[givemechocolate]

Yup, so just as the title says...

I've realised that I'm so caught up in my own problems sometimes and I forget about doing fun stuff with the kids (and DH too).

So... any ideas? I asked DS1 who is 9. He said going to the beach (in winter!?) and agreed that weekends away are always a special treat and relaxing.


Please help! I feel like my waking hours are consumed with chores... housekeeping, cooking, driving the kids where they need to go... I've forgotten how to have fun with them!

[bluedragon]

We just came back from a bike ride, it's a little chilly but we rugged up and the exercise kept us nice and warm. It was lovely being in the fresh air. We have a bike path at the end of our street which helps though.

[~maryanne~]

Cards. My little one loves UNO and my bigger one loves SPIT. I'm teaching her Canasta at the moment too.

We like bush walking as well, but that is really weather and time dependant - not something you can do for an hour or two of a Sunday afternoon.

[amabanana]

I think what kids really want is our attention. What you do is not as important as how present you are IMO.
What does your son like to do? How about board games, kicking a ball around, going to run around in a park, have a picnic, visit an attraction, go bike riding, visit the local pool, make a cake, go to the fish and chip shop and park somewhere 'nice' and have a 'car picnic.'
What do you like to do? Maybe introduce your son to some things that you like as well.

It may sound silly, but how about scheduling in some one on one time with him every day?

Have fun!

[mummyofour]

What is this fun of which you speak ? At the moment (for the next 12 weeks at least) we have soccer on Saturdays - 3 of my four kids play as does my DH(and he also referree's games as well) so we leave the house at 8.30am and get home at about 3.20 - and I therefore have to pack lunches/snacks for everyone just like a school day.....

Sunday morning DH plays soccer and he generally gets home at about 1.30 and then often passes out on the couch or bed for the rest of the afternoon. But's another whole story for another day....

We also go bike riding sometimes (and now that DD2 has finally mastered the none-training wheel riding it is so much easier). Sometimes we'll take the dog for a walk to a local park for a play. I"ve just got back from the local library where we were picking up some books the kids had reserved.

However now one kid is in front of one tv watching a movie he borrowed, another kid is in front of the other tv watching a movie she borrowed, DD2 is at a friend's house and DD3 is asleep !! We do have some friends coming over soon so I am going to send the other kids up to the park with the dog for half an hour or so.

But yeah most of the time I am just caught up in the day to day life that we don't "do" "family fun" at the moment - that seems to be reserved for holiday time which is a bit depressing isn't it

[amoral lemur]

a wave pool (A warmer version of the beach at this time of year)

roller skating

explore a country town

board games

a carpet picnic

[Phoenix Blue]

We've just come back from ten pin bowling. Boys loved it. They also love mini golf at the moment too. Most weekends we try to do some sort of fun outing or activity if only for an hour.

[givemechocolate]

I think what kids really want is our attention. What you do is not as important as how present you are IMO.
What does your son like to do? How about board games, kicking a ball around, going to run around in a park, have a picnic, visit an attraction, go bike riding, visit the local pool, make a cake, go to the fish and chip shop and park somewhere 'nice' and have a 'car picnic.'
What do you like to do? Maybe introduce your son to some things that you like as well.

It may sound silly, but how about scheduling in some one on one time with him every day?

Have fun!

I really like your suggestions. Thank you. I have four kids ranging from 9 down to 2, and I guess sometimes I find it a challenge to think of a family activity that we can all enjoy. In terms of activities I enjoy... yes, I actually enjoy baking. But the thought of at least three of the four dragging their chairs into our tiny kitchen to "help" makes we quickly change my mind. Oh! I sound awful don't I?! As I wrote that, I realised how mean I sound. My little kidlets want to help me bake a cake and all I can do is complain about it! How lovely that they want to get involved with mum's baking. Okay, I'll be baking a cake today... I'll do it at the table and I'll smile when they all leap onto their chairs to help me!

[~maryanne~]

Hey mummyoffour- surely bike riding and the library are classified as 'fun'? I sometimes think that just because something is routine we forget it is, in fact, fun!

[iheartu]

Do you have a GPS? If so you could give geocaching a go?

It's like a modern day treasure hunt where you put the coordinates into your GPS and off you go in search of the geocache

We are going to give it a go tomorrow.

This post has been edited by iheartu: 10/06/2012, 01:58 PM