My 11 (almost12) yr olds are home this summer and I have the babysitter coming once a week. She usually takes them to the movies, Target or errands.
I agree that the middle school and early hs years are tough because they are too old for camps etc but too young for a job.
DS is doing some football camps and goes to speed and agility training at night 3 times a week. He has been riding his bike a lot with friends and going to the rec center too. DD1 is in some dance classes on random weeks DD2 is doing speed and agility training too
DS/DD2 are going to sleep away camp in July but DD1 can't because she has dance intensives all week she can't miss.
Post by 1confused1 on Jun 15, 2023 14:29:46 GMT -5
Mine are 14 and 16.
For daily stuff, I’m not planning anything for them. Maybe I’m a bad mom, but they are old enough to make plans on their own. My 14 year old just got back from NY so she is just relaxing because they went nonstop. My 16 year old has golfed pretty much every day, batting practice with friends, swimming at friends houses (he drives, so that is helpful).
We also have a 10 day out of state baseball tournament in a few weeks that they are both going to.
Post by pumpkincat on Jun 15, 2023 14:37:34 GMT -5
Mine are 11 and 14(almost 15) They've had two trips so far this summer - one with me and one with their dad. Highschooler has bandcamp at the end of July... so that leaves us with about 4-5 weeks to fill.
My fiance and I are getting married this summer, so that takes up one of the weeks, but other than that?? Yeah, they're just coordinating their own get togethers with friends (not at my house because I'm working) or the teenager holes up in her room doing crafts/phone and the middle schooler yells at Fortnite.
Post by imimahoney on Jun 15, 2023 14:47:28 GMT -5
My 11 year old goes to sleep away camp for 3 weeks. We'll be away for 2 weeks, he has a short 3 day daycamp the week of the 4th that's all day trips and then the other weeks will just be hanging around, hopefully going out with his friends and going to the pool.
DS is 12 almost 13. His neighborhood friend is traveling and the other one doesn't seem to want to hang. I'm OK with this because recently they were drama, and I think they need a break, or at least I need a break since I am the only one that hosts then the drama is something that I have to handle.
I reached out to another mom to set up a hang out. I took the initiative since he doesn't have the boy's phone number. He asked for horseback riding and I thought that was good. It took me a while to find a spot since there are waiting lists everywhere, but I finally got one.
Other than that he has 1 week at Grandma camp with his sister, 1 week family vacation, a 3 night sleepaway camp and a 1 week sleepaway camp and a soccer camp. Last summer he was too unscheduled so I made more camps this year and sleepaway camps and sports camps typically go up to high school ages.
Oh and he has a list of daily chores including taking the dog for a walk, outside time, taking out the recycle, dishes, etc.
Post by litebright on Jun 15, 2023 16:52:20 GMT -5
I have a 15YO and a 13YO.
I *just* registered the 13YO for two weeklong theater camps. That's pretty much it on structured activities. We also have a weeklong vacation.
The 15YO actually got a job three days a week for a few hours, plus she is studying for her permit test.
We made a list of things we want to do this summer and I am trying hard to get them out of the house in the afternoons (I have a flexible WFH schedule so I can do that). Part of their daily stuff is chores, they have to pick and cook one dinner a week together, plus some kind of exercise. We have a pool so swimming and walking dog are easy ones. I am also really encouraging them to reach out and ask friends over at least once a week.
I have a 12 year old and he's going to town rec camp and 2 weeks of a specialty camp. There are still several weeks of nothing though. I work p/t a few minutes from home and he'll be alone. The days I work I'm locking up electronics and disconnecting the roku. It's not a neighborhood where kids leave the house much but I'm telling him to go to friend's houses and ask them to go for pizza or something. Longish walk but they're old enough. He needs to be bored and find something besides tv and video games. He reads a ton, but he needs to start moving around this neighborhood or bouncing a ball off the wall or something!
Post by liveintheville on Jun 15, 2023 17:31:23 GMT -5
I have 15 and 13 year old sons. The 13 year old is going to creator camp day camp all summer. He’ll be learning how to make movies. The 15 year old is doing a 4 week internship in robotics at a local university. I think he gets a stipend of $500 for it. Other than that they have karate most nights and on Saturday. School ends tomorrow. And we’re going glamping in Acadia Sunday through Thursday. That’s our only planned vacation.
Post by liveintheville on Jun 16, 2023 3:03:24 GMT -5
scm1011 creator camp is through SCAT. They take little kids too. Like 6 I think. I highly recommend them. It’s all local folks helping out. We tried to get C a job there but they were already full.
scm1011 creator camp is through SCAT. They take little kids too. Like 6 I think. I highly recommend them. It’s all local folks helping out. We tried to get C a job there but they were already full.
Good to know!! Cal did Cinema Kids as one of his afterschool clubs this year and loved it - sounds like a similar concept. I put him in Rec camp most of the summer because it’s so close to us and I’m lazy.
This age is so stressful. My 15 found herself a job and has a dog walking business, so that’s good. Both are manageable (by her/independently) and lean into her interests and keep her motivated with activities outside the house. She is also volunteering at our local dog shelter (bc of her interest in dogs and the business) & found a friend there (by coincidence, in our neighborhood), so that’s a bonus.
I will add, that this year is the result of her starting both the job and the business last summer. As a 14 yo, it was rough to find any sort of traction for both. But we encouraged her (it was hard to be simultaneously supportive and hands off) and now she has this nice plan.
I’ll add, for the dog walking, she made and distributed flyers one time. That’s all it took to get a nice book of repeat clients. Now those clients are referring her to other neighbors. So, it really took off. It’s a bit of a miracle. She did not want to babysit, mow lawns, CIT, etc. but loves dog and found a neighborhood need to fill.
The last few summers my soon to be 17 year old did summer school.
This summer he is going to Boys State, a sleep away precollege engineering exploration camp and taking a three week summer class at UCLA. He’s also working. Thankfully he’s been at the job almost a year and they are being really nice about giving him time off for all the precollege stuff.
This age is so stressful. My 15 found herself a job and has a dog walking business, so that’s good. Both are manageable (by her/independently) and lean into her interests and keep her motivated with activities outside the house. She is also volunteering at our local dog shelter (bc of her interest in dogs and the business) & found a friend there (by coincidence, in our neighborhood), so that’s a bonus.
I will add, that this year is the result of her starting both the job and the business last summer. As a 14 yo, it was rough to find any sort of traction for both. But we encouraged her (it was hard to be simultaneously supportive and hands off) and now she has this nice plan.
I’ll add, for the dog walking, she made and distributed flyers one time. That’s all it took to get a nice book of repeat clients. Now those clients are referring her to other neighbors. So, it really took off. It’s a bit of a miracle. She did not want to babysit, mow lawns, CIT, etc. but loves dog and found a neighborhood need to fill.
I’m going to suggest this to them. We are gone for a decent chunk of summer but this could be a nice flexible option
"Hello babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. On the outside, babies, you've got a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies-"God damn it, you've got to be kind.”
I've got a 12 year old DS and 13 year old DD here. DD has a weeklong away camp at the end of July. I'm trying to convince DS to attend a half day soccer camp the end of July. Otherwise, they are enjoying an old fashioned summer of staying up late and sleeping in.
I am learning real fast though that they both may need a little more structure than that so I may have to come up with some stuff to keep them occupied.
I have to work 2 weeks during the summer (educator) and I signed up my 14 year old to volunteer at the same camp my little ones will go to, they will be in different camps bc it’s a very large selection. He has to go through extensive volunteer training but he earns service hours, it’s good for his future resume, and keeps some structure. It’s at a local community college.
pinkdutchtulips , I cannot remember, can she not be forced into outpatient, or another inpatient stay? How has it been since she came home?
Outpatient is entirely volunatary which imo sucks. She's not eligible for another inpatient stay as she's not a harm to herself and as long as her takes her meds, not one to me either. I think she would benefit from outpatient but I also have to keep in mind that this is a kid who HATES group therapy settings for a fear of being 'exposed' ... they weren't allow phones inpatient and I like to think the same for outpatient but she'd rather not run the risk. 1:1 therapy at home via Zoom might be a better fit. Aso her challenges were vastly different than most of the kids inpatient - while she was a harm to herself it was idealized not actualized. She hadn't done anything - yet. Her eventual dx was DMDD for anger issues.
She's been home for a week, it'll be 2 on Monday and aside from one hiccup, the angry outbursts have been minimal. She has a meeting w a therapist next Tuesday *fingers crossed, 5th time is the charm* with the goal to learn coping skills and get to the root cause of the school refusal issues.
pinkdutchtulips , I keep just wanting to reach through the screen and hug you. I am so sorry you are dealing with this. It sounds SO hard.
Thank you .. it's exhausting. It takes up so much mental space that I'm sure J, even though he stands by me 100% in this, feels left out sometimes as it occupies my headspace constantly. I feel like I have no break from this.
I can tell that DS feels sad from his friends not being around. The one is back, but hasn't reached out yet, only back a few days. Our fence is broken, getting fixed tomorrow so they could start coming over then. Part of the reason I haven't invited anyone is because it is a liability right now. But, it is SO annoying that they only come over to our place and never invite the boys over. DS has had the one neighbor boy over for a birthday party twice, and probably 50 times in our yard, and I think they played baseball once in the boy's yard. I guess they only do family birthday parties not friends, that's OK, but the 50:1 ratio hmmm.
His friends got together in the spring without him and SO wanted to play in our yard that they did that without us even being home. DH has given permission for 1 boy to play basketball, not the entire neighborhood crowd who were all there when I arrived in my driveway escorted by their mom nonetheless.
When they all misbehaved and were physically fighting, I sent them all home, and I was SUPER nice about it. Phrasing it like lets just take a break and try again another day... They must have been so MAD that they were told no. No you can't just play on my property whenever you want. And they did all go home, but didn't even go to the park or each other's houses. It was like your property or nothing which I know is not true because they have played at the other neighbors maybe 3 times in this whole 50 times. I just have to vent.
So then ever since then, crickets. Oh we can't play in your yard, so I guess we just won't play then. There are 2 parks, 2 other yards, alleys and more.
I arranged the horseback riding lessons, travel soccer (august) and 2 sleepaway camps. I also arranged a sports get together with another friend and to play online gaming. I really need him to figure out his social life a little bit, but if I push it makes him self conscious.
Last summer I was successful with the neighborhood group, but one boy I wasn't successful with. And the BBQ, I had planned more for DS and only 1 kid his age showed up- the rest were all younger. And this year, I was successful with the one hang out, so I guess keep going. I was thinking of a basketball hangout with his basketball team.
He runs each day with his XC team. The next 3 weeks he is completing drivers ed. He also has a small job cleaning up after events. He is keeping himself plenty busy, which is great.
Post by tarzanswife on Jun 20, 2023 14:54:01 GMT -5
DS is 14 and got himself a part time job at the local water park for the summer so that keeps him pretty busy. I also got him a gym membership to the local gym. He will probably also spend some time at the local lake and beach. Grandma volunteered to be his transportation for the summer so he just books with grammie and she happily takes him around. Having her out here this summer to help me has been amazing. I am completely off the hook taxi wise and DS makes his own agenda and just keeps me in the loop on where he will be going on any particular day.
My 11 year old says that she is fine going to a local township camp with friends. I think she is going to be bored after the first week, but last year they made friends with the counselors and just sat around and gossiped about which counselor had a crush on who, so... maybe that will keep her entertained for a while again this year.
By next year she will have aged out and I am dreading figuring out what to do with her. She has opportunities to do sleepaway camps with Scouts but she is scared to sleep away from home, which makes extra hard to find things for her.
Whelp, day 1 of camp was yesterday. She texted me to pick them up early (we carpool with her friends). I thought maybe they were all bored, but when I got there, the other two girls seemed surprised that I came early. DD swears that there was no issue, but she declined the chance to hang out with them later that afternoon, and is also declining to go to a group thing tonight that they will be at.
So if she is that tired of them after Day 1, I can't imagine she's going to go to camp very much. I'm annoyed that I didn't push her harder to sign up for a few other specialty camps to break up the summer. Did I mention that we are vacationing with one of these girls in August? They really need to keep it together till then.
My 15 year old will hopefully have a 20-ish hour/week job for the month of July. In August. They will also be volunteering with me at our community donation center every week. I anticipate they will be bored and we will go through a LOT of books.
Summer break officially starts next week, but last Tuesday was thew last day of classes for 8th graders. Over the past week she has been taking final exams and doing graduation related events. Tomorrow night is the 8th grade formal and Friday afternoon is graduation. Then she's done with middle school. Next week she starts theater camp which last for six weeks. She's travelling for the last 4 weeks. 2 weeks visiting my mom, a week in Cape Cod with her f4eriends and then we all go on a cruise.
My kid is 12 and is doing 5 weeks of martial arts day camp (this might be the last year he is eligible, but I'm not sure), 1 week of sleepaway camp, & 3 weeks of travel/hanging out at the house (1 wk trip as a family and 1 trip w/ his dad when I'm OOT for work in July). We also spend many weekends at our other property because it has a pool. I want him to invite his friends to come with us; his bestie broke his arm, though, so swimming has been a tough sell to him.
Next summer I don't know what he'll do. I am hoping I can squeeze 1 more summer out of martial arts camp, maybe even as a CIT. I'm pretty sure that he can be a regular intern at 14 (so the year after that) with his martial arts school, and he really wants to do that. candreco, I didn't realize that rising 9th graders can do the H&PE class online in the summer, so thanks for sharing!
Next summer I don't know what he'll do. I am hoping I can squeeze 1 more summer out of martial arts camp, maybe even as a CIT. I'm pretty sure that he can be a regular intern at 14 (so the year after that) with his martial arts school, and he really wants to do that. candreco , I didn't realize that rising 9th graders can do the H&PE class online in the summer, so thanks for sharing!
I'll let you know how it goes- since it's virtual/indpendent study DD is excited about not having to do any team sports units!
Next summer I don't know what he'll do. I am hoping I can squeeze 1 more summer out of martial arts camp, maybe even as a CIT. I'm pretty sure that he can be a regular intern at 14 (so the year after that) with his martial arts school, and he really wants to do that. candreco , I didn't realize that rising 9th graders can do the H&PE class online in the summer, so thanks for sharing!
I'll let you know how it goes- since it's virtual/indpendent study DD is excited about not having to do any team sports units!
And it is AWESOME for kids who want to open up their schedule for more electives. I love it.
Will she (eventually) do the Econ & Personal Finance online one too?
I'll let you know how it goes- since it's virtual/indpendent study DD is excited about not having to do any team sports units!
And it is AWESOME for kids who want to open up their schedule for more electives. I love it.
Will she (eventually) do the Econ & Personal Finance online one too?
It is! I actually just emailed her counselor because SIS still has H&PE and NO electives in her course request, which is totally not the point here, lol. Definitely summer E&PF, but I don't think she'll do summer H&PE 10. We'll see though, it'll kind of depend on whether she wants to get a summer job at some point.
Older DD (16 in September) is working her job she’s had since 8th grade (restaurant) and (halfheartedly) trying to get a second job with more daytime hours.
Younger DD (12 in July) is doing a week of art camp, a week of STEM camp and a week of sleep away GS camp. She also is still at the age where she runs around the neighborhood with her little friends, and most of them have pools.
Both girls are doing our local track club which meets every evening. It’s a great way to stay active and older DD has lots of friends from it, so that keeps her busy socially.