Summer holidays: boring or blissful?

Endless hours at the swings beckon as the holidays begin

Do six weeks in your children's company fill you with delight or dread? One mother has said it's dread - saying they're very boring. And she says many will agree with her.

The mother of two, Helen Kirwan-Taylor admits she'll enrage thousands of parents, but says her admission will also strike a chord with others.

So do the summer holidays, really stretch out like a prison sentence?

This morning on Breakfast, we talked to Jane Bidder is a journalist and novelist who writes extensively for parents and Dea Birkett, writer and founder of Kids in Museums.

What you told Breakfast I wonder how the children of the 'bored' mother feel, knowing how much she values them and their company? Some people seem to think of children as accessories, nice to have at Christmas and other such occasions, but a complete nuisance at other times. Jennifer McLagan, Sunderland Read more viewers' comments on our Your Say page

Dea argued that activities that centred solely on children's enjoyment are boring. Taking children to art exhibitions and museums, whatever their age, is the way to stave off boredom.

Jane agreed that it can be boring to be with children all day for days on end, especially very young ones.

But she added that seemingly mundane activities, like tidying their rooms could be turned into a fun activity for children if they were set challenges or it becomes a competition.

Dea said that the desire to educate children all the time can make parenting boring - "it should be about having fun".

Jane agreed that children work hard at school and that doing very little in the holidays with mum or dad, was sometimes the best thing to do.

We also spoke to Vicki Shotbolt, from the organisation Parent Focus.

It's OK to be bored...there's lots of research to say that it's when kids aren't entertained that it's when they're at their most creative Vicki Shotbolt, Parent Focus

She agreed that being bored, some of the time, was part of parenting and family life. Although she felt it wasn't right for parents to be bored of their children all the time.

And, this wouldn't be Breakfast if we didn't want to know what you think. Click on the link below for a selection of your views.

Your views about the summer holidays