Whether you are a divorced father who has weekend custody of his children, a stay-at-home Dad or a regular family guy, finding things to do with your children at the weekend can be a minefield of mistakes and missed opportunities.

Firstly, you need to work out how much time you have to spend with your children. There are some things that NEED to be done at the weekends, such as visits to other family members or long-distance shopping trips. Some things are easier to do at the weekends than during the week, and some things are just personal things that will help you relax.

Against this, you need to weigh the fact that you will get time to spend with your children. Remember that the things we regret are usually the things we DON'T do, not the things we DO do. People always say I wish I'd done that' or I wish I'd gone there when I had the chance' with real sadness. Things you do that are mistakes can be brushed off and forgotten so that you can move on.

Spending time with your children is one of the things that you'll never be able to do another time. The grass can be cut another time, the shopping can be done on-line at night, phone calls can be made after work, and you can see your friends on a weekday evening. Saturday and Sunday at the only free days the children have, and you should spend as much time as you can with them.

You will need to take into account the age of your children. If your children are little, then any activity you do together will please them, whether it is going round the shops or playing in the park they will just like being with you.

As children get older, they will need a specific activity to keep them occupied and interested. Take account of their own interests, and of the amount of money you have to spend. You can go to a sports match, go for a walk, have a picnic, or other outdoor activity to teach them the value of keeping fit. You could make a model airplane, paint a mural or start a mosaic to teach them creativity. Or you could just sit and watch their favorite video together just for the pleasure of sitting and having a cuddle.

Remember that as your child gets older, they will have their own idea of what they want to do at the weekend. They might want to go outside on their bikes all day, and might say that they don't want to spend time with you. Talk to them about this, and come to a compromise.

As your children get older, you will find it even harder to find activities that you both like. Avoid falling

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