Summer Time with Kids

[Kat817 19]

You know Cloe, I had thought a lot of the same things, when I read this thread earlier this summer. However a couple of weeks ago DH and I were detoured through a neighborhood in a town we were traveling through. There were 2 boys sitting on the curb, a single boy down further shooting hoops. Thats it! But as we looked around these homes, that according to the sign, started in the mid $200,000.00's, we noticed, the entire housing subdivision was xeriscaped......being new there were no mature trees, no grass. Lots of rock, cactus, and cement. HOT! No trees to swing from, or grass to lay in as you talk, no ditches to wade in. My DH says to me, "no wonder all they do is play video games!" There was a park, but no kids. How old do they need to be for a parent to feel safe sending them to a park down the road to play? I grew up in the country like you are saying, and there were endless possibilities! But if anyone come down our lane we all knew it! We were safe from most everything but ourselves! Our kids were raised in a very small town, with lots of neighbor kids and we have a big place, they ran and built forts, and played all day everyday, complaining when made to come in at night! But the difference in what they had to "work with" was glaring as we drove through this HUGE developement in one of the fastest growing cities in America....it seemed so sad, to think of the hundreds of kids inside those houses, because outside was so barren!!! No wonder so many kids are obese, there has to be thousands of cities across the country like this. Makes me glad we stayed in small town America for our kids! I know now it was the right decision for me.

Kat

[CCBSTX 0]

I love the ideas of trading kids and sleepovers. However, I could never find someone to switch with....Oh well.

If the neighborhood-kid-thing is driving you crazy (like it did me), then set some limits. I put a sign up, at one point, when they started showing up in droves. It said, "We can't play." I explained to the kids, in advance, what the sign meant ( don't ring doorbell). At the time, I had an infant that would require naps and the doorbell was constantly ringing.

My hair stylist has a great tradition that she started with her kids. She requires 1 hour of reading per day, before anything. If they want friends to come over, then they need to make sure their reading is complete. Her kids are now teenagers and avid readers. I tried it, in a short spurt, when my kids were younger. I didn't enforce it. I wish I had....

Good luck. Summers are busy for parents!!!!!!

Shawn

[CLOE 0]

Hi Kat, I guess what why was trying to say, as to your post as well, is that parents now-a-days have so much to do, and now we have to entertain our kids too? I know I'm walking on thin ice here, and not to offend anyone, really, every parent does what they think is best, and thank god we have parents who give a ----. But, now-a-days it just seems that kids are entertained from the moment there born, electronic mobiles, rattles etc...It is sad that kids can't SAFELY go outside and play now alone. Somehow we have to take back our neighbourhoods, put pedophiles in jail FOREVER, and allow our children to use there free spirit and imaginations again...................................WHEW, that was way to heavy for a Saturday. Anyway, thank-you to ALL parents who take the time to love there children so our world can be a better place.

[paula 4]

Cloe - thanks for your response!

Lets see - our neighborhood is filled with younger kids ages 4-8 and all are boys. They are too young for my oldest and my girl wants to play with other girls. -IF- the older ones decide to venture in the front(to ride bikes, or just hang out) then my youngest one (3yrs old) is out the door too, but he's too young to be out there alone - so that means Im out there.

By the way, have I mentioned that the heat index has been 115 lately? So NO BODY is out doors (just the mailman ) Even the swimming pool Water is too HOT to swim in (water temp is 94 degrees - yuck!)

Everyone's situation is different.

Every neighborhood is different.

Every family is different.

Every child is different.

We're just taking it one day at a time!

[3loves 0]

Somehow we have to take back our neighbourhoods, put pedophiles in jail FOREVER, and allow our children to use there free spirit and imaginations again

:amen: and :amen: We definitely live in a different day and time. This is part of the reason we live in the country. Our boys are able to explore and run. It is helpful to us that our boys are 16 mos apart and really entertain each other.

Paula ~ I love what you said too. This is so true!! I do have one boy that I classify as "high-maint" and the other is "easy going". BTW, can I send my boys to your house? With all those boys in that age range, it sounds perfect. I will have their stuff packed by 6PM. :heh:

Everyone's situation is different.

Every neighborhood is different.

Every family is different.

Every child is different.

[vinesqueen 2]

Ah, my spudboy's no longer a boy... (cry)

My house was the one with all the sleep overs too. This lasted until just recently, what with Sky and his GF making me a G'ma. Sky and Tab have come over a few times with my new baby, but ah well... If I wasn't so sick... Ok, enough of me whining!

I mostly didn't mind being the one hosting all the sleepovers, but no one can eat like teen aged boys... And it did get to the point where I would occasionally make everyone leave my house... But if they were at my house I knew no one was getting into trouble, I knew everyone was safe.

I was never bored as a child, I didn't dare. You see, if I ever once complained about being bored I would have to do extra onerous chores, like cleaning the garage or something equally awefull.

I think many parents over entertain their kids too. I say make them entertain themselves!

(ok, when Spud was little we were lucky enough to have a summer school program that was great. It was called "The Best Me" and was more day camp than anything else. Local HS kids were employed as mentors to the little kids, and it was great for everyone.)

[dezadoo 0]

this thread has cracked me up! i am a teacher in an elem school and have started getting my room set up. when i go to the scool supply store i can always tell the moms from the teachers. moms are beaming and telling the kids to get whatever they want! teachers are blinking back tears so they can read the prices! lol! i hate it when people complain about how little teachers work! most of us work at LEAST 10 hrs a day btwn class set up, planning, copying, grading and mtgs. most of use LOVE our jobs and our kids and really appreciate supportive parents, which isn;t always the case. please remember the long wks of summer at holidays and the end of the year. write your child's teacher a nice note! (or buy them a BIG bottle of wine!) lol!

[3loves 0]

Dezadoo ~ I am not a teacher, but teachers are near and dear to my heart. I applaud you for the sacrifices you make for your kids. Good teachers are hard to come by. My son is attending PreK again this year (went part of they year last year at 4 yrs old) and we love his teacher. We have come to know and love her and even exchanged e-mails during the summer. She is a treasure. Tonight I volunteered to be a room mother and can't wait for school to start on Wed. Kind of sad and kind of happy. :biggrin1: :cry

So, when do the rest of you start school??? Gosh, I need to buy new shoes by Wed. Better get my butt in gear.

[the best me 6]

what with Sky and his GF making me a G'ma.

What?! Spudboy and Sky have a little one? Do I have that right? Oh, Crystal, you just have to post a pic! I had no idea, congrats!!!!!