serenity parenting

[WibbleWobble]

ha ha ha ha ...this was me!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/may/15/parenting-less-fuss-more-fun

not that i was lazy my lot just werent into clubs etc. and i didnt push them (actually working all hour in the NHS stopped a lot of stuff)

but i was a mum of children (and not adults) a LONG LONG time ago


mandy xxx

[RainbowMum]

At last some sense :clapping:

I am fairly laid back - my 2 go to cubs and Rainbows because they love it - DS tried and hated football so we dropped it.

THe only thing I insist they do is swimming lessons but once they can swim well enough it will be up to them if they want to continue.

I rarely have to discipline them, they are very well behaved when we go out and doing well at school.

They got lots of affection and attention - they are children for such a short time - we want to enjoy it together :thumbsup:

[mama2three]

ha ha ha ha ...this was me!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/may/15/parenting-less-fuss-more-fun

not that i was lazy my lot just werent into clubs etc. and i didnt push them (actually working all hour in the NHS stopped a lot of stuff)

but i was a mum of children (and not adults) a LONG LONG time ago


mandy xxx

OOh Mandy , you must be a guru too!!

[clio0602]

Liking this! Ds goes to football, music, karate and swimming. Need to have the discussion and hopefully save some pennies and petrol lol. Dd is only 3 and does swimming and drama lol although she loves them.

It does make sense tho really and there would be less conflict in this house if they were left to do their own thing! X

[Mouse]

I think the problem with having all these organised activities for children is that they lose the ability to amuse themselves.

When I was young (OK, going back a long time) I did Brownies & dance once a week - that was it. Swimming was a family thing - we went as a family & my parents taught us to swim. No need for lessons. But we could happily spend a whole day playing outside with very few proper "toys". We used our imagination and made up games. I think it's sad when you see children now who don't know how to play. You take them to the woods and all they can say is "it's boring. There's nothing to do". They have no idea about climbing trees, making dens etc.

I always had a very laid back approach with my children and they've turned out very well :thumbsup:

[loocyloo]

both my children have swimming and dancing lessons, their choice. ( i did insist on swimming to start with, until they can reliably swim ;) but they chose to carry on )

DS plays piano & trumpet, again his choice and sings with the choir, DD can't wait till next year when she is old enough to join choir! she hasn't settled on an instrument yet... she wants to play them all!

but other than that i don't organise their time, they love going to spend the days in the woods, or messing about in the streams. i usually get bored before they do! ;) at home they can usually entertain themselves quite well without resorting to electronic devices!

[WibbleWobble]

one of my schoolies does a club every night and two on a tuesday!!!

she is exhausted!

on a monday i always ask her what she has been doing over the weekend and in a year she has never said "oh nothing, just had a rest" they are always doing or going somewhere!


now when i was a kid in the 1970s sundays were two weeks long and we had to find our own entertainment, tv was only religious stuff (and that was when it was on) and the shops were shut.

and we lived in a cardboard box in a gutter............ha ha ha :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:


mandy xx

[caz3007]

I have a friend who spends a huge amount of money and time running her kids around to various clubs and activities.

My DS doesnt do anything. Not because we wont, but because he doesnt want to. We have suggested he joined cubs etc, but he isnt interested.

My grown up two did try different things and my DD was a rainbow and a brownie. My older DS tried lots of things, but never stuck at any for more than a few weeks

We do lots of family stuff at the weekend, he is a keen birdwatcher, nature lover and gardner and thats what we all enjoy.

I also hardly ever have to tell him off and we can take him to a nice restuarant and never worry he is going to play up and show us up.

I do think sometimes parents want their children to do all these things and then parents and children end up feeling resentful for the time it takes.