How do you enjoy your family?

Alikay

It sounds like you already do quite a lot of activities together, with the skiing, swimming, train rides and farm visits - do you ever do nothing-in-particular together though? Just sitting and watching TV together, having a natter with a cup of tea or sit in companionable silence together reading/sewing/on the laptop? At the age your children are, we all spent most of the time downstairs together, so were interacting with each other most of the time. Didn't have any techie gadgets in the bedrooms before they were about 14, and have never had TV's and games consoles up there at all.

I'm sure the autism makes a lot of outings and activities a lot more challenging for you, but we went for lots of walks, both in the town and countryside mainly because we were skint and it's a free activity: There's always something to see, be it wildlife or a little shop that sells white mice and Blackjacks!

missbiggles1

onomatopoeia99 wrote: »

Possibly because the OP is a considerate parent? Many aren't.

If the child is doing doing his homework, then what's the problem with spending free time playing computer games? Should he be forced to sit in the lounge watching Eastenders or Strictly to be "sociable"? I know those progams are some people's idea of an enjoyable evening, but certainly not everyone's.

There's always my approach to being a child, which was head down and toe the line, don't kick up a fuss at being parented while still living there, go to university and never come back.

In the days of no central heating and minimal TV choice, most of us spent our evenings in the sitting room with our parents' choice of tv on but doing our thing. I used to read whereas nowadays, with decent headphones, someone could be listening to music or playing games. At least they'd have some interaction with the rest of the family and not turn into a hermit way before they'd reached their teens.

SingleSue

Replace gaming with books and that was me when I was in my teens.....70s and early 80s soaps and card games were not my thing. I had an insatiable yearning to learn rather than be in the front room spending family time in front of the television.

missbiggles1

SingleSue wrote: »

Replace gaming with books and that was me when I was in my teens.....70s and early 80s soaps and card games were not my thing. I had an insatiable yearning to learn rather than be in the front room spending family time in front of the television.

Practising reading with a TV on is a great introduction to multitasking.:)

gayleygoo

We try to go out for walks when we get a chance, mostly round forests or other natural spaces, feed ducks, do scavenger hunts etc.

I do some sewing with my daughter, and OH plans to take DS fishing (we're not being sexist about it, DD isn't into fishing and DS doesn't want to sew yet!) Occasionally we do crafts like painting and playdough, tie-dye or baking, but we quite often get down on the floor and do some drawings or colouring in, or build with lego. Hide and seek can be a great game for the whole family, we all get quite creative with spaces we can fit into. My children might be slightly younger than yours though.

We try not to spend much on activities, but we visit local museums and the Planetarium because they're free, or go to free events in town. Not long ago we had an evening where we got out some newspapers, magazines and books and just all sat and read them, doodled on them, discussed recipes and articles etc. Sometimes it's the unplanned activities that end up with best quality time.

I think it would be great for us to play more board games together, but I tend to get bored after about half an hour or them, and one game with several children could last several hours. Then they want to play again!

Lunar_Eclipse

No set agenda/rules, but we hang out together all the time.

Everyone is on a different timeframe in the morning, but the evenings (& weekends) are based around downstairs rooms. During the week, the kitchen is the hub, sometimes along with the TV room. Lots of chat, homework, games, tea etc.

I have teenagers; one comes home just after 5pm, the other typically later. So the evenings are chatting about the day or what's coming up, eating, showering, dishes etc. Last night I helped DD1 with some oral revision for an exam today, whilst DH read next to us on the sofa. When DD2 came home at 8.45, we had supper, caught up on a few things (school related, trying on new trainers, where to spend Xmas!) and encouraged everyone towards showering/bedtime.

At the weekends, we are typically lazy on Saturday mornings, doing our own thing (reading/TV/sewing/laundry/gardening etc) but often go out in the afternoon, play games, work on projects in open plan downstairs etc.

I know kids need downtime and some people enjoy solitude, but I wouldn't be keen on a young child locking themselves away in a bedroom gaming. In our house, screens of all types are for downstairs use. If they spend hours on them, I'd set time limits and offer alternatives: get everyone involved in cooking dinner, cleaning the house etc?

pigpen

slow cooked with some root veg and mash and gravy... yummy!!!

DKLS

Mainly by avoiding a big chunk of family like the plague, and a chunk more I only see max of twice a year.

SingleSue

missbiggles1 wrote: »

Practising reading with a TV on is a great introduction to multitasking.:)

Ah I did that....I would have music playing! :rotfl:

Towser

What are you doing for the Easter school holidays? Frugal suggestions always welcome.

So far we have painted some pottery.

Intend to go for a bike ride, lots of dog walking and visit the local open farm. May even visit some National Trust properties.