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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have 10 and 13 year old DD’s. Each one is doing a week of camp but are lukewarm to the other options or the ones they want aren’t offered this year. What should we do this summer? We have a pool membership and will do that several times a week, plus 2 weeks of vacation and visiting family.

I’m getting a little panicky about a summer of Tiktok and YouTube.

Ideas? I found this so much easier when they were younger - so many more activities geared at younger kids.

1 hour of "educational" activities
chores
1 hour of physical activity
1 hour of creative activity
1 activity that involves being nice to someone else (washing the car without being asked, mowing the neighbor's lawn and not accepting pay, etc.)

Then they can do whatever they want.

[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.

13 is 7-9th grade.

[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.

Sign up to foster 1-3 nursing moms during kitten season. Then you'll have plenty of opportunities!

[Anonymous]

Swim team at your pool is a great option.

[Anonymous]

My boys are so money motivated. Mowing season just started. This is their 3rd year. They have already had to hire a friend to help, as they are swamped. The summer is jam packed with work for them. Not only do they make money, its hard work so it keeps them fit. They use push mowers and some customers want their lawns bagged.

So yea work. Keeps them so busy they don't have time for much else. Plus it's spectacular having kids who have their own money.

[Anonymous]

Plenty of us need summer daytime sitters. Farm them out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Plenty of us need summer daytime sitters. Farm them out?

13, only if they’ll be alone with kids under 3 hours.
10, only as a mother’s helper.

[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.

13 is 7-9th grade.

Yes, and 10 is not. Your point?