feeling bad for feeling like this, weekend dread.

mum2twinsx2

I have a 4 day weekend alone with 4 children this weekend. One day down. Well have the next 66 days alone with the children.
Im absloutley dreading it. Ive no idea how to occupy the eldest two. I seemed to have exhausted everything near us n easter holidays DH was home so we went here there and everywhere. Lucky today we were invited to a BBQ and all the children were very well behaved and weve all had a fantastic day.
I feel i end up inviting friends to do something with us too often. I dont use them for help with the children but i think more company as DH is in the forces.

I really dont want a stressful weekend, ive had such a great day with friends and feel horrifically bad about feeling negative about the weekend.
Any tips to keep my sanity in tact? Things to do? We have money, but im tight dont want to spend unless i really have to.

balletshoes

let the girls take their scooters/bikes and take them all to your local park, with a picnic. what do you usually do on saturdays and sundays?

Savvy_Sue

mum2twinsx2 wrote: »

Any tips to keep my sanity in tact? Things to do? We have money, but im tight dont want to spend unless i really have to.

There are times when throwing money at a problem is the best thing to do, if you can afford to. Honestly.

Thinking about the whole 66 days rather than just the weekend, what would help? would it help to regularly stop at the park on the way home from school, and would it matter if that included buying an ice cream? Would it help to find a sensible older teenager to come in after they finish school and give a hand with the bedtime madness at least once a week: helping cook tea, washing up, getting a load of laundry on while you do baths if you don't want to abdicate bedtime altogether? would it help to host a 'mums at mine' night once a week? would it help to have a babysitter once a week so that you can still go out and be YOU rather than mum2twinsx2 (which makes my heart sink just THINKING about it! :rotfl:)

Now, if anything like that would help, then consider: what's more important, not spending money even though you can actually afford to, or your own mental health / sense of wellbeing?

I'd say I was tight too, btw, but there are times ...

How old are the children, btw?

And would it be so bad to go back to places you've been before?

PasturesNew

What did you used to do as a kid to entertain yourself?

LJM

firstly take one day at a time how old are your children? i would also suggest the park or bike ride go for a walk, are there no free groups you could try around you

make_me_wise

Oh wow, two sets of twins under 5, my god you have your hands full OP. I am not a mum yet, so cant imagine how you manage and juggle all you must need to cope with.

As for ideas to entertain the little ones, I have been thinking about what my folks use to do with my siblings and I. Dont know whereabouts you are but trips to local parks to go on swings and slides or for a picnic. Is there a duck pond near you, bring some old bread and little ones love throwing it as food. Are you near a beach? If the weather was windy we use to throw kites in the boot and drive off to some big hill and send them flying. Spent many happy sunday afternoons doing that. Use to love just going for walks in the woods near us and picking up all kinds of leaves etc.

Hope that helps some.

mum2twinsx2

Hiya thanks for replies, I have girl twins that are 4, and two boys that are under one. So limits me slightly having two little ones.

Normally I work weekends and DH has Daddy time as he was away during the week. So my first weekend in a while not at work, and alone with the children.

Weekdays I have down to a fine art full of lots of routine. Just think its a shock the the system the weekend.
I just was the first weekend to flow okay so i dont have to dread the next 6+ weekends.
The park is pants here it has a slide, and one swing theyve had enough after less than twenty minutes.

Rachel021967

As ballet shoes says the park is always a great hit. If you go with some other mums you'll have some adult company and the children will have others of their own age to play with.
My youngest can spend hours playing with playdough and my cookie cutters. Its very easy to make just put 1 cup of plain flour, 2 tbsps of cream of tartar, 0.5 cup of salt, 1 cup of water, 1 tbsp of cooking oil and some food colouring or poster paint in a pan. Stir over medium heat until this makes a dough. Keeps for ages in a plastic bag or box in the fridge.
They could make a simple lunch such as cookies, sandwiches, simple pizza (slice of bread. Spread on tomato puree, ham, sweetcorn, sliced tomato, grated cheese. Put under the grill until well done), fruit kebabs or salad.
You could have a movie afternoon. Make some popcorn and snuggle up on the sofa to watch a film.
Libraries are quite good they usually have song and story time and the children could choose a book.
When it was too cold for a paddling pool I used to let them play in the bath.
Some museums have clubs and or activities for young children for very little cost.
Good luck.

Rachel

balletshoes

do you drive? what about the local bus route - are there better parks near that? our best park is a 5-minute car drive away, but would take ages to walk. Its definitely worth getting there though, the kids can run about on the park, play in the play area, there are cycle paths and woodland trails.

jcr16

playdoh is my sanity saver. i love it. i make my own as get far more playdoh than the little pot's.

ok so i didn't have 4 children under 5, i only had 3. but i found the youngest would happily sit in his highchair at the dining table with a piece of playdoh, squashing it, bashing it etc and the eleder two would make things. i would also sit at the table and make thigns with them. this easily takes up a good few hours. any cookie cutters etc are fantastic.although my 3 like to put plastic animals in theres.

also when weather is good big bowls of water outside, buy a cheap 18p bottle of value bubble bath and put a glug in, bubbley water is always a huge hit. they will get wet, they will want to wash everything going, but it provides hours of fun.

as for woods and park, they are brillent. i understand how taking 4 on your own espesh 2 9 month old means you proberly wont totally relax as your be trying to watch them at all times. but walks in the woods are fab. i'm guessing the youngest two are walking. ( sorry if not, my eldest both walked at 9 months i forget not all babies do). can you get a cheap digital camera each for the 4 yr olds and they can snap away taking pictures while on your walk to help make it more fun ? but take a picnic and blanket and this will make it even more fun. for some reason my children love eating outdoors at any chance they get.

Rachel021967

Another thing my girls liked to do was paint. When they were babies I used to cover the floor and table and let them paint. Be warned its very messy and requires a good clean and a bath afterwards.