weekend family time

[Hadagutsful]

How do you make it pleasant??

All my DC want to do is mooch round, watch TV and play computer games and so do I. If we suggest activities or places to go, they're always met with whinging and resistance (though they usually enjoy them when they're there). Is this normal? Do we just have to keep being positive and upbeat and saying "this is what we're doing" because it's exhausting. We definitely don't do too much, they have enough opportunity for "down time" at home so that's not the problem.

DC are 6, 4 and 22 months.

We get this a bit sometimes with our DS, he's 5. And he always enjoys it when we get there too!

We're just a bit zero tolerance about it - we present it as a fun thing to do, then we go and do it (and it is fun!). We usually do something outdoors in the morning, then have downtime at home in the afternoon.

I work Saturdays so we only have Sunday's together. So Sunday is our day to go somewhere and do something fun. We tend to plan and talk about it through the week so that dd (nearly 4) gets excited about it.

Oh, I should have said - DS only gets very defined and limited TV and playing games on the iPad time, so it doesn't mean that he gets less of these if we go out (IYKWIM). I think this probably helps a bit.

Yes, normal. My teens are the same.

Sometimes you have to be assertive and say we are going to do xyz and just go for it. Perhaps bribe them with the promise of an icecream. I think the more you do it, the easier it gets. Maybe let them each choose one activity each to do on different days.

Yeah I think presenting it as a done deal is the way forward. The whining is just what gets me down. good to know other people find the same issues though. Misery loves company.

The older 2 are more than likely shattered after a busy week in school and maybe want a lazy day at the weekend