School is out. Summer is here. Kids and teachers all over the country are enjoying a nice, relaxing break from the routine of schoolwork, schedules and grades…
…And then reality sets in on Day 2.
Kids have an expectation of an amazing summer filled with swimming, hanging out with friends, family vacations, and day trips to theme parks. When they find themselves submersed in a situation where they are tasked with entertaining themselves in between these fun summer activities, parents quickly hear the words “I’m Bored”…
We often expect our kids to find something to keep themselves occupied while we are still at work or still managing the household. We hope our kids understand what is on and off limits, but that isn’t always the case.
Our 11 year old decided to make homemade orange juice out of a 5-pound bag of oranges!
Our 7 year old decided to make a whole restaurant, food and utensils, out of paper. Although it kept her busy for many hours, resulted in a big mess of paper clippings we were cleaning up for months!
A few of the girls decided to paint their nails, and the table, and the floors!
Okay, so what is a parent to do? We cannot always schedule every minute of our kids’ day with activities. Isn’t that the point of summer…taking a break from schedules?!?! We cannot afford to have regular BIG activities like vacations away from home, theme parks, etc. We also cannot go another 2 months hearing, “I’m Bored” over and over.
Shhh….Secretly, I begin to resent that they can even utter those words since I haven’t been able to say it since I was their age. I’d give anything to be “Bored” for a summer!!
Kids will be kids but maybe there are a few things that will help minimize our unwanted summer visitor of “I’m Bored”.
Summer Camps – That’s right, ship the kids off for a week to get a break from their summer vacation! There are also day camps, sports camps, activities at the library, etc. Our town has a “Kid’s Directory” that lists activities for each month at various places.
To Do List – Ask the kids to make a list of things they would like to do or accomplish during the summer and see where you can accommodate. This was my husband’s idea and the older kids liked being able to give input.
Supervised Time for Messy Activities – Set aside time in advance where kids can have a messy activity, and let the kids know when that time will be. This will help thwart the daily questions like, “Can I paint? Can I bake? Can I make glitter crafts?”
Activities Allowed without Permission – Let the kids know which activities they are allowed to do without permission. For example: drawing, movie, reading books, playing outside (daytime), etc.
Visit Grandparents – Allow the kids to spend a few days with family members like grandparents or aunts and uncles. This helps build those special bonds they will treasure throughout their lives.
Learn Something New – Take time to help the kids find something new to learn. We are trying gardening. Encourage them to read up on it and spend time working on it. Give them something they can be responsible for.
Take a Walk – I feel this is the most undervalued activity any family could do together. You can take a nature walk together and give the kids a checklist of nature things to find. Walk at a river or lake, at a local track, around the neighborhood or to the store. You get exercise, bonding time and a bigger sense of the world.
There are so many more activities that could be added to this list. You are only limited by your imagination. If you are lacking in imagination (and energy), look online for some great ideas or subscribe to a family magazine (I like Disney’s Family Fun magazine).
If all else fails, threaten your kids that if “I’m Bored” is uttered in your presence, it will earn them a physical labor type chore assignment. In the wise words of my own mother “If you can’t find something to do; I’ll find something for you.”
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