Anyone else’s dc coming home from school and struggling to fill evenings as so many of their previous activities are cancelled?

[Molofololo]

We seem to be resorting to computer games more and more and I am a bit sad about that. No swimming, no football started, no scouts. So just filling evenings at home are a bit difficult. We do take dc out for walks but it’s not that exciting for them and with winter creeping in it’s going to be harder.

Older kids doing more about the house like cooking meals is a great idea. I had suggested it a while back here but hadn't put it into action so I will. They have the basic skills but just help rather than doing it themselves iyswim.

The sports club and scouting hikes are sorely missed by me in terms of keeping up the activity levels. I've failed to make the case for home workouts but I am going to broach it again as long nights loom.

Yes, my children would have done most of their extra-curricular activities at school pre-Covid.

Finishing at 3 in secondary too?

Our school day has been shortened due to covid. Breaks have been reduced.

Oh and music lessons have stopped. No orchestra.

It's a bit sad. On the plus side we have started listening regularly to audio books. Hey ho.

For the first time I wish I had kids who were football mad! As football training IS happening.

@Molofololo

Sorry just catching up on this thread. Yes we were busy in lockdown with lots of walks an alternative things to do like cooking etc. Walks was our main thing we did a lot of. But after school they seem tired and just want to zone out a bit. They can’t muster enthusiasm for board games. It’s different if they have friends at activities as that chivvys them on a bit. But otherwise they seem to resort to tv and computer games.

But if you don't want them on screens you can tell your children not to go on them. They will soon find something else to,do.

@SallySeven

Finishing at 3 in secondary too?

Our school day has been shortened due to covid. Breaks have been reduced.

We're finishing at bloody half 2!

Oh dear Domina, it gets worse..

Molo I found with board games doing it straight after dinner. I was also finding mustering up energy. But we play cards as opposed to board games like monopoly. So uno, snap, rummy etc. You can take plates out and sit and because they are fast moving they are more exciting.

I think it's a real shame some clubs have gone bust.

But I do agree to look beyond your club to others but again that will depend on ability to travel, timings - other children etc.

@ineedaholidaynow yes I eat at 5 too. O can’t be doing with cooking more than once

Mine doesn’t do any after school activities at all. Have tried gymnastics, swimming and football. He’s really not into doing stuff like that and just finds it really stressful. Would rather just go to the park than any organised activity.

Seems like my ds is quite lucky, his athletics has been going since June, and swimming has now restarted too so he has something 3 nights a week plus weekends. Still loads of time for xboxing though

We never really did much anyway. DD finds school incredibly tiring and stressful (under assessment for autism) and needs to just chill when she gets home. It always involves a screen; I'm not going to stress about it. At least she's had six or so hours away from one at school, cognitive stimulation, physical exercise, interaction with peers and with adults who aren't her parents. It's a LOT more than she's had since March.

I was one of those kids whose parents wanted to give them 'all the opportunities they missed out on' by signing me up for every single goddamn activity possible. It was utterly exhausting and by high school I was doing homework at 10.30pm because I'd been at school all day and at activities from 4pm to 8-9pm. Other than swimming, which I do recreationally when the bloody pools are actually open, I eventually gave up every single thing anyway when I became an adult. I do wonder if I'd just had one activity e.g. dancing (rather than dancing, playing several musical instruments, swimming lessons, Brownies/Guides, altar serving at Church) I would have enjoyed my childhood and teen years more.

Although I admit I've probably gone too far in the opposite direction with DD. But I have to drag her to school every day already; I'm buggered if I can face dragging her to after school activities every day as well. We are both happy just staying at home!