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Boredom Busters
Spice up Your Tween's Summer
By Kendeyl Johansen
"We spend a lot of time planning our camps and love it when kids go home and say 'Wow!' to their parents," she says. To find a "Wow!" camp for your child, call or e-mail your local schools, libraries and youth recreation centers.
Kim Francis of Wheeling, W.Va., mom to 11-year-old Taylor, cautions parents not to go overboard in planning summer projects. During the school break, her daughter will attend craft classes and day camps and then just hang out. "Kids need time to be kids – time to ride their bikes, hang out at the pool, be with their friends," Francis says. "They spend nine months in a planned, rigid environment. Let summer be their time to be free."
Shannon Tilley of Gilbert, Ariz., agrees. "My kids have basketball, volleyball or swimming in the morning, and then I teach them 'home' activities, such as cooking, cleaning or yard work in the afternoons," says this mother of six. Her kids understand that they need to help Mom with the everyday work, because she's busy driving them around in the mornings.
Fridays are special for the Tilleys; the kids who have finished their work can have the day off, and they find this far from boring! The Tilley kids spend Fridays playing video games, relaxing and "doing nothing" or going camping in the mountains and visiting a lake.
Whether your tween would enjoy swimming lessons, camp, cooking or starting a new business, round out playtime this summer with a few boredom busters. After all, carefree kids equal happy moms.