What the heck are our kids going to do this summer with no camps and no pools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bike, draw, read, watch TV, chores, water the lawn, mow the grass, more biking, drawing, reading, TV, and chores. They could try cooking. And there's this magical, popular thing called the Internets - which is endless!

Do you have kids? I suggest, bike, bike, bike, play, walk to the stream over yonder, then bike, then searching for frogs in the wooded area over yonder, then in the evening watch tv and read. I don't recall mom or grandma forcing me to do chores until around 13, and I am not any worse of a cook and a house cleaner!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They'll do what kids did for years during the summer. They'll read, watch TV, etc. They'll survive.

That is not what kids did for years during the summer. Unless you are counting the last decade or a bit longer. Kids rode bikes, and walked and went god knows where to play. Let your kids roam around.

[Anonymous]

This might be the best summer of their lives! Songs will be written about the summer of 2020!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This might be the best summer of their lives! Songs will be written about the summer of 2020!

Only for antisocial kids! Who are all these kids who don’t miss their friends????

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it that hard to take responsibility for your own kids?

While also working our FT jobs? Yes. Sure is.

Certainly it is hard, if your kids are young, read under 6. Yes, I said, 6, at 6 your kids can go around and play outside all day long. Hopefully they will be allowed to hang out with neighborhood kids by June. If your kids are younger, well, you need a babysitter for sure. One that can take them on to the trails, to explore the nature, etc.. If your kid is a baby, babysitter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They'll do what kids did for years during the summer. They'll read, watch TV, etc. They'll survive.

That is not what kids did for years during the summer. Unless you are counting the last decade or a bit longer. Kids rode bikes, and walked and went god knows where to play. Let your kids roam around.

They hung out with their friends...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher so I don’t have to work but my soon to be 10 yo usually did some camp. I’m using our current time Tm together to figure out new ways to peacefully coexist at home. My DS is a tough kid in many ways but it’s going ok.

Let him go out. He is 10, he can ride a bike to all ends of the world(within 5 miles) and grow and explore his neighborhood. You know what is sad today? That most 10 year olds can't find their house if they go on a walk 4 streets down.

Oh I do. I actively encourage it. He is often very resistant to the idea. Any gentle ways to encourage more independence? I’m hoping library will reopen for summer. He has walked there with a friend before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This might be the best summer of their lives! Songs will be written about the summer of 2020!

Only for antisocial kids! Who are all these kids who don’t miss their friends????

I think the social distancing will be less restrictive by June. In that case .... summer of 2020!

[Anonymous]

There WILL be camps and pools and summer sports this summer. Don’t worry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish I liked kids. I could rake it in this summer.

I'd charge families $2,000/mo for up to 2 kids in 'camp'. Probably have 3 families at once. No kids under 5.

You’re on a parenting website and you don’t like kids?

She seems to have an entrepreneurial spirit that moms love

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This might be the best summer of their lives! Songs will be written about the summer of 2020!

Only for antisocial kids! Who are all these kids who don’t miss their friends????

I think the social distancing will be less restrictive by June. In that case .... summer of 2020!

It really depends on the day/article you read. I don’t think we know anything yet.

[Anonymous]

"no pools" is a SAH parent issue. You'll survive. Not everyone can telework, and many of us who are on admin leave or teleworking will have to start going back into the office. Not every kid is old enough or mature enough to simply stay home alone all summer. My camp hasn't canceled yet, but I'm sure it's a matter of time. There's not much we can do because kids are the worst vector for disease -- you can't really throw them all together again because the virus will spread rapidly.

Ugh.

[Anonymous]

I hope none of the 'let them roam' people are also posting about unmasked child hooligans who dare to play outside on my NextDoor feed. Or people who call the cops when they see kids roaming around. We've given ours slightly more leash to walk around the neighborhood since the pandemic started, but it feels like a risk each time (mine are late elementary)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids are in late elementary school and middle school. Sleep-away camps are starting to be cancelled this week. Girls scouts just cancelled the entire camp summer. My daughter's Vermont sleep-away camp just canceled the summer. Pools are also announcing that they won't open.
My kid are old enough to stay at home when I work but what the heck are they going to do home alone for 14 weeks? What about families with young kids? I suppose it will be a terrific time to be a college babysitter.

May I ask which Vermont camp?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher so I don’t have to work but my soon to be 10 yo usually did some camp. I’m using our current time Tm together to figure out new ways to peacefully coexist at home. My DS is a tough kid in many ways but it’s going ok.

Let him go out. He is 10, he can ride a bike to all ends of the world(within 5 miles) and grow and explore his neighborhood. You know what is sad today? That most 10 year olds can't find their house if they go on a walk 4 streets down.

Oh I do. I actively encourage it. He is often very resistant to the idea. Any gentle ways to encourage more independence? I’m hoping library will reopen for summer. He has walked there with a friend before.

Yes, there are ways to encourage it. Cut off the access to TV and internet, pack him a "picnic" and if social distancing is allowing kids to play with friends, have two bikes? Can he ride a bike? Since I am aware that this in not the 80s, where my parents had no idea where I was and would only get worried by 7pm, and police might pick up your new free range kid.... I suggest a cheap cell phone(let face it, most kids already have them in the DMV by 8!) and download 360 on their phone. That way, you know where he is off to. Invite his friend over for a while day and clear with their parent if this kid is allowed to ride bikes and roam around without supervision. As you said you don't have to work during the summer, bike for you and him. Water, picnic, off to a huge long day away for you both. You will bond, you will have fun, you will let him and you get dirty. You will find sticks and streams. Then, have him do the same with a friend since he already explored that path with you. And don't worry about him, don't nag him, don't call him for lunch, he will live.
Now, this is all given he doesn't have some emotional or physical disability. Sorry if I sound like I am annoying, I don't know your kid, but these are some of the things I did, and now that my kids are older, I wish I gave them more freedom to do these activities. So, take my advice wit ha grain of salt! (We moved so much, my own kids rarely knew their neighborhoods, so maybe this is more something I could go back and change, than really what you can realistically do.)