Sunday 20 March 2011

Inside or outside....that is the question??

I don't get it.

It's Sunday, it's a beautiful day ( for a change). OH is in garden cutting the grass, and we can hear a few of the neighbours doing the same. The washing is out drying in the sun and I can even hear the faint tune of the ice cream van in nearby streets!!

Really a great day to be enjoying the outdoors......right?

That is unless you are a boy living in my house, aged either 10 or 12 ( weeks away from 13 as I keep being reminded)!


They have bikes, remote control gadgets of various kinds, footballs and goals, kites, tennis sets, Frisbees ( yes they are still going! ) and not to mention the obligatory trampoline at the end of the garden.

But where are they?

In separate rooms, hidden away in case they have a life threatening reaction to the sunlight!! Whinging because they want to play on their game stations ( the total bane of my life) or lounging around using phrases like 'I'm bored' or 'there's nothing to do' !!!!! AAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH

Again I DON'T GET IT.

It's almost as though the kids of today ( I know I sound like an OAP here but indulge me) cannot physically entertain themselves anymore. It seems that the simple pleasures of playing outside with their friends just isn't stimulating enough. The computer games are so fast and furious, graphic and explosive that they have almost been desensitised and anything else has become too boring to contemplate or just too much effort on their part.

Please tell me it's not just my kids as I will feel like a total failure otherwise.

We try to give them an appreciation of good ol' fashioned playing outside, trips to the seaside/ parks/ camping etc with a balance of modern technology ie: bloody game stations and TV.

What are we doing wrong???

Answers on a postcard please............

8 comments:

  1. Mine aged 6,4 and 3 also have days like this, sunshine with bikes, scooters, balls and climbing frame but no, they want to watch TV or do LEGO and then when it is throwing it down with rain they want to go out and moan about being bored. I think they are just made to be awkward!

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  2. Well, mine just can't wait to get outside. But then again, she's not even two and hasn't discovered our x-box yet...

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  3. Mine would generally rather be outside but she's only 8! I'm also a mean Mummy in the fact that TV is rationed and so is the DS so she doesn't have much choice :-)

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  4. Mel I think your right they are definitely made to be awkward!

    Emma I'm also a mean mummy with TV and videogames rationed- I think thats why I have sooo much moaning!!

    And Metropolitan mum you seriously don't know how lucky you are, I so wish my 2 hadn't discovered x-box and playstation!!! Too late for us now :(
    Maybe it's a boy thing?
    Thanks guys

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  5. Well I have to say your house sounds just like mine. My 13 year old uses exactly the same phrases I'm bored !! etc. I tried hiding all the PS3 games but not being clurd up on these things I did not realise he has dowmloaded games on the machine! I can't win. The only time I get my two boys back is when we are on holiday, mind the moan for first couple of days but eventually get used to occupying themselves outside.

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  6. My boys are almost two and love being outside come rain or shine! I'm hoping it stays like that, I remember my parents would 'throw' us out at 9am and we wern't expected back until tea time! Goodness knows what the latest must have games will be by the time my two are big enough to want one!

    Thanks for stopping by my blog, yours looks great, some fab posts!

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  7. Thanks Amanda, and yes we were the same 'thrown' out in the morning and expected not to come back until we were hungry- funny how times change! Although I moan about them in that way I would hate for them to just disappear for the day!! It's no longer that type of world!! A happy medium would be good
    T xx

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  8. Well my 18 year old played outside and in for many years. Only since she's 16 or so does she want to be in more...but aspie boy, well computer games and consoles is ALL he wants to do in theory. But he will admit to getting fed up with it and then he fights against all the solutions I come up with!

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