For me I was so glad to have my children home and we could be a family not going this way and that. It wasn’t filling the time it was just a joy to have the time. We could sleep late, eat fun breakfasts at 10 am or later if we wanted. They could help with the meals and we could have hamburgers for breakfast if we wanted. IT WAS TIME OFF. We could enjoy being a family.
We did things for our neighbors; rake an elderly neighbor’s yard, or make cookies and deliver them, make up silly songs, read Christmas stories or stay in our PJ’s and have a movie marathon. We built a tent under the kitchen table and “camped out/in”.
Enjoy your children Mom. Make memories. Just love up on them and let them love up on you and let the world go by. It is Christmas. Celebrate the season. Blessings to you and your wonderful family.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m cracking up at all these people saying you should drive 4 hours RT to philly or Richmond just to entertain your kids for a day or two. People, it’s not that hard!

I was thinking the same thing. My kids are going to be at home most of the time. We’ll probably do a few outings around here but definitely not driving that far to fill every day with something new to do.

I think it is because there is time and opportunity to see something new and different. Some people do desire to expose their kids to things other than Zava Zone.

Ugh, exposing your kids to 4 hours strapped in the car in a single day? Yeah, that's exciting.

Well, I tend to put kids in the car around 3-5am, have breakfast ready (tortilla, egg and veggie, cheese) for when they wake up. By the time kids are awake and fed, we’re there. Or we go to closer places after breakfast. Then, they can nap or do quiet activities (I pack plenty!) on the way back.

https://childsci.org/events/
Science Center

Nature centers: (dc) rock creek, (va) long branch, gulf branch, hidden oaks, buddie ford, Scott’s run, (md) mt rainier, meadowside, brookside, locust grove, Croydon creek, clearwater

Smithsonian: air/space kid area, American Indian kid area, postal museum basement, zoo, botanical gardens

Zava zone, monkey joes, jumping joey, sky zone

Parks, playgrounds

Trails to walk/bike

Home activities: slime, peanut butter playdoh, homemade playdoh (inedible, non-toxic), cookie dough (bake or just eat), paper snowflakes, Glass/plastic ornaments with decorations inside/outside, reindeer candy canes, snowmen candy bars, fudge, popcorn strings then caramel corn or cheese corn (done with cheese powder or nutritional yeast), sponge trees, cotton ball snowmen, qtip snowflakes, pine cones with suet or peanut butter and birdseed, corncob holder, bat house, bird house

empty boxes from shipping gifts: dollhouse, rocket, playhouse, stable, doghouse, desk, closet, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m cracking up at all these people saying you should drive 4 hours RT to philly or Richmond just to entertain your kids for a day or two. People, it’s not that hard!

I was thinking the same thing. My kids are going to be at home most of the time. We’ll probably do a few outings around here but definitely not driving that far to fill every day with something new to do.

I’m the one who suggested the day trips. I stay home and do local outings everyday. If my kids are off for 2 weeks, we probably won’t just do local outings.

We get 2 weeks off. We are going to nyc to visit family for a few days, spend a week at home, probably do a day trip to liberty to ski and then we are going to the Caribbean for 5 days.

During the week at home, we will probably do play dates with friends and local outings including a day trip to Baltimore.

Do you ever just...spend a whole day at your house? Playing with toys, imaginary play, board games, baking, etc.? I admit I totally judge people who cannot just chill at home. It’s like some sort of compulsion or mental illness.

Nope. Your family sounds low energy. We like to be active.

The people I know like this all can’t stand their spouses and can’t fathom just chilling at home with nothing to distract them. It’s constantly activities, Disney on Ice oh look a circus is in town can we fit in another weeknight activity. Kids are cranky as hell because they never get to relax.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m cracking up at all these people saying you should drive 4 hours RT to philly or Richmond just to entertain your kids for a day or two. People, it’s not that hard!

I was thinking the same thing. My kids are going to be at home most of the time. We’ll probably do a few outings around here but definitely not driving that far to fill every day with something new to do.

I’m the one who suggested the day trips. I stay home and do local outings everyday. If my kids are off for 2 weeks, we probably won’t just do local outings.

We get 2 weeks off. We are going to nyc to visit family for a few days, spend a week at home, probably do a day trip to liberty to ski and then we are going to the Caribbean for 5 days.

During the week at home, we will probably do play dates with friends and local outings including a day trip to Baltimore.

Do you ever just...spend a whole day at your house? Playing with toys, imaginary play, board games, baking, etc.? I admit I totally judge people who cannot just chill at home. It’s like some sort of compulsion or mental illness.

Nope. Your family sounds low energy. We like to be active.

It also sounds like you are rude. What you call active some people might call frenetic. It’s important to know how to just BE in a space or place. The ability to enjoy a day that isn’t planned from waking to bed is a valuable one. Most people don’t get to slow down these days, don’t sneer at those who want to take advantage of it. Be active and leave the rest of us alone to enjoy a work-life balance.

These frenetic people have just taken over social media. Chilling is important in the grand scheme of things!

Anonymous wrote:In MoCo, some of the public libraries have Discovery Rooms that you can book in advance for an hour at a time. We make a habit of reserving it weekly during the summer and at least once on breaks. I love it--kids can play with a variety of toys and parent can kick back and read. And since you reserve it just for your family, no random kids joining in.

I highly doubt OP’s kids would like that esp since her oldest is 7.

Try:
Botanical garden
Port Discovery in Baltimore
St. James
College Park Aviation
Ikea (!)

Smithsonians
Train display at botanic gardens
Baltimore museums— train, sci center, aquarium
Nature centers
Library
Hikes, Brookside Gardens, or zoo if not raining
National Christmas tree
Stuff at home— bake cookies, decorate a gingerbread house, make paper snowflakes, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m cracking up at all these people saying you should drive 4 hours RT to philly or Richmond just to entertain your kids for a day or two. People, it’s not that hard!

I was thinking the same thing. My kids are going to be at home most of the time. We’ll probably do a few outings around here but definitely not driving that far to fill every day with something new to do.

I’m the one who suggested the day trips. I stay home and do local outings everyday. If my kids are off for 2 weeks, we probably won’t just do local outings.

We get 2 weeks off. We are going to nyc to visit family for a few days, spend a week at home, probably do a day trip to liberty to ski and then we are going to the Caribbean for 5 days.

During the week at home, we will probably do play dates with friends and local outings including a day trip to Baltimore.

Do you ever just...spend a whole day at your house? Playing with toys, imaginary play, board games, baking, etc.? I admit I totally judge people who cannot just chill at home. It’s like some sort of compulsion or mental illness.

Nope. Your family sounds low energy. We like to be active.

It also sounds like you are rude. What you call active some people might call frenetic. It’s important to know how to just BE in a space or place. The ability to enjoy a day that isn’t planned from waking to bed is a valuable one. Most people don’t get to slow down these days, don’t sneer at those who want to take advantage of it. Be active and leave the rest of us alone to enjoy a work-life balance.

I am the pp with 3 kids and that comment was not mine. Heck, I’m low energy and tired juggling these 3 kids. For our family, it is easier to break up the day. When we had only 2 kids and they were younger, most of our weekends were lazy days at home. Life is much different now. I’m also anti screen time and if we stay home all day, everyone ends up on a screen. Everything in moderation. We bake, play board games, video games, ride bikes, read, do laundry and there is still plenty of time to go around. Not all 5 family members have an activity or event everyday but it is rare that none of us have anything planned.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m cracking up at all these people saying you should drive 4 hours RT to philly or Richmond just to entertain your kids for a day or two. People, it’s not that hard!

I was thinking the same thing. My kids are going to be at home most of the time. We’ll probably do a few outings around here but definitely not driving that far to fill every day with something new to do.

I’m the one who suggested the day trips. I stay home and do local outings everyday. If my kids are off for 2 weeks, we probably won’t just do local outings.

We get 2 weeks off. We are going to nyc to visit family for a few days, spend a week at home, probably do a day trip to liberty to ski and then we are going to the Caribbean for 5 days.

During the week at home, we will probably do play dates with friends and local outings including a day trip to Baltimore.

Do you ever just...spend a whole day at your house? Playing with toys, imaginary play, board games, baking, etc.? I admit I totally judge people who cannot just chill at home. It’s like some sort of compulsion or mental illness.

Nope. Your family sounds low energy. We like to be active.

It also sounds like you are rude. What you call active some people might call frenetic. It’s important to know how to just BE in a space or place. The ability to enjoy a day that isn’t planned from waking to bed is a valuable one. Most people don’t get to slow down these days, don’t sneer at those who want to take advantage of it. Be active and leave the rest of us alone to enjoy a work-life balance.

In MoCo, some of the public libraries have Discovery Rooms that you can book in advance for an hour at a time. We make a habit of reserving it weekly during the summer and at least once on breaks. I love it--kids can play with a variety of toys and parent can kick back and read. And since you reserve it just for your family, no random kids joining in.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m cracking up at all these people saying you should drive 4 hours RT to philly or Richmond just to entertain your kids for a day or two. People, it’s not that hard!

I was thinking the same thing. My kids are going to be at home most of the time. We’ll probably do a few outings around here but definitely not driving that far to fill every day with something new to do.

I’m the one who suggested the day trips. I stay home and do local outings everyday. If my kids are off for 2 weeks, we probably won’t just do local outings.

We get 2 weeks off. We are going to nyc to visit family for a few days, spend a week at home, probably do a day trip to liberty to ski and then we are going to the Caribbean for 5 days.

During the week at home, we will probably do play dates with friends and local outings including a day trip to Baltimore.

Do you ever just...spend a whole day at your house? Playing with toys, imaginary play, board games, baking, etc.? I admit I totally judge people who cannot just chill at home. It’s like some sort of compulsion or mental illness.

Nope. Your family sounds low energy. We like to be active.

The people I know like this IRL are all ADHD.

And your point is....?

Maybe they do have ADHD. Sounds like those people you know "IRL" have found a way to deal with their enthusiasm and energy. I hope they make nicer friends than you on their outings.

Bake something
Play board games
Ice skating
Bowling
Watch a movie

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m cracking up at all these people saying you should drive 4 hours RT to philly or Richmond just to entertain your kids for a day or two. People, it’s not that hard!

I was thinking the same thing. My kids are going to be at home most of the time. We’ll probably do a few outings around here but definitely not driving that far to fill every day with something new to do.

I’m the one who suggested the day trips. I stay home and do local outings everyday. If my kids are off for 2 weeks, we probably won’t just do local outings.

We get 2 weeks off. We are going to nyc to visit family for a few days, spend a week at home, probably do a day trip to liberty to ski and then we are going to the Caribbean for 5 days.

During the week at home, we will probably do play dates with friends and local outings including a day trip to Baltimore.

Do you ever just...spend a whole day at your house? Playing with toys, imaginary play, board games, baking, etc.? I admit I totally judge people who cannot just chill at home. It’s like some sort of compulsion or mental illness.

Nope. Your family sounds low energy. We like to be active.

NP here. I’m lazy as hell, but even I know that with a toddler, you need to take them out of the house for at lead a couple of hours every day to stay sane.

When mom and dad are done fighting, maybe we can all come up with a few other ideas?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m cracking up at all these people saying you should drive 4 hours RT to philly or Richmond just to entertain your kids for a day or two. People, it’s not that hard!

I was thinking the same thing. My kids are going to be at home most of the time. We’ll probably do a few outings around here but definitely not driving that far to fill every day with something new to do.

I’m the one who suggested the day trips. I stay home and do local outings everyday. If my kids are off for 2 weeks, we probably won’t just do local outings.

We get 2 weeks off. We are going to nyc to visit family for a few days, spend a week at home, probably do a day trip to liberty to ski and then we are going to the Caribbean for 5 days.

During the week at home, we will probably do play dates with friends and local outings including a day trip to Baltimore.

Do you ever just...spend a whole day at your house? Playing with toys, imaginary play, board games, baking, etc.? I admit I totally judge people who cannot just chill at home. It’s like some sort of compulsion or mental illness.

Nope. Your family sounds low energy. We like to be active.

The people I know like this IRL are all ADHD.

Whatever. Enjoy your lazy family. Don’t eat too much.