Reprinted Articles

The good ‘ole summer time is just around the corner. Sometimes it seems like it will never get here, but then you blink and the kids are out of school. No one looks forward to summer vacation more than my children. But after about a week at home, they are bored and antagonizing each other (and their mom).

With busy schedules between my husband and I, it’s hard to juggle a ton of child activities to keep our kids occupied and still get work done and have private family time. But children definitely need to have their time occupied.

I’ve tried not scheduling my children’s day in the past and that was a disaster. They can only watch and hour or two of television and then move onto the family PC or plug in an ipod. This actually both stimulates and bores them at the same time and the result is a lot of cranky behavior that can get on my nerves. I do have a very sports minded daughter so for her, just practicing softball outdoors will channel her focus in a very positive way.

Summer camps are a great addition to any summer’s schedule. If you can afford an ‘away’ camp for a week or two that can really help your child grow in many ways and begins to set a framework for future independence. If that’s too pricey, find some local day camps. They can provide a ton of fun, teach new skills and give you some time for yourself. Day camps can be much more fun than most day care alternatives.

Camps are often a cost burden. I remember when I was was a child that there was a ‘Playmobile’ that would pull up to the local elementary school. Since this school was just around the corner, my mom was happy to have her four kids scamper off. And she could stop by after a bit to keep an eye on us. Today, of course, most of us moms don’t just have the kids leave for the local school but you can bring a book and get some reading in while your kids play at the local school grounds - ‘Playmobile’ or not.

And if all else fails, there is the tried and true “play date”. There is nothing like having a friend or the neighbor over to play to get kids away from the television and outside. We’ve also been known to take some of the indoor toys outside or set up a tent in the backyard. By changing the scenery for the well-known toys, they become like new again. Some of those Christmas toys sitting in the closet actually see the light of day. And I get a few minutes to sit in the sun and enjoy my summer!

Tags: Children