammies !!

Justamum, I totally agree with that article you read. But, to be honest, spending hours in front of the playstation is not really helping children develop their imagination. Would rather send them to do some sport instead of sitting in front of a screen.

Justamum - I totally agree with the article too.

DS and DD's favourite activity is scrabbling around in a huge box, which the TV came in. We've cut out a door and some windows and they spend 1-2 hours at a time playing in it. Another game is making "houses" out of large sheets which have been spread across chairs to make a roof. I think siblings develop their relationships, as well as their imaginations with simple play like this - more than if its all laid on for them. Mind you, I always think sport is good for children - as long as they love that sport and want to go that is!

There is also a cost implication from summer playschemes/camps etc. We can't afford to send our kiddies on them. DS got 4 days of tennis, 1.5 hrs each morning, cost £32, this summer. The rest of the time, he and DD have enjoyed "simple pleasures" in the garden and at local parks, either with friends or just with us

I've always gone in for the unstructured approach - these holidays have been great. They've lived in the garden during the hot weather, making camps in the garden, and crawling under the fence to play with the children next door. We've been for lots of walks, read lots of books, been fruit picking, jam making, visited friends, made up plays and filmed them (things like Little Red Riding Hood). I can't bear the 'pushy' parent - and I know a few. On ds1's school report, it commented on his amazing imagination, and his academic stuff was fine.

Sounds like you're doing fine with your kids. They need to be able to make their own entertainment, and they do need to charge up their batteries before the school term begins again.