How Do We Spend Our Weekends

In today’s fast-paced world, weekdays are often filled with endless responsibilities, busy schedules, and constant pressure. Parents are occupied with work commitments, children are engaged in school activities, and everyone becomes busy managing their daily routines. Because of this, weekends hold a very special place in our lives. They provide us with an opportunity to slow down, relax, reconnect, and spend meaningful time together as a family. For us, weekends are not simply days of rest; they are moments that strengthen our relationships, create lasting memories, and bring happiness into our home. The best part of our weekends is that my husband and children get 2 days as weekends. Both Saturday and Sunday as holidays, not only Sunday, as we get in India or other companies. It usually depends on what company your husbands work in. Some companies give 2 days holidays, and others give only 2 days holidays once a month that is only 2 Saturdays in a month. The other weekend will be only on Sunday or Friday in Gulf countries. For the last 7 years, my husband and my son got only Sunday as a holiday when we were living in India. And that Sunday usually went in getting some rest and buying groceries for the next week. We rarely went out for shopping or parks. We didn’t have enough time to connect as we were all busy with our own routines. But everything changed when we came to UAE.

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Our weekends here usually begin from Friday night as we go to our nearby park to play in the sand for one hour. And also, since Friday is the only day, my son doesn’t have any Arabic class, we go to park at 6pm and come back by 8pm. Unlike weekdays, there is no rush to wake up early or prepare quickly for school and work on weekends. Everyone enjoys sleeping a little longer and waking up feeling refreshed. The absence of alarms and strict schedules immediately creates a sense of relaxation. But since we Muslims pray our morning prayer at 5 a.m., we wake up at that time and sleep after the prayer till 8 am.  Sometimes, we don’t sleep if we don’t feel tired after the prayer and we plan to go to the beach and do some water-based activities. We love to play in water with family. We enjoy those small moments for at least one hour. Kids enjoy playing in water a lot, making shapes with mud, and with their water balloons. We usually go in the morning because it’s a fresh start. The sun rays are filled with vitamin D, the air is fresh to breathe, and there are no heavy crowds at the beach at that early morning time. Before going to the beach, I pack a few beach items like swimsuits, towels, extra clothes, a water bottle, water balloons, water eyeglasses, and a swimming headcap. I pack all these in 2 different bags. One for my husband and son, and another bag is for my daughter and me. So that it will be easy for all of us to go and bathe after swimming in the showers available on the beach for both men and women separately. My kids usually don’t wake up early at 6pm on weekends, but still, when I come and tell them we are going to the beach, they get up within seconds happily. It takes at least 20 minutes for us to go to the beach by car, even in the early morning when there is very little traffic. I forgot to tell you that at that beach, there is a small cafe that sells milk cake, saffron cake, and mango cake along with other snacks. I specially mentioned these cakes because you may have never eaten something like those. It tastes like heaven.  I like to go to the beach to eat that cake more than enjoying in the water. It’s a bit costly than normal cakes but every bite is worth it.

After the beach, we go to the supermarket to buy the groceries for the next week. We only buy things once a week. Some people like to buy fresh things every day and make dinner, but we don’t prefer that as we don’t get enough time to go out every day and buy things. If we need something urgent then we order online and they come within minutes and the best part about online purchases is that they give you coupons, cashbacks, and offers which makes your shopping experience more interesting. Our routines are very strict on weekdays as we end our day by 9 pm. And for that to happen, we need to eat dinner by 8 pm and also spend some quality time with the family. So, after school and office, we all just be together and discuss things or play with kids at home and avoid going out. After buying groceries, we come back home by 10 am and have our breakfast. Our breakfast on Saturday is usually rice dosa and chutney. And I make the dosa batter and chutney at night itself so that I don’t need to prepare anything after coming from the beach and supermarket as I will be very tired by that time. After breakfast, my husband goes to sleep as he will be tired from swimming in the water. My kids and I unpack all the groceries and arrange them in cupboards and the fridge. Then I start making lunch, and my kids play with each other, or their friends come to our home to play. Sometimes, if my daughter is very tired of playing in water, then she also sleeps along with her father. After making lunch, we sit down for homework and school activities. After homework, we all have lunch together and share some screen time. At 6 pm, my son will have Arabic class, and he finishes it by 6.30 pm. After 7 pm, if we want to go to any mall to do some shopping or buy some important stuff, then we will go at this time. Or else, we just eat our dinner by 8 pm and sleep by 9 pm, even on weekends. Sometimes we go to restaurants, malls, play zones, or big parks. And we only go on Saturday nights, as Sunday is a holiday and kids can sleep a little longer and we can also get some rest. We avoid going outside at night on Sundays as it disturbs our sleep schedule and the next morning’s energy.

The Weekend Breakfast: –

Breakfast is more than just a meal for us on weekends because for the whole 5 days, we never eat breakfast together, as my son eats his breakfast in school and my husband eats in the office; it is a time for conversation, laughter, and togetherness. The dining table becomes special for all of us on weekends, as we eat every meal together and weekends are our cheat days too. We love to order something or the other on every weekend mostly on Friday or Saturday nights. It may be as small as a dessert, snack, or a complete meal, but it’s a must for all of us. My kids get fully excited when we order food from outside. Sometimes we prepare a special food like biryani together in the kitchen, turning cooking into a fun family activity. Our kitchen is very small, so all the family members cannot fit in, but what I do is, I arrange all the things that we need to cook in the hall or on the dining table and involve my kids and husband to do it, and I keep cooking in the kitchen, talking to them and keeping an eye on them. We also make pancakes, omelets, sandwiches, fresh juice, or traditional homemade dishes that everyone loves. While eating together, we discuss our plans for the weekend, share stories from the past week, and talk about topics that interest us. These simple conversations help us stay connected despite our busy lives. On Sundays, after breakfast, we go to our nearby park and play games like badminton and football together. Or we just go for a walk and enjoy the beauty of nature. Our neighborhood is surrounded by walking and cycling paths. So, we can walk freely without any fear of traffic or congested lanes.

Visiting parks is one of our favorite weekend activities. The children enjoy running, cycling, and playing games, while we, the adults, appreciate the peaceful environment and fresh air. These moments allow everyone to disconnect from screens and technology and focus on real-life interactions. Just watching those green leaves on the trees, big clouds in the sky, aero planes and helicopters going above us, and those beautiful flowers on the trees reduces all our stress and makes us forget all our worries for a moment. Occasionally, we call our relatives and friends to our home for dinner and spend hours talking, laughing, and all the kids playing together. At times, we also enjoy going on short road trips or exploring new places in the city. Discovering new restaurants, cafés, or tourist attractions adds excitement to our weekends. Traveling together, even for a short distance, creates opportunities for bonding and adventure. That little time that you spend in the car with your family when you are going outside is truly amazing. No one is on the phone and are connected with each other. We often take photographs during these outings to preserve our happy memories and look back on them in the future. Before, when kids were very small, we didn’t go out anywhere as handling kids outside is very tough. So, we stayed home mostly. But now since they are a little big and are able to understand the outside world, we love to take them outside to explore more.

However, not every weekend is spent outside. Some of our most meaningful moments happen at home. Staying indoors allows us to enjoy simple activities that strengthen our family bond. We often watch movies together, especially family-friendly films or inspirational stories that everyone can enjoy. Sometimes animation and cartoons too along with kids. Watching movies together creates a cozy atmosphere and gives us topics to discuss afterward. I make popcorn or onion Baji to watch a movie together.  In addition to movies, we enjoy playing board games, chess, drawing, painting, and other indoor games. These activities are both entertaining and educational because they teach teamwork, patience, communication, and problem-solving skills. Friendly competition often fills the house with laughter and excitement. Even simple games become unforgettable moments when shared with loved ones.

Cooking together is another important part of our weekends. Sometimes we experiment with new recipes, bake cakes or cookies, or prepare traditional family meals. The kitchen becomes a place of teamwork and creativity, where everyone contributes in some way. Cooking together not only teaches useful life skills but also creates a sense of unity and cooperation within the family. Weekends are also valuable for personal growth and learning. We often spend time helping children with homework, reading books, or completing school projects. We believe education should not feel stressful, so weekends provide a relaxed environment for learning. Sometimes we engage in creative activities such as drawing, painting, gardening, or decorating parts of the house. These activities encourage imagination and allow each family member to express themselves freely.

Another meaningful aspect of our weekends is visiting relatives and close friends. Family relationships are extremely important to us, and weekends provide the perfect opportunity to maintain strong connections with loved ones. Spending time with grandparents, cousins, uncles, and aunts brings warmth and joy into our lives. Sharing meals, conversations, and celebrations reminds us of the importance of family unity and support. One of the highlights of every weekend is our family dinner. Whether we eat at home or dine at a restaurant, dinner time is always special. Everyone gathers around the table to share food and meaningful conversations. We talk about our experiences, future goals, funny moments, and plans for the coming week. These conversations help family members understand and support one another better. In today’s digital age, where many people are distracted by phones and technology, these face-to-face interactions are extremely valuable.

Sunday evenings are usually quieter and more organized. As the weekend comes to an end, we begin preparing for the upcoming week. School bags are packed, clothes are organized, and schedules are planned. Although we sometimes feel sad that the weekend is ending, we also feel refreshed, motivated, and emotionally connected after spending quality time together. What makes our weekends truly meaningful is not expensive trips or luxurious activities. Instead, it is the love, care, and attention we share. Even the simplest activities become special because they are experienced together as a family. These moments teach us the importance of unity, understanding, and appreciation.

In conclusion, weekends play a significant role in strengthening our family relationships and improving our overall happiness. They allow us to escape from the pressures of everyday life and focus on what truly matters — spending time with the people we love. Through shared meals, conversations, outings, games, and simple moments of togetherness, our weekends become a source of joy, comfort, and unforgettable memories. No matter how busy life becomes, we always treasure our weekends because they remind us of the true value of family. It’s not like both of us love to travel or go out all the time. I like to go out, and my partner doesn’t like to go out most of the time. But still, we try to adjust and do it for our kids. Sometimes, we respect each other choices and stay at home when my partner wants to get some rest. I believe this difference is there in almost every couple. One like adventure and one likes to stay home. You may not like it initially, but you have to learn to respect your parter’s choice too.