Anonymous
Post 06/02/2026 22:35     Subject: Athletic son in a cast for 6 weeks… what to do?
Np. Do these many parents leave their kids alone all summer? If my son was home all day long, he would play video games. Sports keep him off it. What do other kids in this in between age do that aren’t sports or academics?
Anonymous
Post 06/01/2026 16:59     Subject: Athletic son in a cast for 6 weeks… what to do?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This is all so weird to me. My tween son was in a cast for 6 weeks one summer and pretty much nothing changed- he went to the pool, but didn't swim, just hung out and played volleyball (with one arm) and got snacks with his friends and did all of the non water stuff that our kids do at the pool club all summer. He attended his soccer team's summer camp (day camp) for a week like always, with his teammates, and didn't participate in scrimmages or anything where he might get hurt, just did the drills and hung out and had fun. We still went camping once. Hiked a bunch. Still went on our planned vacation to London for a week. It wasn't a big deal honestly!! It may have been a bigger deal if he'd been on summer swim team, that would have been a real bummer for him, but it's not like he's in a full body cast or hospitalized for 6 weeks. It's one arm. He's not an invalid.


That’s great to hear your summer wasn’t significantly impacted. Unfortunately, my son’s break was complicated and he’s in stages of casts and then slings and braces. He would not be allowed to do any running or otherwise risk the bone not healing correctly. I know he’s not an invalid but this question was geared towards people who had athletics and biking freedoms planned for their kids who now have to pivot. Since my kid is a teen, I also planned on leaving him home unsupervised but it’s harder to get around one handed… hence why I wanted to do more excursions. People here are so judgy, if you don’t have anything helpful then just move on!


Lady you can leave your teenaged son home alone even if one arm is in a cast/sling. You are catastrophizing a relatively common experience that will, IF you let it, probably lead to 6 weeks of him finding his creativity and exploring a hobby, or a book, or his own thoughts as he sits in his room, in a way he'd never have done otherwise. Sports will still be there when his 6 week sabbatical is up. And don't give him a list of things he can do. Give him the gift of figuring this out on his own. I mean don't tons of coming of age movies feature this exact scenario- a kid breaks a bone, misses out on camp or something, and ends up solving a murder mystery or meeting a girl and falling in love?
Anonymous
Post 06/01/2026 14:22     Subject: Athletic son in a cast for 6 weeks… what to do?
I think some of the pp's point land like many have said is -- do not deny your son the social aspect.
Anonymous
Post 06/01/2026 13:11     Subject: Athletic son in a cast for 6 weeks… what to do?
Anonymous wrote:This is all so weird to me. My tween son was in a cast for 6 weeks one summer and pretty much nothing changed- he went to the pool, but didn't swim, just hung out and played volleyball (with one arm) and got snacks with his friends and did all of the non water stuff that our kids do at the pool club all summer. He attended his soccer team's summer camp (day camp) for a week like always, with his teammates, and didn't participate in scrimmages or anything where he might get hurt, just did the drills and hung out and had fun. We still went camping once. Hiked a bunch. Still went on our planned vacation to London for a week. It wasn't a big deal honestly!! It may have been a bigger deal if he'd been on summer swim team, that would have been a real bummer for him, but it's not like he's in a full body cast or hospitalized for 6 weeks. It's one arm. He's not an invalid.


That’s great to hear your summer wasn’t significantly impacted. Unfortunately, my son’s break was complicated and he’s in stages of casts and then slings and braces. He would not be allowed to do any running or otherwise risk the bone not healing correctly. I know he’s not an invalid but this question was geared towards people who had athletics and biking freedoms planned for their kids who now have to pivot. Since my kid is a teen, I also planned on leaving him home unsupervised but it’s harder to get around one handed… hence why I wanted to do more excursions. People here are so judgy, if you don’t have anything helpful then just move on!
Anonymous
Post 05/31/2026 21:55     Subject: Athletic son in a cast for 6 weeks… what to do?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:His brain works. He can make a list of things he wants to do with this down time and start crossing them off the list. Empower him to use his own brain!


What’s the purpose of your existence? You realize this entire board is full of people seeking advice and suggestions rather than using their own brains, don’t you?

Have you always been an insufferable twatwaffle?


Yes but HIS brain. I get it, I do, I ask for suggestions on here all the time, and you're getting the same suggestion from a few different posters and that suggestion is to let him figure it out. He will be down in the dumps for a few days, and then he will persevere and figure out how to do some other stuff besides sports and swimming for the next few weeks. It will probably be a good learning experience for him and broaden his horizons a bit, and also it will teach him that (to borrow a phrase I actually hate, sorry) he can do hard things. Coming up with a list of museums or video games for him and presenting him with this list will take away that opportunity. People are not calling you lazy or dumb or whatever. They're giving you a suggestion- which is what you're asking for!


I’m PP, not OP, but “let him figure it out” isn’t a *suggestion* you dingbat.

I’ll bet your kids (and husband) hate you. Figure out why. (Hint - it might come to you next Tuesday)


It's a suggestion, just not one that you like, apparently. Truly, what is wrong with you? This is an oddly aggressive and personal insult for the situation at hand.
Anonymous
Post 05/31/2026 21:53     Subject: Athletic son in a cast for 6 weeks… what to do?
This is all so weird to me. My tween son was in a cast for 6 weeks one summer and pretty much nothing changed- he went to the pool, but didn't swim, just hung out and played volleyball (with one arm) and got snacks with his friends and did all of the non water stuff that our kids do at the pool club all summer. He attended his soccer team's summer camp (day camp) for a week like always, with his teammates, and didn't participate in scrimmages or anything where he might get hurt, just did the drills and hung out and had fun. We still went camping once. Hiked a bunch. Still went on our planned vacation to London for a week. It wasn't a big deal honestly!! It may have been a bigger deal if he'd been on summer swim team, that would have been a real bummer for him, but it's not like he's in a full body cast or hospitalized for 6 weeks. It's one arm. He's not an invalid.
Anonymous
Post 05/31/2026 18:50     Subject: Athletic son in a cast for 6 weeks… what to do?
Sorry OP, happened to us exactly a year ago. Bike accident. Very active 13 year old was in cast with one arm below elbow ALL Summer. Was tough, especially because he has a twin brother. He could not go to any sport camps etc and we were traveling overseas too. So, poor guy, I signed him up for Drawing and French summer camps. And he read and was on computer....
Anonymous
Post 05/31/2026 16:54     Subject: Athletic son in a cast for 6 weeks… what to do?
Anonymous wrote:It's not going to be as bad as you imagine ,OP. He actually will figure it out.


Thank you! I believe you are right. Kids have the ability to live in the moment and not project into the what am I going to miss out on for half the summer. I clearly don’t have that perspective but as these days unfold I believe you are right!
Anonymous
Post 05/31/2026 16:53     Subject: Athletic son in a cast for 6 weeks… what to do?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Try Natgeo museum, it's a new one in town and some fifa games watch party


Natgeo is not a new museum, but it is worth visiting!

OP, he’ll be fine. You have good ideas already, and he can learn a new game or read in addition to video games. This will probably not be his favorite summer, but that’s OK.

Make sure that when he gets his cast off he does physical therapy and starts slower than he’ll want to with getting back into things. As a teen he’ll heal quickly, but the last thing you want is another injury.


This is OP. Thank you for this. It’s nice to hear from others with some perspective.
Anonymous
Post 05/31/2026 09:30     Subject: Athletic son in a cast for 6 weeks… what to do?
Anonymous wrote:Try Natgeo museum, it's a new one in town and some fifa games watch party


Natgeo is not a new museum, but it is worth visiting!

OP, he’ll be fine. You have good ideas already, and he can learn a new game or read in addition to video games. This will probably not be his favorite summer, but that’s OK.

Make sure that when he gets his cast off he does physical therapy and starts slower than he’ll want to with getting back into things. As a teen he’ll heal quickly, but the last thing you want is another injury.
Anonymous
Post 05/31/2026 09:13     Subject: Athletic son in a cast for 6 weeks… what to do?
It's not going to be as bad as you imagine ,OP. He actually will figure it out.
Anonymous
Post 05/31/2026 09:07     Subject: Athletic son in a cast for 6 weeks… what to do?
Wait 6 weeks. Period.

My very athletic son broke his arm the first week of summer back in elementary school and was in a cast that he couldn’t get wet.

Hugely annoying, especially because we had to put him in summer camps and he couldn’t do any water sports or any real physical activities

Because he was growing so much, he got out of the cast in 4 to 5 weeks. Also, he became a state champion in his sport in high school. He is not a couch potato, and the six weeks in the cast did not set him back for life.
Anonymous
Post 05/31/2026 08:34     Subject: Athletic son in a cast for 6 weeks… what to do?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:His brain works. He can make a list of things he wants to do with this down time and start crossing them off the list. Empower him to use his own brain!


What’s the purpose of your existence? You realize this entire board is full of people seeking advice and suggestions rather than using their own brains, don’t you?

Have you always been an insufferable twatwaffle?


Yes but HIS brain. I get it, I do, I ask for suggestions on here all the time, and you're getting the same suggestion from a few different posters and that suggestion is to let him figure it out. He will be down in the dumps for a few days, and then he will persevere and figure out how to do some other stuff besides sports and swimming for the next few weeks. It will probably be a good learning experience for him and broaden his horizons a bit, and also it will teach him that (to borrow a phrase I actually hate, sorry) he can do hard things. Coming up with a list of museums or video games for him and presenting him with this list will take away that opportunity. People are not calling you lazy or dumb or whatever. They're giving you a suggestion- which is what you're asking for!


I’m PP, not OP, but “let him figure it out” isn’t a *suggestion* you dingbat.

I’ll bet your kids (and husband) hate you. Figure out why. (Hint - it might come to you next Tuesday)


It *is* a suggestion (definition didn’t change) but don’t let that stop your ranting
Anonymous
Post 05/31/2026 06:38     Subject: Athletic son in a cast for 6 weeks… what to do?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:His brain works. He can make a list of things he wants to do with this down time and start crossing them off the list. Empower him to use his own brain!


What’s the purpose of your existence? You realize this entire board is full of people seeking advice and suggestions rather than using their own brains, don’t you?

Have you always been an insufferable twatwaffle?


Yes but HIS brain. I get it, I do, I ask for suggestions on here all the time, and you're getting the same suggestion from a few different posters and that suggestion is to let him figure it out. He will be down in the dumps for a few days, and then he will persevere and figure out how to do some other stuff besides sports and swimming for the next few weeks. It will probably be a good learning experience for him and broaden his horizons a bit, and also it will teach him that (to borrow a phrase I actually hate, sorry) he can do hard things. Coming up with a list of museums or video games for him and presenting him with this list will take away that opportunity. People are not calling you lazy or dumb or whatever. They're giving you a suggestion- which is what you're asking for!


I’m PP, not OP, but “let him figure it out” isn’t a *suggestion* you dingbat.

I’ll bet your kids (and husband) hate you. Figure out why. (Hint - it might come to you next Tuesday)


DP.

So aggressive! Why is that?



Anonymous
Post 05/31/2026 03:21     Subject: Athletic son in a cast for 6 weeks… what to do?
Anonymous wrote:What part of him is in a cast?


His brain he can’t think for himself