What do you really dislike doing with your dc's, but for no real reason?

[Ilovebunting]

I have promised to take dd swimming tonight. I hate hate hate taking her swimming, but there is no reason for me doing so-the lifeguards are mainly female, so am not bothered about my wobbles (too much!), dd has a whale of a time, and swims free on a mon and wed so it's cheap cheap cheap, she is finally big enough to go on the flumes (and what a shame, mummy has to go on with her!! ), she has a shower afterwards so don't have the faff of bathtime when we get back, and she sleeps like an angel that night. It's all plusses, so why do I hate it so much? Anyone else got any?

[Katryn]

I love sitting on the bench on a lovely sunny day reading my book and letting them get on with it. Otherwise let my husband go. Hate swimming in the public pool but dont mind taking them to my health club! Don't mind occasional cooking, drawing, sticking. Sometimes when tired I read to them in autopilot without actually knowing what is going on1 By the way what does DS and all those D codes everyone use mean? This is my first post

[naughtynoonoo]

PLaygrounds - and anything that doesnt include shopping really!

[MindingMum]

board games - i lose the will to live

[MindingMum]

LOL naughtynoonoo

[OrmIrian]

I'm with you on the swimming thing. We went last night for DD to be assessed for some new classes and I had to go in too because DS#2 was with us. I don't like swimming much but it's particularly naff in a 'fun' pool with a 5 yr old clamped round your neck all the time or demanding that you 'be an otter' with him. And I wear contact lens which add another element of discomfort.

And then they charged £11 for the priviledge.

[Botbot]

DD isn't old enough for board games yet but I'm dreading them. Tedious.

Can't be doing with adults who like them either - people who want to get the Cluedo out after dinner. The only one I like is Trivial Pursuit and that's only because I always win. Bah.

[benandbeckysmum]

My 5yo DD is fascinated with chess pieces. In a moment of lunacy, I bought her a chess set for Christmas.

If I end up going to Hell (which seems likely) I think I will have to spend all eternity playing chess with five year olds.

It makes it a million times worse that when I think, "Who in the name of God thought it was a good idea to buy her a chess set?" the answer is "me".

[geekgirl]

• board games (or should that be 'bored out of your skull' games?)
• swimming - I get so cold and just all-round hate it really
• crafts make me want hide under the table with a cloth and a hoover
• going to the playground - I just don't even though we walk past it every day on the way to/from school (but then it's a pretty shit playground and we have much better stuff in the garden)
• buying sweets in the village shop - dd1 (nearly 9) is incredibly indecisive and could spend half an hour in there, and she's greedy and always really pisses me off with trying to buy family-sized packs of sweets, whining when I say no etc. By the time we leave the sodding shop I am so wound up.

[Bikergoose]

Katryn
DD - Darling Daughter
DS - Son
DP - Partner
DH - Husband

[Wid]

Heart sinks when DSs want Wake Up Dad or Doh-Nutters. We've had Wake Up Dad for 4 years and still can't be bothered to figure how the rules!

[MatildaM]

My two are 10 and 12 now and I'm almost nostalgic over this.
Top tip - have two children close together then they play together and you don't have to participate nearly as much.
Swimming lessons are a good investment because when they reach 8 years old they can go in pool without and adult and you can sit poolside and read a book instead of all the soggy nastiness.
However older kids find new boring activities to test motherly devotion:-
Playing football on cold ,wet , windy field every Saturday.
Cricket matches .. if I'm very sneaky I can park in sight of field and say I'll watch from car. He can't see my book.
Constantly telling me their new high score on miniclip.com.

[scotagm]

I hate the park. It's only 5 mins from our house. Lived here for five yrs before I even knew it was there (before ds came along). Find it boring and can't stand all the bloody nasty dogs.

Softplay is the devils work.

[happystory]

Am with those of you who have said school concerts at school. Hard plastic chairs too close together, weak squash to drink, people with bloody video cameras leaping up and down. That sinking feeling when you read the programme and you see your little genius offspring is 19th on the programme. And you can't watch them anyway cos you're so nervous.

[sarahsails]

Oh Softplay!! I'm sure something horrible is lurking in those ball pits.

[Nbg]

Another soft play hater here.

Tis hell on earth.

Havent been to a good one yet.

[mollysawally]

Katryn - There is an acronym list at the top of the page

[hotpasty]

Playing Top Trumps - indescribably tedious and pointless and each game seems to last about a year

[cheekymonk]

I have been very stupid and allowed ds free range in ELC. There have been times when we have been in there AN HOUR whilst he plays with all the bloody toys! Also toysrus for same reason. Have now had to teach him it is notlike nursery etc and we need to buy them if he wants to play with them. Am so stupid I know and will not make same mistake if there is a dd/ds2!!

[okeydokeygirl]

I quite like soft play but i think the trick is to find one that is fairly new (and therefore relatively unsticky and clean) and also to go with at least one friend so you can sit and chat while the small ones throw themselves off stuff. Also, the larger the venue, the less horrendous the noise. I am quite fortunate that i have a half decent one fairly near that has a leather sofa area with newspapers and decent coffee way back from the actual play area. But most parks are the spawn of the devil. I hate them and i am always just waiting for a really serious accident to happen.

[pourmeanotherglass]

I hate softplay and swimming.

I also hate pretend games and dollies.

I love arty stuff, going to the park, making cakes, reading stories, plying football in the garden.

I guess everyone is different

[Todanini]

Sarahsails, there is something horrible lurking at the bottom of the ball pits...my DS has a dust mite allergy and he comes up itchy and hivey after playing in them. And I've heard worse stories about unmentionables being found in them...

Will stop being so negative and say that I quite like taking my two DS's to the playground because our local one is fenced and usually full of other conversation-starved mums like me who are up for a chat. We always meet some great people, and the kids can do their own thing without the threat of them running away.

I agree on the arts and crafts though - my oldest is only 2.5yrs with an attention span to match, so getting out the paints/playdough etc and then cleaning up the mess after only minutes of play is bloody frustrating!

[costagirl]

Sorry, there is NOTHING more tedious than Match Attax football cards. Want to scream every time I hear the immortal words, "Mum do you want to look at my album?" Feel guilty for not showing more interest, but really...

[posieflump]

Taking ds out on his bike whilst at the same time pushing dd in her pushachair
We have to go sooooooo sloooooowly, dd gets wound up because she is bored and I can't push her fast enough for her to get off to sleep, ds needs help lugging the back on and off kerbs, and then gets bored so i have to push the pushchair and drag the bike back home whilst he runs off.... gah!

[posieflump]

lugging the bike

[porolli]

putting suncream on 3dcs. of course I do it, but it's such a hurdle before getting out of the door