What you do is imagine the future, when there won't be enough relaxed time to spend with your kids. My daughter is studying all day, every day, for an orchestral audition that is coming up soon. It's been a major source of stress in the house. My son is full of grumpy teen hormones, is aging out of camps, too young for jobs, and is acting like a giant toddler.

I know it's hard for you to imagine your household in a few years, but take it from me: do whatever you need to do, to enjoy your time with your little ones.

Next year plan this and next week as a family vacation if your work schedule allows it. This year - tv and going to the (air conditioned) movies

Camps end because camp counselors are college students and they are all heading back to college this weekend. And those that are held in public schools have that problem AND that they want to clean and get prepped for after school.

And if it wasn't so darned HOT it would be so much better....

Anonymous wrote:I have no advice for you, only sympathy and commiseration. They are bored and bickering. I work too. I have flexibility to stay with them and I've cobbled together some babysitting to make it work, but I'm tired of dealing with it all (juggling the work and directing the babysitter on meals and activities). Can I just sit them in front of the tv until school starts?

Yes, you can. My kids will be frying their brains with TV and iPads until school starts after Labor Day. Whatever. They have done coding camp, swim camp, baseball camp and basketball camp. They are required to read a book or three (in their immersion language) and that will be that. Hopefully I am not dooming them to a terrible life with no more enrichment until school starts. We are all "done".

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The same way we handled the entire summer, camp. It is not a choice for us. My friends who are at home have all asked me what camps we sent DS to so they could look into them next year.

Well, for whatever reason, in our neck of the woods most camps end early, two weeks before school starts.
OP, I feel you! Can't wait for school to start.

More an FYI for parents who are in the Reston/Herndon area. Reston Y, Overtime, and N Zone all have camps the last two weeks of summer. I know Fairfax County Park and Rec had camps last week, not sure about this week. We went looking because we noticed a lot of places end camp a week or two early. I am assuming it is for cleaning purposes, to get ready for after school stuff for the new school year, or lack of enrollment because more families travel in the last two weeks.

So while not useful this year it might be helpful info for next summer.

But yeah, this time of the summer is hard for folks. And I have no problem with people who resort to TV, movies, and video games.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no advice for you, only sympathy and commiseration. They are bored and bickering. I work too. I have flexibility to stay with them and I've cobbled together some babysitting to make it work, but I'm tired of dealing with it all (juggling the work and directing the babysitter on meals and activities). Can I just sit them in front of the tv until school starts?

OP here. Yes? Lol. But seriously, what else is there to do at this point? I feel like we’ve done it all. Will a week of TV binge fry their brains, truthfully? Us moms over here are losing it!

You have my permission if I have yours! If their brains get fried, well, hopefully school will detox them!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no advice for you, only sympathy and commiseration. They are bored and bickering. I work too. I have flexibility to stay with them and I've cobbled together some babysitting to make it work, but I'm tired of dealing with it all (juggling the work and directing the babysitter on meals and activities). Can I just sit them in front of the tv until school starts?

OP here. Yes? Lol. But seriously, what else is there to do at this point? I feel like we’ve done it all. Will a week of TV binge fry their brains, truthfully? Us moms over here are losing it!

Apple picking season is upon us.

Anonymous wrote:I have no advice for you, only sympathy and commiseration. They are bored and bickering. I work too. I have flexibility to stay with them and I've cobbled together some babysitting to make it work, but I'm tired of dealing with it all (juggling the work and directing the babysitter on meals and activities). Can I just sit them in front of the tv until school starts?

OP here. Yes? Lol. But seriously, what else is there to do at this point? I feel like we’ve done it all. Will a week of TV binge fry their brains, truthfully? Us moms over here are losing it!

Anonymous wrote:The same way we handled the entire summer, camp. It is not a choice for us. My friends who are at home have all asked me what camps we sent DS to so they could look into them next year.

Well, for whatever reason, in our neck of the woods most camps end early, two weeks before school starts.
OP, I feel you! Can't wait for school to start.

I have no advice for you, only sympathy and commiseration. They are bored and bickering. I work too. I have flexibility to stay with them and I've cobbled together some babysitting to make it work, but I'm tired of dealing with it all (juggling the work and directing the babysitter on meals and activities). Can I just sit them in front of the tv until school starts?

Anonymous wrote:The same way we handled the entire summer, camp. It is not a choice for us. My friends who are at home have all asked me what camps we sent DS to so they could look into them next year.

I stupidly chose the super fun camp that ended super early. I won’t make that mistake again!

The same way we handled the entire summer, camp. It is not a choice for us. My friends who are at home have all asked me what camps we sent DS to so they could look into them next year.

I’m so over summer and can’t wait until they are back in school. They are bored. I’m exhausted. I don’t want to take them to the pool again. They don’t want to go on another buggy, muggy nature hike, or to another hot playground, or to another boring movie. All we seem to want to do is sleep in, stay up late, and drive each other crazy. How are you surviving these last weeks?