hanki Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 on your days off of school or summer break? Whether it's a few days, weeks, months? Is everyday scheduled and structured or do you let the kids decide on how they want to spend their day (limitations of course)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 Mostly they are in charge of themselves - as long as they are not glued to the tv or 'puter. It is not my job to keep them entertained - they need to use their imagination. I've heard that boredom is good for forcing kids to get imaginative ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey in TX Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 Some days will be completely unstructured--they're family favorites. Read, go to pool, order lunch (dinner?) there and come home when we're exhausted. Most days will be somewhat orderly as we still have music, soccer, dance, and gymnastics. DCs will be required to read 1 hr/day and if I doubt they're doing it, magically a book review will be presented. There will even be a few movie and all-day video games (when we melt in the 100'+ temps). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 IMHO, I make them play outside as much as possible. We live in the mountains and there is no good reason not to be out there. If you don't understand why I would say such a thing...please read "Last Child In the Woods". Children absolutely need unstructured, un-mothered TIME and NATURE. Not a playground...real nature. Check it out on amazon.com. Geo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 If it is nice enough I send dd outside. If she can find a friend to come over and play outside, all the better. Some days we will go to the lake and some days if it is raining we will have together time baking cookies or something. If these unscheduled days happen during the winter or when ps kids aren't available for friends to play with then we have computer time, video game challenges and TV/movies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crissy Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 We school year-round, but my boys generally have the entire afternoon to themselves. During the summer months they spend the majority of that time outdoors playing baseball, riding bikes, etc. I don't structure their time. They learned early on how to entertain themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KS_ Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 Our summer days are pretty much unstructured. . .they find stuff to do inside or outside (doesn't include TV and they get 30 minutes of computer time). Most of the time they are busy and absorbed in what they've thought up to play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey in TX Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 IMHO, I make them play outside as much as possible. We live in the mountains and there is no good reason not to be out there. If you don't understand why I would say such a thing...please read "Last Child In the Woods". Children absolutely need unstructured, un-mothered TIME and NATURE. Not a playground...real nature. Check it out on amazon.com. Geo Please remember that while it's a great idea, it's not always feasible because of location or safety. I suspect those who can delve into nature do so frequently, the rest of us are outside enjoying lives amidst suburbia--driving to nature:driving::driving: We have a hike/bike trail, but kids must be accompanied b/c it's on the golf course. Not the nature I want to encourage--trips to ER! (tongue in cheek) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelli in TN Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 I've noticed nobody mentioned tranquilizers. :D I'm just kidding!! Really!!! Come over, you will see that my children are far from tranquil. Besides, if I HAD tranquilizers I would not want to share them with anyone!!:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 Well, some days I would love to put them in some kind of "stasis" chamber or cryrogenic pod to sit while I got lots and lots done, but that doesn't seem to be available to me! Why don't inventors invent the stuff they show on Star Trek?! My ds10 will read all day if I let him. My dd6 will dance, kick balls down the hall, and do flips on the couch all day if I let her. So we do have a some routines that are year round. Every day we have chore time. When we have no school then our chore time is longer. If the kids are totally unable to find something to do after that then I am more than willing to give them all-day chores! (That never happens). Every day (unless it is pouring down rain) we have some gardening time. The kids help me. Then I encourage them to stay out and play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 On any day we don't do school (including the days we just don't get to it) I allow the boys to generally do what they want to. I limit computer and video time, but they are very creative boys and will usually get into artistic pursuits, act like pirates on their play fort, swing on their swings, practice their sword-fighting (plastic of course), play games, play store, library, sign language school (a new one), etc. My 8 year old spends time every day listening to an audio book and drawing. I love days like this when I can see them having a blast together and basking in their creativity! What memories they'll have. There are some days when it's just beautiful out, and the boys are getting along so well, falling in and out of so many wonderful pursuits that I just abandon school for the day. My friend (from when I was 14) had a mom who would keep her from school every now and then and call it a "mental health day." They used to go to the movies together on that day. My friend's mom died suddenly a little over a year ago, and I still remember that about her, and I know my friend does. I'm sure she would never be able to remember what she would have learned in school that day had she gone, but I know she remembers how she spent those "mental health days" with her mom. Oh, and summers are so miserable here with the heat, humidity, and mosquitoes that I try to give them lots of time in spring before they will want to stay inside with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 The only structure they have in the summer is the little bit of school we do and I will remind them of what time to be home to leave for various commitments. Between the kids sports and youth group, they have at least one commitment each day. They generally can play from about 10am to 3:30pm. (We have a rule that no one should call or knock before 10am during the summer or winter.) My kids and the neighborhood children are at our house a lot, so I see them off and on throughout the day, but I am not involved in their play. They show up when they are hungry and check in every few hours if I haven't seen them. Our neighborhood has very recognizable boundaries so they know where they can go and where they can't. There are days that they ask to go to the Art Museum, Zoo, OMSI or other activity, but it is usually on a day that their friends are gone. I don't schedule them in, they just happen spontaneously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karenciavo Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 Unstructured for the most part. They have their instruments to practice, summer reading schedule and Latin. The rest of the time is spent in the pool, hiking in the wood, riding bikes, shooting hoops, and limited video game time. They also have a couple of missions trips, VBS to help with, and they volunteer in other places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2legomaniacs Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 Mostly they are in charge of themselves - as long as they are not glued to the tv or 'puter. It is not my job to keep them entertained - they need to use their imagination. I've heard that boredom is good for forcing kids to get imaginative ;) :iagree: I do allow some tv and/or computer time, but not much. We will go to the pool a bit when it opens. One of mine will do a half day one week soccer camp. Other than that, who knows where the wind blows! I have plans to get the house in order, so I imagine they will be put to work here and there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXMomof4 Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 I've noticed nobody mentioned tranquilizers. :D I'm just kidding!! Really!!! Come over, you will see that my children are far from tranquil. Besides, if I HAD tranquilizers I would not want to share them with anyone!!:tongue_smilie: ROFL!! Amen to that! Just as a side note, I have a grandmother who thought nothing of giving a little valium to her grandSONS when they were more than a little wild. She was SO not into the craziness associated with children. Luckily, I was much more into reading at her house, she left me alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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