Can't get my kids to go anywhere!
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Anonymous
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It's a beautiful day of a long weekend. Nothing planned - no soccer, no lessons, no friends in town. I want to get my kids out of the house to go somewhere, anywhere and all they want to do is sit at home. This is not the first time and I'm at my wits end. I even pulled out the "you could die tomorrow" card, but that gets you nowhere with an 11 and 8 year old. I have proposed all sorts of activities, including bike ride, hiking, canoeing, kayaking and I get nothing.
Anyone else BTDT or have advice? |
Anonymous
| Either your kids are about to go back to school on Tuesday, in which case this is one of their last days they can be lazy before homework and fall activities start, or they've already gone back and may be feeling wiped out from the readjustment. Either way, back off and find your own thing to do. |
Anonymous
| Maybe they need a break from all of your other weekends that sound full of plans. Make them spend part of the day in the backyard and enjoy their company a little bit. Sheesh. |
Anonymous
| And WTF, saying "you could die tomorrow" to 8 and 11 year olds? You need serious help, lady. No wonder your kids need a break. |
Anonymous
| Well, stop asking. Pick something and tell them that they're going. |
Anonymous
| My kids, both 8, are the same way. I suggested apple-picking, the pool, hiking, tennis... oh well. I think the pp was right who said to just let it go... they are about to start school on Tuesday and then the endless soccer practices and homework will begin, so I'll let mine enjoy their last weekend of sitting around the house. |
Anonymous
WOW... my kids are 9 and 11 and EXACTLY the same all the time. I can say "let's go to the movies" and they say "no, I want to stay home." I say, "let's go to the pool" -- they say, "no, l want to stay home." I say, let's go to the mall, they want to stay home. I do drag them out for walks by trading it for 30 min. of tablet time. But other than that, they want to stay home ALL the TIME. They get max 2 hr. of tablet time (for which they have to do some typing practice and the walk I mentioned before -- as well as some math or writing sometimes). But, they just don't have much interest in doing/seeing/going anywhere. OP -- you and I should go do all those fun things (I love all of them) and I guess we could either bring our insider kids or leave them at home! |
Anonymous
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It's been great actually.
They are hanging with friends and I have hiked, biked, planted flowers, gone shopping, fixed some things in the house. It's been glorious. |
Anonymous
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Same story here in Arlington. Ages 12 and 10.
They're soaking up their last opportunity for unregulated screen time. Shame given the weather. I have managed to get them out for sports practices this weekend, however. |
Anonymous
| I would pick something like indoor rock climbing, trampoline park and say we are leaving in 5 minutes. They don't have a choice they are going |
Anonymous
| Down time is good. |
Anonymous
OP, you sound annoying. Go walk around the block. |
Anonymous
+1 Kids need down time. They don't need to be running around like headless chickens. |
Anonymous
+1 I don't remember getting a choice growing up and my kids don't get one now. Adults choose the activities, kids accompany them. Who runs the house, OP? What are you letting them do? If it's more than reading a book - a real book with no screen- then you are a big part of the problem. |
Anonymous
| Same thing happens in my house. They are happy to be at home, doing nothing. The bad part comes around 4pm, and they are finally bored of doing nothing. At that point, I am not in the mood for an outing. |