How to explain to kids suspending their activities

[Anonymous]

Your summer plan is idiotic and the only reason I think this is a troll. You're worried about losing your jobs yet banking on the idea of being able to WFH. What happens if you do lose your jobs and the only jobs you get aren't WFH? Never mind the fact that making your 8 year old watch the 5 year old all summer is horrible.

[Anonymous]

If you're going to be homeless next year, shouldn't you have one year of nice memories?

[Anonymous]

I worry about an 8 yr old watching a 5 yr old.

How about half-day camps where a high schooler comes to your house for:
1 cooking camp
2 chalk drawing camp on driveway or sidewalk
3 water hose sprinkler camp
4 dance camp
5 something else

I think this could be achieved for $300/week and younger kids like spending time with teens.

[Anonymous]

It takes a special kind of evil to be gleeful that people are losing their jobs.

That said, don’t tell them anything. One of most vivid memories is my dad telling me he got fired when I was ten. In the end, he didn’t and we were fine, but that day scarred me for life.

[Anonymous]

I think you guys are all nuts with the over the top “the eight year old cannot mind the five year old.” Presumably if the parents are working from home, they will be checking on these kids and providing meals. It just means the eight year old is in charge of yelling “hey parents, there is an emergency” if something happens. Just like they might need to do when one parent isn’t home and the other takes a shower. Of course, this assumes the kids are generally well behaved and neurotypical.

To the OP actual question, I don’t understand why you need to tell them much of anything other than “we decided to give you guys a break from some camps this summer.” You don’t have to get into the reasons why, etc. I would also consider some other choices that have been mentioned — like church camps that tend to be cheap, etc. Or keep at least a couple of weeks of camp. Kids of that age will get bored and there are likely a few cheaper choices to help break up the endless summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you guys are all nuts with the over the top “the eight year old cannot mind the five year old.” Presumably if the parents are working from home, they will be checking on these kids and providing meals. It just means the eight year old is in charge of yelling “hey parents, there is an emergency” if something happens. Just like they might need to do when one parent isn’t home and the other takes a shower. Of course, this assumes the kids are generally well behaved and neurotypical.

To the OP actual question, I don’t understand why you need to tell them much of anything other than “we decided to give you guys a break from some camps this summer.” You don’t have to get into the reasons why, etc. I would also consider some other choices that have been mentioned — like church camps that tend to be cheap, etc. Or keep at least a couple of weeks of camp. Kids of that age will get bored and there are likely a few cheaper choices to help break up the endless summer.

I agree with this OP. When I was 5, I was a quiet book reading child who understood and followed safety rules. I could be trusted to occupy myself in the house with my toys, books, and t.v.

Every child is different. I find it believable that two companionable, well-behaved children can be in the house while parents work.

[Anonymous]

You still have income. That is cruel and dramatic. Use savings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who will take care of them if you are still working in the summer? It's hard to find last minute slots if camp

We work from home. The 8 year old is going to have to mind the 5 year old. And honestly, even if we are still working in the summer, I'm not sure we are going to be out of the woods.

Not ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you guys are all nuts with the over the top “the eight year old cannot mind the five year old.” Presumably if the parents are working from home, they will be checking on these kids and providing meals. It just means the eight year old is in charge of yelling “hey parents, there is an emergency” if something happens. Just like they might need to do when one parent isn’t home and the other takes a shower. Of course, this assumes the kids are generally well behaved and neurotypical.

To the OP actual question, I don’t understand why you need to tell them much of anything other than “we decided to give you guys a break from some camps this summer.” You don’t have to get into the reasons why, etc. I would also consider some other choices that have been mentioned — like church camps that tend to be cheap, etc. Or keep at least a couple of weeks of camp. Kids of that age will get bored and there are likely a few cheaper choices to help break up the endless summer.

I agree with this OP. When I was 5, I was a quiet book reading child who understood and followed safety rules. I could be trusted to occupy myself in the house with my toys, books, and t.v.

Every child is different. I find it believable that two companionable, well-behaved children can be in the house while parents work.

I don't. They will be bored! It's not like the old days where kids were playing with neighborhood friends all day.

[Anonymous]

I knew a mom who would run a camp at home for a week, as a fun event for her daughters and their friends. Maybe you can get a group of 8 kids together and each family take a week of providing “camp” for the others. Or perhaps talk to an enterprising high schooler who has a couple of friends to work with and wants to develop a camp. Other than that, look into signing up for multiple weeks of free / low cost summer Bible camps at area churches.

[Anonymous]

Spare the dramatics OP. That is why liberals are losers!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Spare the dramatics OP. That is why liberals are losers!!!

Says the one whose party stormed the Capitol when they couldn’t accept the results.

[Anonymous]

Your 8 year old is not a babysitter. The county has low cost camps.

[Anonymous]

Such a baby

[Anonymous]

I’d assume you tell them that Mom and Dad were horrible about a budget and losing their job is instantly catastrophic vs those that plan better.