Do your kids keep in touch with their friends over the summer?

[Anonymous]

My older is going into 9th and has had minimal communication with friends. Her first two weeks she was in an activity with a few friends, and then she went to sleep away camp for a week. She had a friend over once in those first weeks, but otherwise she’s just been enjoying down time. She is usually very social but I think she’s enjoying a little bit of calm. Her phone is usually blowing up (she’s on a lot of very active group texts) and it’s been mercifully quiet-so I think this is somewhat common. She’ll be on vacation the next few weeks and then has more camp, so she doesn’t actually have much time to get together anyway. I suspect that as soon as they get their schedules for next year the texting will explode.

My younger one starts middle school next year. He just got a phone, and some of his friends have one but not everyone. He tried to arrange something either one friend, but then that kid broke his phone and it fizzled. He’s more of an introvert, so he doesn’t really care. He’s at camps and has a weekly Boy Scout meeting and a week of scout camp with kids from his school (though not his closest friends) and that fills his social needs.

[Anonymous]

My rising 8th hasn't met up with friends much - twice maybe? Christian private school so the area it draws from is pretty broad. Some of the girls arranged a weekly Bible study, so she sees a broad group of girls from her class then.

There's been a ton of texting on their usual group texts and she's been on some video calls.

Her only good neighborhood friend goes to summer-long camp, so that makes it tough to do more casual meet-ups.

[Anonymous]

Our social life shifts to the pool in the summer and my rising middle school kid sees friends their multiple times a week but it’s her pool friends. Not her regular school year friends.

High schooler is involved in other activities and pretty much over the pool and definitely seeing less school friends. But sees a crew of kids in the summer through his activity he doesn’t see a lot in the school year.

I think it’s typical the social life shifts some.

[Anonymous]

Summer after sixth grade definitely was quieter. By this summer (7th grade), they are all making a million plans and expecting parents to just randomly take them places all the time (including during the workday). They can basically go wherever they want as long as someone drives — mall, pool, Starbucks, etc.

[Anonymous]

I have two kids, both high school aged teens. One has always had an active social life in the summer from early elementary until now. She would fill every minute of every day if it was up to her. In elementary, she was asking me to arrange playdates. In early iMessage years, they coordinated plans. Now she makes plans on her own.

My other kid, even though driving age, is the opposite, and rarely sees kids in the summer and is content. He’s more content with being home. Yes, now that he’s driving he gets together more often with friends but it’s nothing like his sister. Before this he could go weeks without hanging out socially and be content. During the school year he is happy with the social interaction at school and a sport and that’s plenty for him with occasionally getting together with going out to eat with friends.

It isn’t a boy/girl thing and for them, more an introvert extrovert thing.

[Anonymous]

My DD, 13, is in contact with friends from school via group chats or texting/video one-on-one. None of her friends from school live in our neighborhood but she has done several mostly last-minute get-togethers this summer. Kids are traveling, at day camp, and/or at sleepaway camps so it is just a catch-as-catch-can type of endeavor which we largely make her initiate. She is busy for the next month and so does not seem to mind not seeing friends from school as she has other friends and acquaintances she will be with in her activities. I should note that my child is not an extrovert, so that also may factor into it. While she likes to socialize some, she also enjoys taking time to read every day, draw, journal and/or occasionally hang out at home and watch movies during the summer.