Changing Day out with children?

balletshoes

again, if the kids are bored and they're telling you they're bored, ask them what they'd like to do. It just seems a bit pointless to me you sitting wracking your brain for some fun activity if the kids won't be interested, and you don't know if they'll be interested unless you ask them what they want to do.

It also could well be, if its the teenagers telling you they're bored, its because they're not able to nip out and meet up with their mates - anything else, no matter how interesting to anyone else, will be "boring".

eta - don't for one minute think that the kids won't have "bored" times at home too, theres not a parent in this land who hasn't had "but I'm boooooooored" from their kids on a weekend lol!

Cat501

balletshoes wrote: »

It also could well be, if its the teenagers telling you they're bored, its because they're not able to nip out and meet up with their mates - anything else, no matter how interesting to anyone else, will be "boring".

I think that pretty much sums it up!

the_cat

I think you should take them to the place you promised to

It's not their fault that you had a rubbish day! Plus its seriously unfair to go back on your promises without a good reason, and yet expect them to consistently follow through with anything that they might promise

If you have a seperate issue about the car - or anything else for that matter - then tackle it like a grown up and pull them up on their behaviour at the time. Resentfully stewing on problems and deciding on punishments well after the fact without addressing them is childish and counter productive. How exactly do you expect them to change their behaviour if they don't know that it bothers you?

Sambucus_Nigra

When DSD used to say she was bored I'd tell her we could do some maths - suddenly she wasn't bored any more. Strange....eh?

Amanda65

There's so many questions I have lol:-

1) How many children and their ages?
2) How long have you and OH been together?
3) How often do you have the children?
4) Do they always all come 'en masse' or do you have them individually sometimes?

With regard to the car, I understand how upsetting it is to see the car scratched etc, by the children but it sounds as though OH is no better :DWith regard to the material, in what way did he damage it? Perhaps he just didn't realise it would be an issue. I think everyone (including OH) should respect your property but you also have to accept that with children around accidents do happen and if none of the damage was malicious then it is part and parcel of having little people around, although I think you are within your rights to ask them to be more careful.

It sounds as though your issues with the day out stems from your anger with OH and the material damage to the car - very unfair IMHO to 'punish' his children for this.

FatVonD

I feel for you re the bored comment, it can be hurtful, my middle stepson rarely comes to ours any more as he'd rather be out with his mates.

Whereabouts are you? The most successful day out we've had with them all this year was a trip to Camden Market.

Amanda65

FatVonD wrote: »

I feel for you re the bored comment, it can be hurtful, my middle stepson rarely comes to ours any more as he'd rather be out with his mates.

This isn't just pertinent to step-children ! Teenagers would always rather be with their friends that out with their parents - it's in their make-up . Don't take it personally.

FatVonD

Amanda65 wrote: »

This isn't just pertinent to step-children ! Teenagers would always rather be with their friends that out with their parents - it's in their make-up . Don't take it personally.

Oh, I know, I have one of my own too, I rarely see him either and he lives with us :rotfl: