What do you do on a typical Sunday with your children

[Shout]

I have 2 ds 9 and 4. I had to drag them out for lunch and played mini golf for an hour and this evening played a board game but apart from that the children have just been on the computer and watching TV.
Any other suggestions out there?

[Flibbertyjibbet]

While its still going dark quite early we went to the visitor centre at a well known beauty spot for lunch and birdie watching, then took ds's aged 1 and 3 for a walk in the woods while it was still light enough, and went Gruffalo hunting as it was just starting to get darker. Hee hee ds1 muttering 'deep dark wood' all the way round!
Yours are much older than mine but I just wanted to share that with you

[brimfull]

am not a lone parent but what about meeting up with some friends for a drink at a family friendly pub or a bike ride.

Sounds like you deserve a medal playing mini golf for an hour.

[PillockOfTheCommunity]

Mine are 4 and 9mths.
We have a pjama days the last 2 sundays, no getting dressed, no going out.
We have played games, read books, baked cakes, watched dvds, and just generally relaxed and taken a break from the manicness of the rest of our week

[redpyjamas]

go to church. then come home and I relax/bake, while the children play upstairs for hours on end. They prefer to stay in on a sunday pm. suits me!

[Shout]

I think it does get harder as they get older.DS used to be interested in the park and the ducks. All those toys from Santa are boring.....

[slim22]

the only easy way to keep them away from TV/computer is to be out and about and/or socializing (at home or out).
Otherwise YOU have to make an effort to initiate activities and keep it up all day ( baking/gardening/books/crafts/games etc...)

We usually Read /lounge and bake special breakfasts am ( TV allowed for 1 favorite program)
Go out for walks/meet ups then late lunch.
Back home for play then go swimming.
TV allowed again for rerun of said favorite program while we make dinner.
books and cuddles

[blanki]

Usually check List magazine for fun free/cheap children/ family events.Ok I know Im sad but when I was poorly I sat at pc for ages and noted them in my diary, rubbish memory. Would second special brunch, bike rides, meals/drinks out and as many family as you can muster or tolerate!

[amytheearwaxbanisher]

go to the zoo [got a pass for christmass]on sundays weather depending and a take away on the way home

[mummyfantastico]

We went to the park on our bikes this morning, the dds went to see daddy and watched tv all afternoon.
But if they'd be home with me we would've gone swimming, or maybe a walk and picnic lunch cos it was lovely and warm.
Also visit local family or plan ahead and visit further away family/ friends.
When we're at home both dds (aged nearly 5 and 10) love fimo and jewellery making.
Although i have to admit, when dd1 and i get on the wii, i have no concept of how much time is passing!

[McDreamy]

Went t the beach to feed the fish in the reserve with friends. Ten went back to their house for lunch. Children played in the park behind their house. Went home at about 3pm to wait for daddy returning from the UK before, tea, bath and bed. Good day!

[Bellavita]

Mine do any homework that needs to be finished and then usually go out and play with friends if weather ok.

Sometimes DH takes them swimming to give me a couple of hours peace.

Otherwise, they will watch dvds, play on the wii or play with lego etc.

Mine are 10.7 and 8.

[Countingthegreyhairs]

morning = up usual time, church, farmer's market , lunch

afternoon = walk in woods or slobbing at home until 4.30 when we have "family get ready for school/work/tidy up hour"

Just recently - rather reluctantly at first - started doing Sunday play dates with two other families from 10 am - 2 pm every other Sunday (I know the other mothers well so hassle-free).

Children and parents arrive - we all have coffee and breakfast while they play. (Parents leave, we take children to park, home to share cooking activity, eat lunch, followed by free play.) I hated the idea at first but we rotate every other Sunday and there are thre of us (we happen to be RC so we go to church Saturday night instead when its our turn). It means that 1 Sunday every six weeks, dh and I get from 10 - 2 to ourselves and its great. Yipppeeee!!!!

Like the idea of a duvet Sunday though!!

[colditz]

Mine ar 4.9 and 21 months, and in the morning their dad took them out to the car boot sale to meet their granny, and when he dropped them off, we hd lunch and went swimming. Then I dragged them round Morrisons, and home for tea.

[needmorecoffee]

we get respite help for dd from 10 till 1 so I clean clean clean. The boys (both teens ) generally surface around 11 and park themselves onto the computer. When the respite carer has left we take dd for a walk in her wheelchair and count the hours till bedtime

[Countingthegreyhairs]

I take my hat off to you NeedMoreCoffee for cleaning on a Sunday morning when you have respite care and for everything else you cope with so cheerfully.

Is it ever possible for you to go and do something nice just for yourself on Sundays?

[seeker]

Dcs sleep in. (That means they stay in bed til 7.30!) Then they watch tv, then we have a special breakfast. Dd does homework, ds makes a ginormous hotwheels track with dp. I read the paper and drink coffee. Sometimes we go for a walk or a swim, but usually we just mess around at home - we play board games or chat or read. Dp cooks roast dinner for about 4.30, then we watch Dancing on Ice. Early bed for dcs - wine and flop for dp and me. My favourite day.

[Lazycow]

Morning - We had a leisurly morning, nice breakfast, biscuit baking and 30mins of TV for DS. Ds and I then went to church. DS then played with other children in the garden at the back of the church while I had coffee and biscuits. Then home to lunch cooked by dh. After lunch we did struggle a bit but ended up with a trip to IKEA.

This is the first time I've done this in YEARS but my excuse is we are clearing up/decluttering as we are putting our flat on the market we wanted to buy cheap storage. Just to say DO NOT GO TO IKEA ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON WITH A SMALL CHILD IT IS HELL.



Definitely agree with slim on this

[seeker]

i think the only way to keep them away from the computer/tv is to say "Please don't turn on the computer/tv"

[ScruffyTeddy]

Im rather ashamed to say I dont do anything with them . Sunday is the only day I get to give the house a really good clean, am normally cooking the dinner at the same time.

That sounds really awful!

[needmorecoffee]

if I didn't clean during respite care then all the little coffees would vanish under a tidal wave of mess.
dd is 24 hour care and my house is a tip so I try and make the kitchen floor unsticky and do 57 milion loads of washing and drape it all over radiators and find the sink.
Not really how I'd like my sundays but one day dd will go to school and I'll be free free free
Oh, don't do it cheerfully either. Usually saying 'who's arsing mess is this? Why haven't you brought your flipping uniforms down yet?' and other joys of family communication

[nutcracker]

Scruffyteddy you are not the only one. I rarely do anything with mine either.

Swimming on a sunday would be ideal for us but the but it costs me £6 in bus fare to get them all there and back so can't often afford it.

[Anchovy]

1. The children usually make a den of some sort in one of their bedrooms, involving duvets/slide out underbeds etc. This keeps them quiet(ish) until about 8am. Known as "making a bombsite".

1. DS always does a fancy breakfast: this week he made banana, poppyseed and stem ginger muffins. I went for a run while they had breakfast (it is a pig of a thing to do but you feel so brilliant when you have done it).

1. DS has football classes on Sunday mornings (10.30am). Dh has the pleasure of standing on a touchline of a muddly field watching an enthusiastic but somewhat ineffective DS playing football. DD and I do something nice together (yesterday we did some scootering and stopped off for a coffee; week before swimming; week before made home made jammy dodgers.

1. After lunch both DCs have "quiet time". DD was up in her room, DS watch something on national geographic channel (new hot fave).

1. PM - DD had a party. DS was in the garden with DH doing some pruning with the secateurs (I did not know about this!). They took the pedals and stabilisers off DS's bike and went up and down the path and then for a spin round the block.

1. We always eat together on a Sunday at about 6pm.

1. Evening prep for week. I did about 3 hours work.

There was definitely some tv interspersed with all this, but I think they did enough other things.

[Anchovy]

Sorry - didn't realise this was on the lone parents thread - thought it was just a general "what do you do on Sunday's" convo.

[allgonebellyup]

ha ha

i dont have to do anything with my children all weekend as they go to their dads' and the time is all mine!!!

[smug emoticon]

[Countingthegreyhairs]

sorry - I didn't see it was in lone parents thread either

some activities still apply as dh travels alot (not the same thing at all though I realise).