In Northern Ireland our summer holidays are 9 weeks long! Most parents work and can’t just take that length of time off so letting them play and entertain themselves isn’t really an option for most people depending on what age they are. I do agree with the other poster re camps, I love sending mine to camps even though they are extortionately priced they love it and learn lots of good life skills and make friends.I don't understand this whole issue parents have with entertaining their kids during school holidays, complaining kids get bored, complaining about the number of paid activities they're doing with their kids. When I was a child, kids just played outside together or entertained themselves at home, is that not a thing anymore? Maybe unpopular opinion but I don't think people should be spending tons of money so their precious children are not bored during holidays. They should teach their children how to entertain themselves
Keeping kids cool is essential. And keeping them busy and entertained in the school holidays is essential for my sanityWatering them at all? Or just with a hosepipe or sprinkler?
That's not essential. If it was, then everyone who had kids would have a paddling pool.
Yeah I totally get camps etc that's an experience for kids, not talking about that but most people I know with kids it's at least weekly, but usually more frequent, activity, cinema, bowling, outing to Mcdonalds, trampoline park etc for the kids and their friends. Where I'm from summer holidays are 9-10 weeks as well but I guess it is different culture here with people working a lot more and not having family close by to help. Still though, surely it's possible to entertain kids without everything being a paid for exciting activity.In Northern Ireland our summer holidays are 9 weeks long! Most parents work and can’t just take that length of time off so letting them play and entertain themselves isn’t really an option for most people depending on what age they are. I do agree with the other poster re camps, I love sending mine to camps even though they are extortionately priced they love it and learn lots of good life skills and make friends.
Yea I agree! My boys definitely prefer going to the forest for free getting mucked up to their eyeballs over going to the cinemaYeah I totally get camps etc that's an experience for kids, not talking about that but most people I know with kids it's at least weekly, but usually more frequent, activity, cinema, bowling, outing to Mcdonalds, trampoline park etc for the kids and their friends. Where I'm from summer holidays are 9-10 weeks as well but I guess it is different culture here with people working a lot more and not having family close by to help. Still though, surely it's possible to entertain kids without everything being a paid for exciting activity.
I don’t think I did many exciting things at all! If I did it was a waste of money cos I don’t remember themYeah I totally get camps etc that's an experience for kids, not talking about that but most people I know with kids it's at least weekly, but usually more frequent, activity, cinema, bowling, outing to Mcdonalds, trampoline park etc for the kids and their friends. Where I'm from summer holidays are 9-10 weeks as well but I guess it is different culture here with people working a lot more and not having family close by to help. Still though, surely it's possible to entertain kids without everything being a paid for exciting activity.
I think there’s a lot more pressure on parents these days than there was when I was a kid (I was in born 1990). They’re absolutely terrified their precious little darling is going to miss out on some life affirming experience if they’re not at 200 different activities. Unfortunately leaving kids to entertain themselves isn’t the “in” thing anymore. Everything has to be an experience (see birthday parties a disco and stale sausage roll in the church hall don’t cut it these days) I actually think this mindset is why so many teens and young adults are so messed up.Yep that's fair but I was particularly talking about parents that dread school holidays cause they'll have to entertain kids again and it all seems like such a huge thing. Just don't remember it being like that when I was a child, I don't remember doing many paid activities ever but maybe UK has always been like that.
Yea I agree. I think this whole culture of social media makes it harder too because they all make tik toks and reels of their experiences at extravagant birthday dos or day trips and they all feel if they can’t compete with that then they aren’t cool or whatever. It’s really sad. Kids should be kids!I think there’s a lot more pressure on parents these days than there was when I was a kid (I was in born 1990). They’re absolutely terrified their precious little darling is going to miss out on some life affirming experience if they’re not at 200 different activities. Unfortunately leaving kids to entertain themselves isn’t the “in” thing anymore. Everything has to be an experience (see birthday parties a disco and stale sausage roll in the church hall don’t cut it these days) I actually think this mindset is why so many teens and young adults are so messed up.
Yeah it does remind me a lot of the whole Easter egg displays things, tons of Christmas present etc. So much pressure on parents. I hope if I ever have kids I can resist the pressure but it must make the day to day just that little bit harder. No way i could afford all this shit thoughI think there’s a lot more pressure on parents these days than there was when I was a kid (I was in born 1990). They’re absolutely terrified their precious little darling is going to miss out on some life affirming experience if they’re not at 200 different activities. Unfortunately leaving kids to entertain themselves isn’t the “in” thing anymore. Everything has to be an experience (see birthday parties a disco and stale sausage roll in the church hall don’t cut it these days) I actually think this mindset is why so many teens and young adults are so messed up.
A lot of it is facebook/Instagram fakery. Don't get taken in by it. I spent the day at the beach today and there were dozens of kids splashing in the sea, fishing in rockpools, building sandcastles, flying kites - all ages and not a smartphone in sight, and no parents videoing the whole 'day at the beach' experience for social media.Yeah it does remind me a lot of the whole Easter egg displays things, tons of Christmas present etc. So much pressure on parents. I hope if I ever have kids I can resist the pressure but it must make the day to day just that little bit harder. No way i could afford all this shit though
If it wasn’t for the rain, we wouldn’t have such gorgeous landscapesI love the rain.lying in bed with it hammering down
We had our radios, our cassette recorders & our bikes and the library. We were never bored.I don't understand this whole issue parents have with entertaining their kids during school holidays, complaining kids get bored, complaining about the number of paid activities they're doing with their kids. When I was a child, kids just played outside together or entertained themselves at home, is that not a thing anymore? Maybe unpopular opinion but I don't think people should be spending tons of money so their precious children are not bored during holidays. They should teach their children how to entertain themselves
Same in Ireland. 9 weeks summer holjdays. I roll my eyes at people saying they don't understand why the kids can't be left out to play. Unless you have kids, you have absolutely zero idea what you're talking about. It's really boring and irritating listening to childless people shite on about how things were done in their day.In Northern Ireland our summer holidays are 9 weeks long! Most parents work and can’t just take that length of time off so letting them play and entertain themselves isn’t really an option for most people depending on what age they are. I do agree with the other poster re camps, I love sending mine to camps even though they are extortionately priced they love it and learn lots of good life skills and make friends.
Why is it different though? Totally get that, might eat my words if I do have kids but how is spending tons of money on taking kids to expensive activities a requirement these days? Would really like to know what's changed that this is now a thingSame in Ireland. 9 weeks summer holjdays. I roll my eyes at people saying they don't understand why the kids can't be left out to play. Unless you have kids, you have absolutely zero idea what you're talking about. It's really boring and irritating listening to childless people shite on about how things were done in their day.
Was your mother a stay at home mum?Why is it different though? Totally get that, might eat my words if I do have kids but how is spending tons of money on taking kids to expensive activities a requirement these days? Would really like to know what's changed that this is now a thing
No but that has nothing to do with what my original post was about. I was purely talking about constantly providing kids with paid activities, like taking them to a cinema or bowling. Surely someone who can do that must have enough time off to actually goWas your mother a stay at home mum?
as a childless person, have you simply considered leaving your 5 year old alone in the house à la Matilda?It's really boring and irritating listening to childless people shite on about how things were done in their day.
I see a lot of Instagram mums who have the time to spend with their kids seem really afraid of letting them getting bored - as if that’s the worst possible thing that could happen? Or they make play really structured and just want to keep them constantly busy - but they don’t actually let them choose what they want to do or give them the opportunity to be bored.No but that has nothing to do with what my original post was about. I was purely talking about constantly providing kids with paid activities, like taking them to a cinema or bowling. Surely someone who can do that must have enough time off to actually go
Me and my brothers were born late '80s early '90s we use to love to make "radio stations" we had tape recorders that had space for two cassettes and we thought we was the bees knees with our own radio stationWe had our radios, our cassette recorders & our bikes and the library. We were never bored.
I know life for kids is different now, it's 2022, but all the things they have now....all the lifestyle they enjoy.....
Exactly, that's what I mean. Some boredom is good so you can learn how to be creative, how to entertain yourself, and how to deal with being frustrated due to boredom. But as soon as school holidays are close all I hear is moaning that the kids will be bored. Well maybe they should just cancel school holidays altogether if kids are so bored with them lolas a childless person, have you simply considered leaving your 5 year old alone in the house à la Matilda?
but yeah, I always wonder this - if parents are working 5 days a week, don’t have extended family, don’t have the money for holiday camps and struggle to get days off, wtf are they supposed to do during a 6 or 9 week holiday? Even if you have two parents working different shifts, there will be crossover and it’s not like everyone can just get a childcare friendly job. My parents worked in schools so it was fine, and often had other people’s kids come to our house for the day if they were stuck, but it must have been so stressful to organise!?
I see a lot of Instagram mums who have the time to spend with their kids seem really afraid of letting them getting bored - as if that’s the worst possible thing that could happen? Or they make play really structured and just want to keep them constantly busy - but they don’t actually let them choose what they want to do or give them the opportunity to be bored.
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