Kids & Summer Boredom

Seashell · 07-04-2012

I need help, schools out (first week) and my kids are bored already. I have 2 girls ( 11 & 16). They are home alone while I am at work.

How does one keep these kids busy all summer without them calling me every 2 seconds.

/rant over

Any ideas would be apprceiated....

Rissask · 07-04-2012

babysitting jobs are great for girls (or boys, I suppose) that age in the summer.

Or dog-walking? They could put ads up.

Any camps you can send them to for a week or two? My parents sent me to church camp for two weeks every summer around 10-14 or so. (It didn't work...but was worth a shot, I suppose- and they got a break.

)

Leave a list of chores for them to do around the house every day....clean windows, vaccuum, dust, mow lawn, weed garden, do laundry, etc.

Make them go to the library armed with a summer reading list.

melliedee · 07-05-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rissask

Make them go to the library armed with a summer reading list.

I second this suggestion. It's likely your library already has a young adult summer reading program. Kids can usually dive into these even if they missed a few of the books from June.

There is a boom of terrific YA titles.

Rissask · 07-05-2012

Also, is there a local pool nearby....you could buy them pool passes for the summer. They built an outdoor pool in my town and I know it's been a liefsaver for working parents who are friends of mine, their kids go every single day to hang out with friends.

signed,
Maggie,
who thinks it's funny that two women who are childfree are the only people answering this question.

Seashell · 07-05-2012

My oldest daughter loves to read,

so the library is always on the list. They both have library cards and responsible for all the books they take out. My oldest daughers dream job is to works at Chapters/Indigo part-time. HAving said that she might as well just hand over her paycheck to them

Our city does not have any outdoor pools, go figure I live in Canada and we only have indoor pools, which are just not that exciting in the summer.

I tried camp Granny, that did not go over well. "What you want me to hang out with old people?"

Today they have their friends over and will be sunbathing on the trampoline I wonder if I will have any food and water left in the house when I get home.

PlayaGroom · 07-05-2012

I can counter what Maggie just suggested by telling you, as a former lifeguard and manager at a city pool, way too many parents drop their kids off at the pool for summer daycare.

I couldn't even try to count how many times we had to call home due to kids being severely sunburned or without any money to buy a snack on a hot day or got a minor injury from a fall and couldn't swim the rest of the day etc, etc only to find that nobody's home to help the kid out. Pools don't have staffs there to babysit kids while they're out of the water.

/soapbox

But, my suggestion is to tell your girls to suck it up and enjoy the boredom. I miss being bored...

My dad worked a day job and my mom was a night nurse so she slept during the day while I was growing up...which meant we either had to keep quiet all day or leave the house.

Morning usually meant chores around the house (my mom wrote them down every morning before she went to bed and they were always different little odd jobs for each of us kids). Lunch, then I was outside until supper.

Try to see if they have any friends that are also home alone and set up a rotating "play date" at each others' homes during the week. Drop them off at friend's houses for sleepovers with plans to stay over there all the next day, then pick them up after work and bring them all back to your place to sleep there the next night.

Libraries have books, movies, music, workshops, reading groups. I wish I would have spent more time at the library growing up.

07-04-2012	#1 (permalink)
Seashell toe in water Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 43	Kids & Summer Boredom I need help, schools out (first week) and my kids are bored already. I have 2 girls ( 11 & 16). They are home alone while I am at work. How does one keep these kids busy all summer without them calling me every 2 seconds. /rant over Any ideas would be apprceiated....

07-04-2012	#2 (permalink)
Rissask Canada Dry Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 49,561	babysitting jobs are great for girls (or boys, I suppose) that age in the summer. Or dog-walking? They could put ads up. Any camps you can send them to for a week or two? My parents sent me to church camp for two weeks every summer around 10-14 or so. (It didn't work...but was worth a shot, I suppose- and they got a break. ) Leave a list of chores for them to do around the house every day....clean windows, vaccuum, dust, mow lawn, weed garden, do laundry, etc. Make them go to the library armed with a summer reading list.

07-05-2012	#4 (permalink)
Rissask Canada Dry Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 49,561	Also, is there a local pool nearby....you could buy them pool passes for the summer. They built an outdoor pool in my town and I know it's been a liefsaver for working parents who are friends of mine, their kids go every single day to hang out with friends. signed, Maggie, who thinks it's funny that two women who are childfree are the only people answering this question.

07-05-2012	#5 (permalink)
Seashell toe in water Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 43	My oldest daughter loves to read, so the library is always on the list. They both have library cards and responsible for all the books they take out. My oldest daughers dream job is to works at Chapters/Indigo part-time. HAving said that she might as well just hand over her paycheck to them Our city does not have any outdoor pools, go figure I live in Canada and we only have indoor pools, which are just not that exciting in the summer. I tried camp Granny, that did not go over well. "What you want me to hang out with old people?" Today they have their friends over and will be sunbathing on the trampoline I wonder if I will have any food and water left in the house when I get home.

07-05-2012	#6 (permalink)
PlayaGroom añejo Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Southern 'burbs, Minnesota Posts: 6,820	I can counter what Maggie just suggested by telling you, as a former lifeguard and manager at a city pool, way too many parents drop their kids off at the pool for summer daycare. I couldn't even try to count how many times we had to call home due to kids being severely sunburned or without any money to buy a snack on a hot day or got a minor injury from a fall and couldn't swim the rest of the day etc, etc only to find that nobody's home to help the kid out. Pools don't have staffs there to babysit kids while they're out of the water. /soapbox But, my suggestion is to tell your girls to suck it up and enjoy the boredom. I miss being bored... My dad worked a day job and my mom was a night nurse so she slept during the day while I was growing up...which meant we either had to keep quiet all day or leave the house. Morning usually meant chores around the house (my mom wrote them down every morning before she went to bed and they were always different little odd jobs for each of us kids). Lunch, then I was outside until supper. Try to see if they have any friends that are also home alone and set up a rotating "play date" at each others' homes during the week. Drop them off at friend's houses for sleepovers with plans to stay over there all the next day, then pick them up after work and bring them all back to your place to sleep there the next night. Libraries have books, movies, music, workshops, reading groups. I wish I would have spent more time at the library growing up.

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