Skip to main content
Skip to main navigation
Skip to talk navigation

Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

Find out all about large family cars, holidays and more right here.

Find out all about large family cars, holidays and more right here.

Larger families

I'm so fed up of children demanding that everyday be fun packed and if it's not - the long faces!

21 replies

Mommyusedtobecool · 10/08/2015 17:15

Ok, so I have 7 children. Ages 14, 11, 10, 9, 9, 2, 6mths.
We do have a few days a week when we go swimming or to the woods and parks etc.
They have an 8ft trampoline, bikes, scooters, plenty of toys and arts and crafts.
But on the odd day we spend at home, they follow me around with long faces and in deep depressions.
It actually makes me resent them.
Im not allowed to sit down and relax even until they're in bed.
When I was a kid I knew how to amuse myself, I didn't have a fraction of what they do, in terms of toys, treats and days out. But I didn't expect my mum to entertain me!

OP posts:

Report

Pantone363 · 10/08/2015 17:17

OH GOD YES

I'm right there with you! And trying to find something they all want to do. DD actually said to me"we've hardly done anything this holiday"

Except....., Haven, a weekend in London, a weekend in Southampton, Swmming, beach and they're going on holiday to the south of France in a weeks time

happymummyone · 10/08/2015 17:20

You need a bank loan to entertain kids over the summer holidays! For what it's worth OP, taking them out a few days a week, you're doing way better than me! I have only one child but take her out one weekday and on the weekends.

Creatureofthenight · 10/08/2015 17:22

If we complained about being bored my mum made us clean out the kitchen cupboards/wash the skirting boards / other exciting household task!

Mommyusedtobecool · 10/08/2015 19:22

Seriously. Bring back child labour! Atleast one day a week! ????

OP posts:

Mommyusedtobecool · 10/08/2015 20:29

Yessss! It's reassuring to see I'm not the only one finding the holidays an uphill struggle!
You'd think that having something as monotonous as chores or say extra tuition to do would encourage them to make themselves scarce for a while!! - I know it did for me when I was growing up!
I was happy climbing lamp posts and playing with kids in the neighbourhood.
But a few of mine even like doing chores.. Which is good.. But sometimes what I really want is SPAAAACE!!!!!
Its not my job to cure their boredom every moment of the day! My job is all the other stuff and having a bloody imagination should be their thing!
But then this clearly isn't the Peter pan generation! Think TV is sapped their ability to think for themselves!
This makes me resent them. The summer holidays are way too long! For children aaand parents! They just make me realise that sometimes 'i don't even like kids!!!'?
Its crazy.. On 'nice days out' a few will moan the whole time, and a couple will play up and have tantrums anyway! And I just think 'wtf?! I planned this totally child oriented day, not for myself, nothing I'd want to do, but I'm doing it for them and its still not good enough?!'
I've sat on park benches some evenings, after a day of bored moaning with a whole row of them sat closely next to me. "cos parks are boring"
So then I feel like just getting up and running for my life, and hiding! And if I see them coming fast behind me, I think I'd actually pee myself a little out of fear!!

OP posts:

lavent · 13/08/2015 18:06

Yes! Glad I'm not the only one! Mine can't occupy themselves for 5 mins and on the rare occasion they do, they end up fighting!
I also find that when they're bored they constantly ask for food! I'm going through vast quantities of bread / fruit / cereal etc and can barely keep up!!!!!

Binit · 13/08/2015 18:10

Mine are nothing like this. I offer them nice things - would you like to go swimming or play tennis? Noo I want to play on the iPad and not go anywhere.

SurlyCue · 13/08/2015 18:17

You need a bank loan to entertain kids over the summer holidays!

You dont. At all. Like another poster said upthread. Any complaints of boredom in this house and they get handed a duster/mop/pile of laundry to sort. As a result my children go outside as soon as theyve eaten and only come back for more food. I have a friend whose children whinge about being bored. They come across as spoilt brats tbh. They have the great out doors and brains capable of imagining. If youre taking 7 DC out a couple of times a week then youre more than covering your entertaining responsibilities. I'd start getting harsh on the whingers tbh. Theres no excuse for them to be bored and they'll actually start to believe its your responsibility to entertain them if you dont quickly disabuse them of the notion.

BoboChic · 13/08/2015 18:20

You have to manage your DC. Which doesn't mean that you have to entertain them all day, but you need to give them a framework of activities for part of each day.

happy2bhomely · 13/08/2015 18:51

I have 5dc, aged between 14 and 2. My policy is bored children get given something to do! They generally do absolutely anything other than bother me, because I will and have given them chores like hovering, weeding, floor cleaning etc on top of their usual chores.

We don't have a holiday this summer, (we were away at Easter and are going away at Christmas) We have been to the cinema, the park, and out for dinner and that's it.

They have read, played computer games, watched tv, slept really late, baked, craft, played in the garden lots doing gymnastics and building shelters and making blackberry potions! I keep a general eye on them, but they have to clean up after themselves. They are not allowed to play out in the street, but the eldest does meet his friends and plays football at a club.

I don't believe it is my job to entertain them at all. I feed them 3 meals a day, with the occasional ice lolly, and remind them to wash, change pants and brush teeth, but that's it really.

We do spend lots of time together. We watch films and read. I've taught them to crochet and plait hair and make friendship bracelets. I sometimes get involved in the craft and baking but that's because I enjoy it! I don't do lego or play fighting but I do a bit of role play with the 2 yr old. Playing shops or whatever.

Sometimes I do feel like I should be doing more, but then I see the behaviour of kids whose parents run around them like blue arsed flies and I think I've got it right. My kids are good company. We are all loving the slow pace of the holidays, I'm dreading school starting again.

fabuLou · 15/08/2015 23:03

Yep same here. So far we've been to France for 10 days, 3 of them away now for week with pil/friends, been trampoling, been clothes shopping 3 girls love it. Sigh.

FeelingSmurfy · 15/08/2015 23:07

I read on here about the bored board, its a white board with list of things that need doing and if anyone says they are bored (or anything that basically means that) then they had to go and cross a job off (and do it!)

Sounds good to me, teaches kids to find their own entertainment

Jenny1231990 · 17/08/2015 11:19

I like the idea of a white bored. My son was an only child for 5 years and I think I spoilt him a little too much, he now has 2 baby sisters who he plays with. He has friends that come over and play, but really lacks imagination when playing by himself, he has a bike, trampoline and a new electric scooter we treated him too, but still he says he's bored and wants to watch TV, play games. Which I don't mind now and again.
Yesterday I turned it all off made a big bowl of water and gave him his £1 water shooter. He was happy, playing.
Made me realise when we were on holiday when he turned around and said he's bored cos we sat down for half hour.
I won't let him play out on the streets though he's only 6 nearly 7. I occasionally let him out the back gate if I'm in the garden, il get all the craft stuff out, he will just rush and so something then he's had enough.

I'm now Off to write a list of stuff that needs doing

Maryann1975 · 19/08/2015 15:03

If my dc, or any of the dc i childmind utter 'im bored' even under their breath, they known it is a sheet of sums to entertain them. We have toys, a garden, with water, sand, mud pie stuff, craft stuff, if they request baking, that's fine we can do that. Outings tend to be long walks in uncrowded places, to run of lots of energy, I can't cope with the crowds at the parks round here.
My eldest are 9 and 7 and im finding it helpful to have their friends round. More children but they entertain each other far better than if they only have their siblings to play with.

BoffinMum · 19/08/2015 15:27

I spend 1 hour a day engaging with mine full on and the rest of the time they are supposed to entertain themselves or help me around the house and generally hang out with us without complaining.

MazyCrummy · 20/08/2015 10:41

DC: Muuuuuuum, I'm booooored!
Me: Shall I find you something to do?
DC: No thanks!

Repeat ad infinitum during weekends/evenings/holidays as required

holmessweetholmes · 20/08/2015 11:17

Binit - mine are a bit like that. They would happily play on the PS3, read or play Lego all day every day if I let them! They like (some) outings, but sometimes have to be dragged out of the house!

clary · 20/08/2015 11:23

Painting by Numbers of all things has been our saviour this summer! DH found several (presents from long ago) in the loft and DD has been totally absorbed, DS2 too.

I do hear you tho OP. Some good ideas here, liking "bored board"

Lightbulbon · 20/08/2015 11:42

Ime primary aged DCs are easier to entertain.

They are still at that 'toy' stage whereas for my teen it's screens or wants to be taken out somewhere.

Mommyusedtobecool · 25/08/2015 15:57

Only just checked this thread. Thanks for the suggestions. A white bored with a list of chores seems like a good one!

OP posts:

woodhill · 25/08/2015 16:08

I only had 3. don't let them dictate to you about sitting down. too bad if they are bored. life is boring at times. bored board with chores sounds good. will they not play with each other

Flip

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.