Well the time is here, and I was curious what your youngins do in the summer to keep them busy and keeps you from taking out a 2nd mortgage and your sanity.

Last summer I would go home @ lunch, if chores were done, I would take them to the local public pool (costs about 1.00 each + a few bucks for snack) and then pick them up after work. The 2 younger ones went daily almost and the oldest went a few times. This summer they are 9, 12 and 17, so I was looking for some ideas for the younger ones (the oldest better be out there looking for a j-o-b ) to let them have fun and not plopped in front of the TV all day. They cannot swim in our pool w/out Doug or I there, so that is out, and I don;t mind them going to a friends house if I know the folks or one of the parents are there. My youngest loves to read, I see that the library in our area offers a reading camp which would be fun for him. I just want to see if anyone has good ideas out there that you'd like to share.

Have them rebuild the buggie trans and rhino engine, should take them a while

My 16 yr old goes to summer school. I have her take all her history classes in the summer. That keeps her busy till the end of july. Then she'll go with her cousins up to reno to visit with the grandparents.

OMG!!!!!!!! I just spit all over the monitor

Holy crap, 17?!

Any summer camps they could go to? I did one when I was about 12 or 13 that was awesome here in CA. I didnt really want to go but they parents sent me anyways; some of the most fun I ever had and I was gone 2 weeks.

Yes, her birthday is June 10th, we are getting her a new Samsung Moment for her bday preset so I can read her texts... We are getting OLD Weazl!!!!

For the coin they want for some summer camps, I could buy a new 091 and bore out my Rhino motor, I DO have my priorities after all.

ahhh Summer, well the almost 18 year old is probably going to sleep in for a few weeks, then hopefully she'll be looking for a job. The 16 year old will be attending summer school for the month of June. If he survives riding to and from school every day then maybe we'll hit the beach or skate park a few times. We have a week long vacation planned for mid July. That gives him all of 3 weeks to sleep in and mow lawns

there are many outlets including the Boys and Girls Club, local JR Colleges offer day classes of interest for kids ranging in different ages, the local YMCA also has day care with special field trips to water parks etc.

every year its a scramble but i love it. working single parents have their hands full when school gets out for 6 weeks but some of the best memories i ever had were at day camps during the summer.

best of luck!

Now the kids will have seven days a week they can pick up the dog poop.

My backyard will be a better place.

you something simple for them to do is take the time and get out side and see what they can capture on film mother nature style. I know it sounds boring but kids like taking pictures. You never know what they might catch on film. Something simple like an animal or a person doing something funny. My son has captured moments that i died laughing over. But we deleted those and for good reason...

As for our kids-
My oldest needs to find a JOB
my youngest will go off to wrestling camp for a week
the rest will be river time and pool time
Might hit a few amusement parks
mountains for some hiking
and wing the rest....

ok here's the quick run down QG

9 year old, has baseball camp, football camp, but he really likes this deal he goes to that's thru a local church. Its called Everyday kids, and they go 2 or 3 times a week and they take them on field trips everyday. Its not tied to religious stuff, just fun stuff for kids, they go to the water park, movies, park, science museum, get snow cones every outing, and he has a blast. He's been going for about 5 years now, and from 5 on up they get to go on the outings.

He is also doing another church camp thru a local methodist church where they incorporate fun themed type activities into religious type learnings. For instance last year they had an outback theme like from Australia, where they tied the outback theme into the learnings. Year before was a scientist type deal where they did science experiments. Its more fun than religion.

By the way we are all catholic (but not really practicing), but since our church doesn't off anything close, we went outside the box and the kids loved it, and look forward to going every year. I don't pressure the kids into anything religious (because I was), so they learn what they want and make their own choices, and really enjoy it!

Now my 5 year old, she will be doing Everyday kids also, along with pom pom and hip hop dance class thru the local community center.

so now that we are mid way through summer. what did you decide on?