How often do you go out?

[Tannie]

Talking with some friends the other day and realised that compared to them - I don't go anywhere for "organised" activities much at all!

They seem to go out to things like: Gymbaroo / Swimming lessons / Kids music or dance groups / Mum & bub yoga / Library reading or activity time / Playcentres.......and so on. Several times a week :eek:

I've never really been a "joiner" type or liked having places to "be" too frequently I guess........but I'm wondering if I'm not exposing my kids to enough out of home activities? We go out to shops etc a fair bit - but elsewise, besides local Playgroup once a week & the girls day at Childcare, we don't do any organised activities. We will go to swimming when it warms up - but even then - as we have our own pool - I tended last year to not bother going much and just went in teh pool here every day and did the little exercises :o Just seemed easier I guess!

We seem to spend our days just doing "home" things and playing here and doing just everyday household "tasks"......I have some nursery rhyme DVDs and Wiggles etc and I jump around with them doing the actions etc - we have a pretty good time on our own I think!

Would be interested to know what others do in their week? Maybe I should make more of an effort to do some of these "activities"?

T

[Niki]

i have started taking ds to swimming lessons once a wk:D

[damien's mum]

I would love to keep something in a pattern, as far as going out, and keeping in contact with my friends, and my friends with children, as it's great for the kids to keep seeing the same faces, and new ones aswell...

Just having the engery most the time, and trying to get everyone together at the same time!!!! crazy!

[Mumshmum]

. We will go to swimming when it warms up - but even then - as we have our own pool - I tended last year to not bother going much and just went in teh pool here every day and did the little exercises :o Just seemed easier I guess!

T

We go to playgroup one day, and my eldest goes to kindy 2 days. The other days are kept free for play dates, grocery shopping etc.

We have our own pool too, and we have a swimming instructor come to our house for the girls lessons. 2 other mums bring their children over, which reduces the cost, and we don't pay for a lesson if we don't use it.
is this something that you could do too?

[Tannie]

What a great idea! I have several friends who dont like taking their bubs to the public pool because it's so heavily chlorinated and irritates their eyes and skin (either mum OR bub) Also - it's so hot up here and shady / cool places hard to find, whereas our pool is in a great spot and midsummer, from about 2.30pm has no direct sun on it, which is perfect for taking the kids out. :thumbsup:

I'm definitely going to look into this and ask around and see if a few friends would like to join us. Esp the ones with more then 1 child, like me, it's just so much more difficult to take 2 or more little ones out at the same time isn't it? Yep - the energy required can be hard to find...:o
Thanks,
t

[bronny-jane]

im really unorganised:eek:
my dd's go to daycare and preschool, as for other activities there all spur of the moment things, we'll just jump in the car and drive for a few hours so they can play somewhere different, or have a weekend away and go up the coast, dd 2 loves the beach:D

[FourAngelKisses]

They seem to go out to things like: Gymbaroo / Swimming lessons / Kids music or dance groups / Mum & bub yoga / Library reading or activity time / Playcentres.......and so on.

Where I live, we don't have any of that, except the swimming lessons. But I don't have the money for that. I go grocery shopping every Wednesday, which is the only time we do get out of the house. It doesn't bother me though, I like being a homebody.
About once a month, I go and see a friend for the day, but other than that, the only time DS2 spends time with other kids is when his brother and sister are home from school.

[PMS]

Hi T! Well we do playgroup and story time at the library. Plus a shopping spree at least once a week. I would like to get to more organised activities or even put one or both into day care for 1-2 days just for the social interaction.
And swimming lessons; yes not really doable with two kids. Will have a chat with you about private instructor ect next time we meet!!!!
Hope those angels of yours are sleeping for you now and not being little :devil6:
anymore.

Take care T,


P!!!

[pookiesossige]

Hey Yetti;
You wonder if you're not exposing your kids to enough out-of-home activities but it sounds like you're doing wonderfully! Playgroup is fantastic! And one day a week of childcare is giving them new/different experiences too. I really wouldn't stress- remember that while most of the population live in cities, there are many, many of us who are 1) live where these other things are not offered and 2) unable to afford these programs anyway. And our kids develop fine!! Don't feel that you aren't doing enough- don't do more then you can manage or your kids will only remember how stressed their mum was trying to pack bags and get them in the car everyday.

I take my 3-month old DD and 2 year old DS to playgroup once a week and DS also has one day a week with his grandparents. On the weekend we go do the grocery shopping together with DH. Friday mornings I am at my church doing a course as part of the women's group there and DS is looked after by a mobile child care ppl. We walk to a park maybe once a week. We very rarley visit or have ppl over it seems...yet this is pretty busy for me at the moment because DD is still so young. When she's older I'll get to the park more often. I'm also going to join a toy library so DS has some new things in the backyard to play with while I feed ect.

These things are both cheap and fun for kids- and remember, kids learn through free play, not necessarily through organised, structured 'sessions' that you fork out $10-$15 for each time.

[Tannie]

Ah good - it's not just me then!! I'm a bit of a homebody too, must admit and I figure I want my kids to know how to amuse themselves and find things to do that are interesting here - not need "entertainment" all the time.
Never been one for stuctured activity myself - so probalby unlikely my kids will be any different...........uuuummmmm "nature V nurture" ?? :thumbsup:

PMS - I WILL call youlater today! I feel bad bout not catching up lately - both girls are sleeping okay - but be darned if little one can work out that 4.30 - 5am isn't wake up :devil6: Otherwise, they are darn good lately........it's more ME then them I think!!
Cheers,
T

[PMS]

T; it's ok hon. I know how it gets. I think I've been the same as you anyway! You just get those periods of time where you dont particularly want to do any thing.
Well look forward chatting and catching with you T!!!:smiliedance:

[Pink73]

Hi
My DS goes to a mothers group once a week so thas about the only thing that i would say is organised but we do go out everyday weather permiting even if its only a walk.
I am going to start taking his to swimming lessons next month so by the time summer comes we can get lots of use out of our pool
I would like him to have a few more play dates as he will not be going to day care and I wont him to socialise more and me to. Mon,wed,fri. would be great with 2 days just hanging around the house

[poppet]

We go swimming lessons once a week, there great Senna loves it. And we have mothers group once a week which is also great for social interaction:smiliedance: :ecomcity:

[Percy]

We go to music once a week and playgroup once a week. When its a bit warmer we will start swimming.

We got out everyday but its usually just a walk to the shops or the park. DS gets really cranky being at home all day.

[gidgeroo]

Hi Yetti
my DS2 goes to creche one day a week, DS1 comes with me to mother's group and also goes to Baby Gym once a week. We will organise swimming lessons for DS2 as soon as a place comes available (can u believe there's a queue for that too!).

Other days we do housework, catch up with friends & family, do the shopping or just go somewhere for lunch and a play. We also have a zoo membership which is good fun - you get a walk, a play, look at animals and have lunch all in the one place and if we are really organised we invite friends to meet up with us.

We're not super busy but by the weekend I'm looking for a sleep-in!:sleeping:

[~Emmylou~]

Em goes to daycare two days a week but that's it as far as "organised" activities go.
I planned to start swimming lessons with her this summer but now with a new baby coming in October I don't know if that will happens - depends on how easy/difficult this baby is.

I dunno, I tend to think they are only little ones for such a short time, there is plenty of time to do scheduled activities later.

[Hokey Pokey]

1-2 a week. we organise things for on the weekends.

[jessgray]

i want to get ds1 in swimming lessons but i am a bit worried about the chlorine and his eczema and asthma. he goes to daycare so he isnt missing out on seeing other kids. i;m just a homebody lol

[kymmy]

I have never taken any of my kids to organised activities due to my fear of routine !:laughing:
My girl goes to school, my boy is too sick to go anywhere so we are stuck at home except when hubby is home.

[MummyCharmzy]

once or twice a week usually but we do different things each week.. play centre one week, aquarium, farm etc... we havent done much for a while with me being heavily preg and then recovering from csect but just getting into the swing of things again now