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One-child families

Got questions about only having one child? Find the answers here.

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Original poster

What do you do with your only on days off

14 replies

Orissiah · 10/09/2009 09:49

Hello all,

How old are your onlies and what do you do together as a family (of 2 or 3) toegther in your time off? Friends of mine with onlies who are 3 or older say they enjoy going to the cinema with their onlies, and on holiday and to restaurants and cafes as well as museums etc (we live in London, so loads to do).

My DD is an only and only 15 months old so it is still difficult to go out for longer than a few hours at a time as she doesn't yet walk and hates being restricted in her buggy. So I am looking forward to her being more independent and mobile (and no longer needing to nap in the day).

What do I have to look forward to>

Thanks,
O

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Drusilla · 10/09/2009 10:02

I have a 4.5 yr old only, by choice. TBH I'm not aware that we do any different things than friends with 2 or more! Dog walks, libraries, just started cinemas and museums, making things at home, books etc. There is always someone who wants to go to soft play or the park with you. I think I propably go out for lunch with him more than my friends with 2 or more!

Drusilla · 10/09/2009 10:05

Also I religiously went to a nice toddler group for interaction with other kids. I found by the age he wanted other children to play with at home he/we were making friends at pre-school that we could invite home

scottishmummyofone · 10/09/2009 11:40

when I'm not at work, I do the things my mum (who looks after her) normally does. Things like playgroups, softplay, the park, toddler gym class...

At weekends, she has a dance class on a saturday morning. I also check the council's website for any family friendly events happening and I check the NM website (swap the words around) to see what's on locally...

Drusilla · 10/09/2009 13:11

Oh, DS has just started karate too. Obv not something exclusive to onlies, but when you only have 1 cost is less of a consideration

Iklboo · 10/09/2009 13:15

Ds is 4 in November.
He loves to play with his 'guys' (Ben 10 figures), lego, cars etc or we'll draw/colour/paint/bake together
If DH is off as well we'll go to the park/soft play/museum
He has swimming lessons on a Saturday morning and we'er thinking of maybe karate or something for a weeknight next year

Rockdoctor · 10/09/2009 13:36

Hi - I'm a new poster here but also interested in how to entertain a 20 month old only so thanks for starting the topic Orissiah.

I am lucky in that I have a local cafe where DD has been going since she was a newborn so they are quite tolerant of her running around while I have a cuppa. She loves going out for coffee and then to the park - either swings and slides or just running around. She loves feeding the ducks and I have just started taking her out for walks in a backpack type carrier. I try to do one trip "out" with her each day when we're both at home. I guess a lot of what we do is outdoorsy so not sure how that will change as we go into winter. We also go to a local toddler group once a week - we started going there well before she could "toddle". I'm not sure about others' experience but I find that she's still too young to stay at home and play with her toys for any length of time although she loves books (if I'm reading them to her).

Not sure when they start enjoying museums etc. although the zoo is on my list of places to visit. To be honest even a short trip on a train or a double decker bus is an event in her world (we live out of town with no public transport).

Original poster

Orissiah · 10/09/2009 14:54

I cannot wait for my DD to start walking properly. She hates being in her buggy for longer than 30 minutes (unless she falls asleep) and has always resisted being in a sling or backpack even as a new baby) so outtings with her have been so fraught.

Her dad and I love going to galleries and museums and central London parks and visiting friends and family and going out for lunch so we are eager for her to be more mobile and tolerant of longer days out :-)

OP posts:

Rockdoctor · 10/09/2009 16:43

Hi Orissiah, we've been lucky as DD seems to be a natural at going out for coffee/lunch whatever. Her limited vocabulary includes "cafe", "coffee" and "croissant" - although she usually has to make do with a glass of milk. In my defence, this is in part due to the fact we spent our summer in Europe with her dad's family so she was quite used to spending time in cafes watching the local kids.

Can't wait for her to be old enough for galleries and museums. We bought her the book "Maisy goes to the Museum" the other day and she loves reading it so I am hoping that will help!

Overmydeadbody · 10/09/2009 19:50

I'm never quite sure what to make of these threads.

Surely you do whatever you want to do and can do with your child? Regardless of how many children you have?

OP just do whatever you want to do, and your DD will get used to it. Do what she enjoys and what you enjoy.

As she gets older you will be able to do more and more things, and different things, and more stuff that the two of you enjoy together.

Overmydeadbody · 10/09/2009 19:52

A tip: if you start taking them places you enjoy from when they are young, thwey will get used to these kinds of trips out and enjoy and tolerate them more as they get older.

For example, I am a keen climber, hiker and camper, so from when he was a baby I took DS along with me and now, at 6, he enjoys these things just as much as me as they are a routine normal part of his weekends and holidays.

Also, take them to cafes and restaurants from when they are young so they get used to sitting quietly sipping hot chocolate or milk or whatever while you read a magazine, invaluable trianing for later

Hulababy · 10/09/2009 19:55

My DD is 7y and we do lots of things together as a family, with DH. Also me and DD do a fair few things together too, esp as I have school holidays off.

We do alsorts of stuff - days out, cinema, ice skating, park, shopping, meals out, ....

And we love family holidays

However we also do things with other people (friends or famly) and often with other children involved too, so DD has additional company. We have holidays with others, and we go out for the day or weekends with others.

Original poster

Orissiah · 11/09/2009 09:32

Oh yes, we DO take her to galleries and museums and cafes as well as play with her at home... she has a very varied life with us.

BUT, when we go out she doesn't last very long because she cannot walk and hates being in the buggy or even being carried. She simply wants to crawl everywhere which is impractical out and about. She also gets tired quite quickly so becomes cranky.

So really the point of my original post was that I can't wait for her to be able to walk and be able to stay out longer so we can have fuller days out.

I know it will happen in time; I know that we enjoy our time with her as she is NOW; but I simply wanted to know what you Mumsnetters of onlies do all day when out and about with your older babies (once they can walk and stay out longer and no longer need to nap or get so tired).

Just being curious :-)

OP posts:

UniS · 11/09/2009 20:29

what we do on our days "out". by a mainly SAHM and an only DS, now aged 3 and ahlf .

We go to tourist attractions for a few days out in the summer term, trains are a big fav, and its fairly cheap to take just one under 4 ( or under 3, check small print). Last week I took him to an art exhibition and a cuppa, VERY quick look at the art, rather longer over the cuppa. We ride our bikes, to get to things and just for the sake of it. we go to the beach, taking bucket and spade and build a sand castle and paddle. We go on the bus to visit more distant parks and playgrounds.We go swimming, if we go with another mum and only both mums can get a few lengths in while other has both kids in tots pool.

At the age you LO is, we were regularly doing bike trailer rides, toddler groups, park, swimming, playing at friends houses.

MadBadandDangerousToKnow · 13/09/2009 20:47

When my dd was a toddler, we did a lot of museums (we're in London too), children's theatre, parks and other outings. She was always very content in her buggy so we just used to take her along to whatever we wanted to do.

OMDB is right that this doesn't only apply to one child families but there is one difference, in my view. It is in some ways easier to plan activities at the weekend when there's only one child's needs or interests to consider and no siblings getting bored or grumpy because they don't want to join in.

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