SAHMs/Summer ideas for kids who don’t want to go to camp

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do they like animals? It won't take up the whole summer but there is always lots of work with rescue and foster organizations - you could volunteer once a week (or even every other week) to walk dogs, or snuggle/play with kittens who need socialization, plus a bit of good hard work (cleaning up poop and folding mountains of laundry).

Np. My kids would love this but the organizations we’ve checked with still aren’t allowing volunteers due to Covid. Sigh. Looks like another summer of a lot of hiking.

[Anonymous]

Yup. Museums are still closed. Nobody is taking volunteers. We don’t have a pool membership. It’s going to be a long summer after a long year.

[Anonymous]

My 13yo planned and planted a garden last summer. It didn’t fill all that much time, but at least the weeding and watering gave some structure to the days. Watering is best done early in the day, so she had to get out there and set up the sprinkler before it got too hot.

She also planned and cooked a lot of meals, centering around the stuff she grew whenever possible.

[Anonymous]

When my daughter was 11 she did mother's helping 2 hours in the afternoon, two times a week. She went to the pool a lot with her friends, went to her grandparents for a week, did a day trip to the bay or somewhere else once a week and then just hung out.
I envision a similar summer this year, although I hope she is able to do a bit more babysitting.

[Anonymous]

Have you checked with their friends? My 12yo is doing 4 weeks of day camp (2 different camps for 2 weeks each) and is happy to because she is with a close friend. I think she would do nearly anything if she got to spend all day with friends.

I’m not sure I’d normally do camp for a 12yo (I also SAH and have 2 younger DC) but with covid etc I’m just not sure what else is going to be happening this summer...and at least this takes care of one month. I really can’t have her do another full summer basically at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Either they get a job or go to camp. I just give them camp options and they can choose from them. Otherwise get a job.

They are 10 and 13. Reading comprehension fail.

No, I didn't fail to comprehend. If my 13 yr old decided to start a lawn-mowing service and do that all summer I would say fine, no need for camp. Mother's helper five days a week? Fine, no camp. But just sitting around doing nothing? Unacceptable - pick from these camps, or I'll pick for you.

Who wants a 13 year old mowing their lawn? This is not realistic anymore. My lawn guy has 2 others on his crew, the edging is immaculate, they all have families to support and I'm happy to pay them vs a 13 year old who I'm basically doing a favor to for likely the same rate or MORE since they can't do the volume.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Either they get a job or go to camp. I just give them camp options and they can choose from them. Otherwise get a job.

They are 10 and 13. Reading comprehension fail.

No, I didn't fail to comprehend. If my 13 yr old decided to start a lawn-mowing service and do that all summer I would say fine, no need for camp. Mother's helper five days a week? Fine, no camp. But just sitting around doing nothing? Unacceptable - pick from these camps, or I'll pick for you.

LOL. I'm sure neighborhood families will trip all over themselves in a bidding war to hire her 4th/5th grader, FFS, to be a mother's helper 5 days a week, just so her kids can avoid being summarily dismissed for two months by their mother to get them out of her hair. Yup. That will definitely happen.

What is wrong with your 13 yr old that they are only in 4th or 5th grade?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Either they get a job or go to camp. I just give them camp options and they can choose from them. Otherwise get a job.

They are 10 and 13. Reading comprehension fail.

No, I didn't fail to comprehend. If my 13 yr old decided to start a lawn-mowing service and do that all summer I would say fine, no need for camp. Mother's helper five days a week? Fine, no camp. But just sitting around doing nothing? Unacceptable - pick from these camps, or I'll pick for you.

LOL. I'm sure neighborhood families will trip all over themselves in a bidding war to hire her 4th/5th grader, FFS, to be a mother's helper 5 days a week, just so her kids can avoid being summarily dismissed for two months by their mother to get them out of her hair. Yup. That will definitely happen.

What is wrong with your 13 yr old that they are only in 4th or 5th grade?!

I think they were referring to the 10 year old.

[Anonymous]

OP here. They are now warming up to the idea of continuing with swim team (now that they know a few other kids doing it) so that is at least something!

I will strongly encourage them to pick another camp or two. Strangely enough most kids around here who are old enough to stay home no longer do camp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do they like animals? It won't take up the whole summer but there is always lots of work with rescue and foster organizations - you could volunteer once a week (or even every other week) to walk dogs, or snuggle/play with kittens who need socialization, plus a bit of good hard work (cleaning up poop and folding mountains of laundry).

Np. My kids would love this but the organizations we’ve checked with still aren’t allowing volunteers due to Covid. Sigh. Looks like another summer of a lot of hiking.

Depending on how much work you're willing to do yourself and how responsible your kids are, you could try to foster in your home or look into respite fostering (usually short term when another foster family needs a break or goes on vacation). We have previously done respite fostering for orphaned kittens and the kids LOVE it. Obviously the kids shouldn't be handling neonates or bottle-fed babies, but with slightly older/more robust ages they love sitting in the kitten room and playing with them. It's like a shiny new toy without the 20 year commitment

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Either they get a job or go to camp. I just give them camp options and they can choose from them. Otherwise get a job.

They are 10 and 13. Reading comprehension fail.

No, I didn't fail to comprehend. If my 13 yr old decided to start a lawn-mowing service and do that all summer I would say fine, no need for camp. Mother's helper five days a week? Fine, no camp. But just sitting around doing nothing? Unacceptable - pick from these camps, or I'll pick for you.

10 and 13 they are not able to work full time all summer. They cannot even get a work permit.

It's fair to say to do something (activities or something). But your little ultimatum is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. They are now warming up to the idea of continuing with swim team (now that they know a few other kids doing it) so that is at least something!

I will strongly encourage them to pick another camp or two. Strangely enough most kids around here who are old enough to stay home no longer do camp.

They can do one or two camps. You indicated swim team, so that's physical activity. Then set some boundaries: between X and X there will be no screens. You can hang with friends, go to the pool, read, or I will find you something to do.

That's what we've always done and will do this year for our 14 yo (by the time summer comes will be 14). We are not having her work yet. But, she's doing workout days for her team, she's doing an online class this summer, and she'll likely go to see friends out of state for a week. That gets us to August and, if she makes the HS sport team, August will be spent in practices FTMP.

[Anonymous]

Day camps are different than overnight camps - have they ever tried one? Overnight camps in New England or North Carolina are usually 3-4 weeks and are centered around fun and friendship. They are not cheap, but they can be great for kids this age. Unlike camps for a specific skill - which can be competitive (who wants to go to a sports camp if you are not decent at the sport for example) - the right traditional overnight camp can be life changing for kids - even those that are introverted. There are many good ones - focused on friendship, independence, fun. Camps such as these were life changing for my kids. Just a suggestion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Either they get a job or go to camp. I just give them camp options and they can choose from them. Otherwise get a job.

They are 10 and 13. Reading comprehension fail.

No, I didn't fail to comprehend. If my 13 yr old decided to start a lawn-mowing service and do that all summer I would say fine, no need for camp. Mother's helper five days a week? Fine, no camp. But just sitting around doing nothing? Unacceptable - pick from these camps, or I'll pick for you.

LOL. I'm sure neighborhood families will trip all over themselves in a bidding war to hire her 4th/5th grader, FFS, to be a mother's helper 5 days a week, just so her kids can avoid being summarily dismissed for two months by their mother to get them out of her hair. Yup. That will definitely happen.

What is wrong with your 13 yr old that they are only in 4th or 5th grade?!

Lol I was wondering the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This summer might still be tough due to covid. I don’t think you can just leave it up to them to figure out things to do on their own but you can help them brainstorm.
Find a craft at Michaels/hobby lobby
Swim team
Vacation bible school
Tour Mount Vernon
Hike Great Falls
Hike Huntley Meadows
Watch planes at Graveley Point & bike the trail there
Minigolf
Harpers Ferry
National Arboretum
Learn to eat crabs at Cantler’s Riverside Inn in Annapolis
Tour dairy fam/get ice cream at South Mountain Creamery


This would be great if your whole summer was a staycation with your kids. Are there really that many stay at home parents of tweens/teens in this area?