Activities for teens (babysit, milk, parent, girls)
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Some structure is good or they might sleep and do nothing all day long. The local hospital here has a volunteer program. In the summer, they have teens who are dropped off by their parents and do various errands, delivering flowers etc. I'm sure they screen them first and give them some kind of orientation, ie so they know how to smile and talk to elderly patients etc (and not ask them why they're there, etc). Might be something worth considering, they can do it as often or as seldom as they like and for as many hours as they want. A lot of adults do it too from all walks of life.
If they don't get to hang out with friends and sleep in now as kids, when should they get to do it? Hopefully they won't feel the need to experience this when they go to college, being deprived of it as kids.
Oh, for pity sake, did I say I was planning to schedule their every waking minute? They will have time to "hang with friends" I just don't want that to be their sole activity. [mod cut-- rude, argumentative, directed toward other posters, not the topic.]
[mod cut-- off topic personal]
All I was asking for here was some suggestions for activiites during the summer for 2 young teens, too young for a job, too young to drive, too old to hang out with Mom all day, something not too expensive because our budget is tight, .................I'd like to hear from other parents with teens that age, what do they do during the summer. Suggestions are appreciated [mod cut-- argumentative/personal]
Also, other "activities" I could include---passes to the local pool, they can go there by themself now, don't need an adult to supervise, also, perhaps a garage sale, get rid of a lot of junk, ds helped me with a garage sale last year, he earned $400. I let him keep all the money in exchange for helping me to get rid of junk. Good time for garage cleaning, etc.
Last edited by observer53; 02-14-2011 at 03:50 PM..
Some structure is good or they might sleep and do nothing all day long. The local hospital here has a volunteer program. In the summer, they have teens who are dropped off by their parents and do various errands, delivering flowers etc. I'm sure they screen them first and give them some kind of orientation, ie so they know how to smile and talk to elderly patients etc (and not ask them why they're there, etc). Might be something worth considering, they can do it as often or as seldom as they like and for as many hours as they want. A lot of adults do it too from all walks of life.
Now there's an idea---I used to volunteer at a hospital when teenager. This gives me ideas and time to pursue them, not at the last minute. Thanks!
Some structure is good or they might sleep and do nothing all day long. The local hospital here has a volunteer program. In the summer, they have teens who are dropped off by their parents and do various errands, delivering flowers etc. I'm sure they screen them first and give them some kind of orientation, ie so they know how to smile and talk to elderly patients etc (and not ask them why they're there, etc). Might be something worth considering, they can do it as often or as seldom as they like and for as many hours as they want. A lot of adults do it too from all walks of life.
And what exactly is so wrong with sleeping all day and do nothing in particular during the summer, that's what that is there for. It really is, its summer break, its a time of relaxation and doing things that make you happy.
Why should they have to do stuff like volunteer and work? They are 13 and 14, you people want them to stay children at that age and not have things like cell phones and restrict them but its totally fine for them to put in work during them summer like adults have to.
They have from 15 or 16 on to do crap like that, let them enjoy those carefree summers while they can.
Depending on their interests...DD about drove me nuts at that age. She was bored. I finally had her go through all my boxes of pictures and put them in albums. I would leave lists of jobs that needed to be done (I was working).
DS was always into sports. He was at the pool or biking to someone's house or at sports camp. Never was a late sleeper.
instead of making a list of things for them to do why dont you ASK THEM what they want to do and HOW OFTEN they want to do it.
and if they want to sleep all day for goodness sakes, let them. how many years do we get to do that? let em be kids and teens and enjoy their summer BREAK.
i lived at the pool at that age, and then we got a house with a pool, and everyone lived at my house. when i wasnt home, i was lifeguarding at our neighborhood pool. and i slept till noon. turned out to be a decent adult too...
I don't get the idea that Marylee is looking to schedule 100% of their time....but honestly, 8-10 weeks of nothing structured or scheduled is a heck of a long time. Having something to do for a few days/week is probably wise.
Do cities still have Parks and Recreation programs (swimming, basketball, etc.) or did those all go the way of the dinasaurs because of budget cuts and this lousy economy?
(My sons were Jr. Lifeguards. They wanted to be in the water all the time anyway, so the county very nicely had an organized program for that.)
instead of making a list of things for them to do why dont you ASK THEM what they want to do and HOW OFTEN they want to do it.
and if they want to sleep all day for goodness sakes, let them. how many years do we get to do that? let em be kids and teens and enjoy their summer BREAK.
i lived at the pool at that age, and then we got a house with a pool, and everyone lived at my house. when i wasnt home, i was lifeguarding at our neighborhood pool. and i slept till noon. turned out to be a decent adult too...
Same, when I worked during the summers I would still sleep till noon and work like 2 to 9 and then go hang out with friends for the rest of the night.
A) your kids really are too you to start worrying about college, I would say beginning of 10th is when you start thinking about it.
B) no one cares if your kid volunteered at a hospital, your kids wanna look good for colleges then they need to volunteered in a field that they are going into. EX: I was a volunteer police explorer because I'm going into law enforcement....wouldn't really help to volunteer at an old folks home now would it...
I'm gonna say it again, let them live aimlessly during the summer, if they want to do something make sure its something they want to do not you, if you aren't doing the activity you can't pick it...its like one of those laws of the universe...lol!
I think if you are trying to get them involved in things that look good on a college resume that THEY should be the ones investigating programs. Our kids were perfectly capable of finding things to do to keep them busy in the summer. They usually were on a sports team or two, golfed, went to camps and hung out with friends. They are very good at finding things to do without my assistance.
Also, an SAT prep class at 13/14 WHY?? Waste of time. First, they won't KNOW most of what they are covering and they will forget it all by the time they take the SAT.
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