Ha childhood been cancelled?

[DrNortherner]

Something Professor Winston said got me thinking. Nowadays kids spend very little time just playing. They are ferried around from one activity to another. Sports clubs and extra tuition are eating into our kids spare time.

Think about when we were kids, we had so much more time to do what we wanted, and more freedom to play unsupervised.

Today kids are getting to 10/11 without ever going anywhere alone (at this age I would be playing out most of the day). Instead we structure their time. We tell them Monday is swimming, Tues is ballet, Weds is maths tuition etc. Plus homework and busy mums and dads is leading to a much more stressful childhood.

I say abandon most of the clubs and activities and let our kids be kids.

My two eldest (7&3) don't do any activities, Dd has had horse riding and theatre school as previous activities on saturday mornings but got easily bored and stopped wanting to go, so she spends most of her time with her head in a book or playing in the garden with her brother.

I think as long as the children aren't cooped up watching Tv and playing computer games (though there is time for this, the DC's watch about an hour of TV a day, I don't think consoles are really pointful for children under teenage though) then they're using their imagination, which is surely a Good Thing.

My two are very good at Mooching Around too.

Today - one of the days they come straight home - they are bringing home a little girl from DD2's class. I expect they will have a bears' tea party. Possibly in the garden. Or they may dress up.

Some would envy that image, MI, I long to be let loose as an Evil Beast...

My 5 year old has started saturday morning "Ballroom Dancing" classes

It is PONCETASTIC

It is an hour and a half long!!!!!

Bears tea party?? Thats so sweet.

Dreams of day DS is doing stuff like this

MI - but surely TV and book publishing are part of "the media"? Where would Winston be in public opinion without TV and book publishing?

Winston is the person looking for coverage/publicity. What I am objecting to is the idea it is All The Journalists' Faults, and that in general Most Things Are Journalists' Faults. I find it wearing.

Indeed morningpaper I am researching what Saturday morning childcare solution activity I shall be imposing upon offering my daughter as of September

Anna she loves it SO much

Just OBSESSED

DH "takes her" i.e. sits and reads the paper with a coffee for the session

nice work mate

DD age 8

Monday - dancing 5.30-6.15, plays out before, dinner after

Tuesday - Brownies 5.30-7.00 - no playing out

Wednesday - playing out

Thursday - swimming 4-4.30 - playing out after

Friday - playing out

Sat & Sun - no structure

Am I bad to have her go to three activities? She asked to do all of them and thoroughly enjoys them so I won't stop her going.

DS is 4 so too young really for anything, but I will encourage him to go to Beavers and swimming

Mama I think if she enjoys it that is cool

DD does swimmign lessons too but if she doesn't feel like it any week then she doens't go

If they enjoy it, that's cool!

This so reminds me of my colleague - she has 2 children (about 8 and 9 I think). She works until 2.30 and then goes to pick them up from school to take them somewhere every evening (and quite often they are going to seperate places) apart from one evening a week! She ties herself in knots and meets herself coming backwards trying to fit everything in and I just want to say to her 'chill out and just have some days where you and the children just go home and play!!'

DH takes her and waits?

I was thinking of something very close to the house so I can nip back for an uninterrupted sex session coffee

my kids don't play in the street - i don't want them getting in trouble or getting knifed - so if they're not at an activity they are in the garden, playroom, bedroom or in front of tv - they are not supervised but they are in a controleld environment

does that mean I'm takign awya their childhood?

~Yes I think he is largely avoiding coming back to the house because I am waiting there with The Toddler

Next year, mp, next year

rofling at MI (ex-MB here: hello!)

C'mon surely everything is Journalists' Fault?

The problem is PFB syndrome: DS1 is a bleeding nightmare - cannot entertain himself even for 10 seconds without feeling neglected and ringing Childline.

By DS2 we learnt our lesson and started with the Benign Neglect.

DS3: some days, I even forget his name. He forages for food.

DS3 is poking the telly on button as we speak (9months). I'm hoping he's going to learn to switch it on all by himself.

what is this fascination sounding "Politics of control pants"?

Do they Evade the Pressure For Perfect Body, or capitulate/commodify it, eh?

They definitely accommodate it. Otherwise, why wear them? Apart from looking better, closer to the perfect flatbellied ideal, what purpose do they serve?

I've used the wrong word, but you know what I mean.

MI, the one about the spacehopper look?

i have even replied (now )