Check back soon
Once posts are published, you’ll see them here.
We're 2 weeks into the Summer Holidays and the kids are bored silly! The main reason because I'm such a bad Mumma that I don't allow tech until 5 pm up until 8 pm during the week. At the weekends they can do as they please. They are always "SOOOOO BORED!!!" But I've said that boredom is good. Boredom make's you think and thinking initiates creativity. They huff when I say this to them but it does work. Eventually. Sometimes. We don't have a lot of money at this point in our lives so, to be fair, I understand that they get bored. There's only so many trips to the park you can take. Although I do suggest they bake flapjacks and cakes, build dens, do some colouring and play in the garden on the jungle gym. But that all gets shrugged off. There's a tent in the garden that has been used a couple of times and a shed of garden games, bikes and scooters that have accumilated over the years. Of course when I point that out there's a collective "urghhh" from them and that's when I roll my eyes and walk away silently cursing about how unappreciative they are. I may as well sell it all and we can have a day out instead! I've searched and searched online for idea's for free things to do in the holidays. There's some great idea's but mostly aimed towards younger children. My eldest girl isn't really artsy so crafts don't interest her in the slightest. As a teenager she gets bored so easily and just wants to be on tech or be with her friends. Anything I suggest is pants. Our middle girl enjoys baking but with the amount she likes to bake quickly get out of hand and before I know it I'm having to go shopping again. Not great when you're on a budget. Our boy is a real gamer so waiting until 5pm to game is a nightmare. However during a 2 day try-out of mainstream school he had a sports pro day. A professional skatebaorder came to the school and they had a skate boarding lesson. So now he has a new hobby he's learning with his Dad. On a regular basis though we have a family movie night every Friday and try to have a board game night every Saturday. They enjoy that and actually look forward to it, which is nice. Some real family time. One night relaxing together and the next having fun. It is a really nice thing to do. No tech, no disruptions. It's lovely. I do wish I could afford to take them away on holiday in the summer, even if it's for a long weekend, or a weekend at least! If we lived closer to a beach it would be perfect. I am trying to get a house exchange for exactly this reason but 3 years of trying and it's just no use. I gave up a few months ago looking and searching everyday but still check every now and then to see if anything new has popped up. But nothing so far. I'll keep on though. You'll never get anywhere if you don't try, right? Getting back to the holidays though, so far I've used my time to re-pot some succulents, home colour my hair, sort out next terms work and put away work since last september. I'm booking in all appointments for the kids like the dentist and opticians for during the holidays so that I don't have to do it in term time. I'm having a sort out and selling some things we no longer need, clearing some space and making a few quid. But mostly trying to get the garden nice and tidy on a favour for favour trade off with friends. We have alot of building materials that the hubz collects if it's going free so that we have something to trade. When friends need something like sand or bricks we exchange it for their help or skill that we need for our garden projects. It's actually a pretty non conformist way to live and I love it! In other news, I've now got myself a new hobby. Well, not really a hobby, more of a medical neccesity. For the past 2 days I've tried Yoga. Not to get fit or lose weight but more to help my back, neck and shoulder pain. I'm amazed to admit that it has actually worked so I will be keeping up with it and letting you know how I'm getting on. You never know, maybe the kids will join in if they get bored enough.