Wayne will come in all sleepy in the morning and curl up in bed with us for a bit. We’re normally absolutely broken and tired from the week, so we put on an audiobook for a bit for him to listen to. He’s really into RL Stine at the moment because he likes to be a bit spooked, although they’re still quite PG. But after about 20 minutes he’ll be itching for us to get up and have breakfast.
Once we’ve sorted our breakfasts, we will give him some time on his Nintendo Switch, because it might only be 7am and we all need to chill out for a bit before starting the day properly. Oliver might read a book and I’ll probably watch something on TV – it gives us all a little time to wind up to the weekend. We’ve normally been on the go all throughout the week, and this is just a time for us all to do whatever we want.
I’ll be the first to get antsy and want to head out, especially in the sunny weather, so often we’ll pack up the car and head to Herne Bay – I can’t waste a sunny day lolling around. I find the winter really tough thinking of things for us to do, so as soon as it’s dry and there’s a bit of sun, it’s an absolute breeze in comparison. The car will be full of fishing kit and because this is England, we’ll pack boots and layers for all weather eventualities, plus drinks and snacks. It’s just over an hour from us to that part of the Kent coastline – we love Whitstable too, but Herne Bay is just that bit less touristy and it’s so much easier to park. I once got stuck queueing for an hour for a car park in Whitstable and my anxiety went through the roof, but in Herne Bay, it’s a similar vibe and they have everything we need. We park up and hit this lovely place, Garage, for a coffee on the way to the pier.
Wayne will want to head straight to the pier to go crabbing – he loves the beach and if it’s sunny, it’s glorious. He finds it really calming. He has special educational needs and is often wired, but this is just something he can focus on and he loves it. There are usually other families nearby and it’s a lovely atmosphere, we just chat away. We can be there for two or three hours – Oliver and I often take turns to pop into the little shops on the pier or take a walk on the beach.
After a while we’ll go for fish and chips. It’s the perfect lunch, because we all enjoy it and we can sit outside and have a beer as well. Then it’s time for the massive amusement arcade. Wayne loves the 2p machines and the boxing game, but his favourite bit is where you get all your tickets together and cash them in – usually all you can afford with your credits is some penny sweets, but he still finds it thrilling. We’ll wander towards the car and hopefully have a look around the lovely antiques shops.
I love our day trips. We can all be together, no devices. When we’re at home, I’ll start scrolling and Wayne will go on his Switch, but when we head out like this, it’s a guaranteed screen-free day. It’s something for us to do as a family, and whether it’s the shops, the crabbing or the sunshine, it has something for all of us. And it may sound cheesy, but something about the sea air just feels good for you.
We’re up so early that we’re usually home with a fair bit of the evening still to fill. At that point, it feels like we’ve all had some good quality time together, meaning we can free ourselves up to do some of things we need to, such as taking care of housework, and Wayne will feed his gerbil, Laurie. Then we’ll watch something like Gladiators on TV together and put Wayne to bed, reading him an MC Grammar book. We absolutely love them because they talk how young kids actually talk, referencing the things they like.
One of us will lie with Wayne until he falls asleep and when we’re both downstairs around 9pm, we’ll try to watch a film together. But every week, without fail, Oliver will start nodding off within about 15 minutes. I’ll see the nodding dog head going and turn the TV off before getting into bed to watch something on my phone. We always have good intentions to do something in our own time, but with the best will in the world, you’re bloody knackered by then.
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