How to amuse a 1st yr during summer holidays ?

1966

Hi there to all parents ..... just looking for any tips you might have from your own experience. My eldest is in 1st yr (boy) and am already fretting about how to amuse him during the holidays. This will be his first yr not to go to minders for the summer and I am fine with this 'cause I only work mornings so he's not left all day. But am still anxious to keep him doing something....... soccer camp cancelled in our local town so thats not a runner this year and we live in the country and friends are a drive away.

Anyone been through this - I know we can get small painting done etc but thats not going to last 3 months.

Any thoughts must appreciated :eek:

Meller

If friends are a drive away arrange for him to stay with them (or visa versa) for a couple of days or a week every so often.

I was an only child with no friends nearby when I was that age and never needed anybody to entertain me. I always had my own plans and ideas about what I wanted to do for summer, they always flew by and I was never bored... I would imagine most other twelve or thirteen year olds would be the same and would be able to occupy themselves just fine tbh

Gonzales

1966 wrote: »

Hi there to all parents ..... just looking for any tips you might have from your own experience. My eldest is in 1st yr (boy) and am already fretting about how to amuse him during the holidays. This will be his first yr not to go to minders for the summer and I am fine with this 'cause I only work mornings so he's not left all day. But am still anxious to keep him doing something....... soccer camp cancelled in our local town so thats not a runner this year and we live in the country and friends are a drive away.

Anyone been through this - I know we can get small painting done etc but thats not going to last 3 months.

Any thoughts must appreciated :eek:

help him get a job, he'll be occupied, earning a few bob & he'll learn the value of earned money. Plus you won't have to give him pocket money. I'm tellin' ya - help him get a job!!

January

A job at 12/13 years old? Not only would that be illegal but a 12 year old shouldn't have to work during the summer!!

shqipshume

Take hiking and sight seeing,or get him in to a summer club if you can afford it as i know its expensive.Although if he has many friends he will be ok and dont fret,another thing is get him interested in maybe cutting grass for neighbours or washing cars for them and make some money for himself.
Think back what did you do when you were his age during summer holidays.
Where do you live as there is football clubs during summer at some stage even tennis or basketball.
Check out your local community center.:)

Gonzales

adrieanne__x wrote: »

A job at 12/13 years old? Not only would that be illegal but a 12 year old shouldn't have to work during the summer!!

Please, spare me the PC exposure :rolleyes:, I'm not talking about a sweat shop for God's sake.

Like everything in life - Be sensible about it.

cut grass, wash cars, trim hedges, pump petrol - does that pass muster with the PC Patrol??

Man, I despair sometimes!!

shqipshume

Gonzales wrote: »

Please, spare me the PC exposure :rolleyes:, I'm not talking about a sweat shop for God's sake.

Like everything in life - Be sensible about it.

cut grass, wash cars, trim hedges, pump petrol - does that pass muster with the PC Patrol??

Man, I despair sometimes!!

All the others are allowed but the last one isnt.No child under age of sixteen is allowed to be employed by any business.
I think stupid if a young girl or boy want to work in lets say packing shelves in a store part time they should be allowed.Would be good for their character building and work skills take pressure off parents aswell if they were allowed.
I worked in our pub growing up from age of 11 and did odd jobs.kept me busy.
I know its for protection of child's right and all but i think if the child wants to and the parent consents to it they should be allowed.

January

Gonzales wrote: »

Please, spare me the PC exposure :rolleyes:, I'm not talking about a sweat shop for God's sake.

Like everything in life - Be sensible about it.

cut grass, wash cars, trim hedges, pump petrol - does that pass muster with the PC Patrol??

Man, I despair sometimes!!

Sorry but I'm not part of the PC crowd, far from it actually as I was one of those out working at 14 years old. I actually wanted a job and my aunt helped me find one. This was a good couple of years ago though. In hindsight, it really didn't do anything for me and I would have preferred to be out with my friends having fun instead of going off to work everyday.

When he finishes school he'll have plenty of time to work, the rest of his life in fact. I just don't see the point of children working when they can be out enjoying their freedom before the big bad world takes over.

Gonzales

adrieanne__x wrote: »

Sorry but I'm not part of the PC crowd, far from it actually as I was one of those out working at 14 years old. I actually wanted a job and my aunt helped me find one. This was a good couple of years ago though. In hindsight, it really didn't do anything for me and I would have preferred to be out with my friends having fun instead of going off to work everyday.

When he finishes school he'll have plenty of time to work, the rest of his life in fact. I just don't see the point of children working when they can be out enjoying their freedom before the big bad world takes over.

fair enough.

stupidsometimes

Maybe set him some chores to do while you are at work like wash dishes, wash the floor, hover. Simple stuff and not too much that he ends up resenting you! Then when you get home reward him with something like having a friend to the house for a few hours/over night, take them on little trips like to the bowling alley, cinema and leave them at it while you get the shopping done.

If he is anyway interested in reading get him to join the library and set a day a week where he can drop by there to get a new book to read.

If he is lucky enough to have a nintendo wii buy him a few games that encourage him to be active, great for those rainy days!

13year olds can be imaginative enough with occupying themselves so don't worry about it too much.

Sleepy

Is there a summer school operating anywhere nearby? We did these as kids and it was always great fun - got to meet kids from other schools and do loads of fun activities etc...

sdanseo

shqipshume wrote: »

All the others are allowed but the last one isnt.No child under age of sixteen is allowed to be employed by any business.

No child under 14, actually, but not during term-time for 14-16 year olds as far as I remember. A sensible way of going about it I think.

mumof2maybe3

At 13 im sure he will have a few ideas of what he would like to do himself like... sleep untill noon and watch telly;) but if you have a chat and see if there is something he would like to do try and organise it but also have something like 5 jobs that have to be done during the week and its his responsibility to make sure he does them.

Oh Lordy its all ahead of me:eek:

Da Bounca

Video games, puzzles, books?

oh well

does everyone's teenagers except mine sleep the morning away? A sleep-in for mine is 9am. They've always been morning birds but I thought when they hit teens at least I'd get some quiet mornings. Na - 13 yr and 16 yr up and about early each day. If I could only get them to do a few jobs I could fill their day.

Gonzales

sdonn wrote: »

No child under 14, actually, but not during term-time for 14-16 year olds as far as I remember. A sensible way of going about it I think.

God, we're all very sensible.

sdanseo

Gonzales wrote: »

God, we're all very sensible.

OMG you caught me out. Anything to contribute yourself?

Gonzales

sdonn wrote: »

OMG you caught me out. Anything to contribute yourself?

I already gave my two pence worth earlier in the thread. You can check it out.

but in summary: I reckon there's no harm in kids working to earn a few bob for themselves.

I also think that a lot of people have been so caught up in the PC band wagon, that they will follow blindly what is "derigeur" on the day without questioning.

By that, I mean, people who are adamant children shouldn't work at all because they are children (putting aside the law issues), & their childhoods will be stolen from them & that's what it's cool to say in this current over protective, don't dare step out of line era we're currently going through.

Furthermore, so what if it's the law? Do we all follow the law blindly without questioning or challenging? No, because it makes for a society of unquestioning Robots.

It gets under my skin.

sdanseo

Gonzales wrote: »

I already gave my two pence worth earlier in the thread. You can check it out.

but in summary: I reckon there's no harm in kids working to earn a few bob for themselves.

I also think that a lot of people have been so caught up in the PC band wagon, that they will follow blindly what is "derigeur" on the day without questioning.

By that, I mean, people who are adamant children shouldn't work at all because they are children (putting aside the law issues), & their childhoods will be stolen from them & that's what it's cool to say in this current over protective, don't dare step out of line era we're currently going through.

Furthermore, so what if it's the law? Do we all follow the law blindly without questioning or challenging? No, because it makes for a society of unquestioning Robots.

It gets under my skin.

Well from my point of view I started work at 16 and if I'm honest it had me late for school a lot. If I'd started earlier it might even have affected my Junior Cert (although I didn't let it affect the LC).

Everything in moderation, and that includes work for kids. I'm not saying by working at 14 they'll lose their childhood but under that age it's questionable whether they're mature enough in terms of looking out for themselves and doing whatever's asked. Some employers, even in little shops, can be tyrants after all.