Melissa in St Louis Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 What do you and your kiddos do on Saturdays? I have been pretty unstructured with them on Saturdays kind of letting them "chill" while I clean most of the day. Sundays we are up and at 'em for Sunday School/Church, and the rest of the day may be family fun day or it may be more of what we did Saturday. Anywhooooo, I feel like maybe we should be doing some school or something on Saturday so we aren't trying to get through as much during the week....fun stuff: experiments, art, etc. I know, I know...they SHOULD be helping me clean! :banghead: Melissa in St Louis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 I know, I know...they SHOULD be helping me clean! :banghead: Melissa in St Louis Okay - I was going to start with that. If they helped you clean, then you could all do something fun together with the rest of the day. Teaching kids to help clean takes longer than doing it yourself, but it pays off in the end. I work Fri, Sat. Sun. So I can't be of any help to you, but the kids and I do all of the cleaning through the week so that the weekend can be free for fun things. Dh and the kids go hiking, to museums, on long bike rides, or just chill and do art and play all day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutor Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 (edited) Since I work on Saturdays, my dh has kid duty and has started dividing the day into 2-3 hour segments. There are segments for: 1. work - kids do chores and help dh with a bigger project (raking leaves, chopping wood, blazing a trail, purging junk, etc) 2. worship - he assigns a Bible chapter to be read quietly alone (and someone to read to the 5yo) then they all discuss it over lunch 3. unplugged play - the kids can play anything they want as long as it doesn't involve a screen; at least half of this time must be spent outside (weather permitting) 4. investigation - the kids may choose any topic to learn more about (this can be more "academic" like bird watching and i.d. or more "domestic" like creating a new cookie recipe); they may read, do an activity, write, or whatever; dh will help them and they must share what they learned with me when I get home 5. bath time - this is shorter than 3 hrs. :D but dh lets the kids linger in the tub longer on Saturdays and encourages bubble baths and sea battle reenactments 6. quiet time - everyone takes a 1.5 hour nap (or reads) After all of these segments are gone through, the kids are free to do whatever they want. Sometimes they continue something they began earlier in the day and other days they play video games or watch a movie. Edited February 21, 2009 by Tutor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 My kids do most of their school independently during the week. I try to grade it Friday night/Saturday morning. Then we go over anything that they missed on Saturday morning or early afternoon. If I'm feeling behind on science, we'll sometimes do some on Saturday too. Most of the day is free though. When the weather is nice, we tend to spend Saturdays going on outings...to various parks or a field trip if I can find some place offering a discount day. ETA: We've been waffling on letting my son do taekwondo on Saturdays. Sparring class is from 12pm to 2pm which basically nixes any hope of having a fun outing...which is why we've been waffling. We want him to do more sparring than the weekday classes offer but we don't want to give up our family time either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen in PA Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 We do some schoolwork on weekends so we can fit in two full days of outside activities during the week. My kids are young (1st and preK), so our schooldays are pretty short anyway. I usually try to fit in either reading and math, or history/science read-alouds on Saturday, and what we don't fit in then gets done Sunday afternoon. Aside from that, the kids hang out with DH, watch home improvement shows on pbs with him, or dd works on learning chess with him. They get some extra computer time, too. Oh, and I take a nice long walk alone on Saturday mornings, visit with neighbors, etc.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 What do you and your kiddos do on Saturdays? I have been pretty unstructured with them on Saturdays kind of letting them "chill" while I clean most of the day. Sundays we are up and at 'em for Sunday School/Church, and the rest of the day may be family fun day or it may be more of what we did Saturday. Anywhooooo, I feel like maybe we should be doing some school or something on Saturday so we aren't trying to get through as much during the week....fun stuff: experiments, art, etc. I know, I know...they SHOULD be helping me clean! :banghead: Melissa in St Louis We were doing cleaning chores on Sat. a.m.. (yes, get your kids to help you) But we recently switched to doing chores on Sun. a.m. before going to church - it motivated everyone to work faster since there was a deadline, and it leaves Sat. completely free to stay home, play, go on an outing, the occasional shopping trip, visits with friends, etc.. We work hard during the week, there is no way I'd put schoolwork on the weekend - I'd rather have one full free day a week, so we can relax and not feel always "on." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane Elliot Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 (edited) LOL, yes, I was going to tell you to get the kids working with you, too. We clean in the morning -- everyone cleans except the 1yo, who uncleans. Dh works every other Saturday morning. On the Saturdays he's home, he helps us clean. In the afternoon, we do something fun or a do project or work on the farm. I usually make the next weeks' assignment sheets, but this only takes me a half hour or less. Often we have friends over for ice skating or games Saturday evening. Edited February 21, 2009 by Luann in ID Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Nothing, lately. Saturdays have been my days off for the last few weeks. On Saturdays that dh works that is usually my big cleaning day. I send dd outside as much as possible on that day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 If we are not at a dance activity, we usually have a gym meet. So, we are gone a lot on Saturdays. (I am typing this from a hotel room in Winston-Salem as the NC Festival of Dance is this weekend). My husband is flying solo tomorrow for my younger daughter's gymnastics meet. We had to divide and conquer. That being said, Sundays are our goof off days. We are part of a start-up church that meets on Friday nights, so our Sundays are free. Feels strange, but we are getting used to it and enjoying just hanging out, watching movies, having other kids over in the afternoon, etc. on Sundays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 I work Saturdays, but its cooking for 15-20 people at home, so I also do housework while things are cooking. As far as I am concerned I am not an entertainment committee for my kids. They entertain themselves, always have. On weekends and holidays I take time to do what I want, whether its extra cooking and cleaning, or reading a book, or visiting MY girlfriends. I also am in a band and when its happening, practice is on Saturday afternoons. Naturally, there are outings that include the kids, but its not every weekend and they love their independence to create their own lives. And that was the case years ago, too. Sundays we spend the morning together as a family, but we spend plenty of time together during the week. Dh works from home. I do drive kids to various social or school functions during teh week and the kids often have Scout activities on the weekend. I do not EVER spend a whole day cleaning. And my kids do have plenty of chores- they are teens now though. I would not even consider doing schoolwork on weekends to lessen the load during the week. Free time- learning to entertain themselves and find their own interests- is just as important as academic learning. Eve more so as they get older, I feel. My son has just developed a passion for snakes and spends all his spare time researching them, convincing his parents to let him buy one, and once that was done :), working out where to get an inexpensive one that will handle our conditions. Having said all that, I remember going through a stage where I felt I was only the teacher, and then I just wanted my space (chronic interovert here), so I didnt have so much time with the kids as just a "mum". That was a stage I went through, but it passed and isnt an issue any more. My kids come and seek me out when they want to talk to me. Other than that, we all enjoy following our own interests. SOmetimes they match up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Saturday is our flex time. Tomorrow is school and cleaning. I guess we've played too much this week. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie in NE Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 I cannot imagine doing school on Saturdays. We push HARD all week, and by Friday afternoon, I'm ready for it to be over. Our living is split right now between a house in town, and out on the ranch. When we're out on the ranch, everyone goes their own way on Saturdays, unless there's cow work to be done. Or sometimes we might go help a neighbor with moving cattle.... But mostly, everyone goes their own way. The boys are out playing and exploring. The girls are just gone on their horses.. Everyone seems to find their way home for meals ;). While we're in town, we're busy doing sports or music on Saturdays. All the kids are in a sport during the school year, and music recitals often happen on Saturdays. Right now, we're busy lambing, too. (The sheep are close to town). Obviously, I'm a bit of a chauffer when in town. When we're out on the ranch, I'm working with my dh, hopefully horseback. Sundays are always busy with church, and then with getting ready for the school week. I try to do a lot of cooking on the weekend, because during the week, it's so hard ot cook real food, and still get everything else done. With respect to housework. My kids are responsible for their own rooms, and for picking up (toys, tack, and such) after themselves. My girls are getting better at cleaning their bathroom. My boys help with some of the lighter work. I have to get better at this, though. Sometimes I forget that my kids are getting older, and can handle heavier housework. I really need to work on delegating some chores. I will admit though, I'm very picky about how things are done (poor kids) so I often just do it myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey in TX Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Saturdays are our busiest day. Tomorrow exemplifies the insanity: 8 am basketball DS#2 10 am swim DD#1 10-7 gymnastics meet DDs #2 & #3 (out of town) 10:30 soccer DS#1 1 pm basketball DS#2 3:30 soccer DS#2 6 pm DS#1 6pm DS#2 DH will do boys sports tomorrow. I'll take care of girls swim and gym. This is a play-off weekend for basketball, so we have 6 basketball games total. Typical Saturday is two soccer games, and depending on season 2 basketball games, swim practice or meet, and gymnastics practice or meet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 I clean house on Friday so no one has to do any cleaning on the weekends. If we're home, dc play and goof off. So do I. Or we might go somewhere together as a family. But it's the weekend. Goof-off time. Spend quantity time with Daddy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah CB Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Dh is home on weekends so we usually do something fun together as a family. I try to have all of the housework done during the week. The kids have Italian on Saturday morning but we're home by lunch. In warmer weather we usually spend a couple of hours doing yardwork before doing something fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 I've only got tots. Weekends here include a bit of housework, hosting dh's GURPS group, a bit of SCA stuff and general mooching. Sometimes we'll take trips out unrelated to SCA if dd or I are getting cabin fever. Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in St Louis Posted February 21, 2009 Author Share Posted February 21, 2009 Thanks, ladies....food for thought! :001_smile: :001_smile: Melissa in St Louis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Today they will chill and play with dad. I prefer the kids help my dh do his "work" (outside tinkering around) than help me do laundry, etc. I kind of prefer to do some things alone. :) On Sunday, we have church and then I have a standing lunch date with a girl friend. After that, we all relax and watch a movie and I get my lesson plans prepared for the next week. Weekends aren't super exciting here, but they are nice. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy in NJ Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Our Saturdays have changed over time. When our kids were little, Saturday was our get out and see the sights, do fun things day. Now that their "pre-teens", they have Saturday morning Aikido class. My oldest is participating in an Aikido seminar all day today. My youngest is hanging out with his dad at said seminar. I'm at home doing my thang. I typically have the house to myself Saturday mornings and take the opportunity to fully enjoy it. If we don't have specific plans, Saturday afternoon they play with the neighbors or hang around outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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