Summer 2008 What's Your Plan?

Mom, I‘m Bored, What Do I Do?

As the summer months are approaching and schools are closing for the summer vacation, families are struggling with “what to do this summer”. Gas is expensive and funds are not always available. Moms are just waiting to hear those proverbial words “I’m bored, what are we going to do”? Those are the same words that kids have spoken for many years, and as grandparents are wont to say “your children should only be like you, so you will see what it is like”. Those may be the truest words spoken, albeit not meant in a threatening manner but one of “you will get yours some day”. So, what do we do this summer? How could we keep the kids busy, out of mom’s hair, yet doing things that they will like and be educational?

Some of the things we could do are:

Check out the museums- they have summer schedules just for kids and set up special exhibits that kids will enjoy and participate in;

Check out the local zoos- they also have schedules and shows conducive to children’s learning. They know how to keep the kids entertained and for how long.

Check out the movies – they schedule movies for kids during the early morning hours which give you afternoons to plan for.

Check out the water parks which are geared for not only kid fun but for family enjoyment.

If you happen to have a pool, first make sure all your kids and neighbor’s kids are “drown proofed’ which means that all the kids know how to swim, have had lessons, and know what to do in case of an emergency . Then once done, create some pool games or facilitate safe pool activities. Remember, to always have an adult present when kids are in the pool, which means that an adult is in the immediate pool area and sees everything that is happening. When finished, close the pool gate, so no one can get back in when your back is turned.

Other water games may use buckets, the hose, or for “older kids” water balloons.
Other ideas include gardening or planting vegetables or plants which the kids could measure and watch grow. It’s nice to be able to show something that was small and then got bigger. .

You can always invite your children’s friends over, have board games or just allow the kids to play in the back yard. Again remember, to always keep an eye on your children, because you never know where they can go to or what they can do, when you are not available.

Cooking or baking is another area where kids and adults can have fun. Too many parents never allow the children into the kitchen or made cooking so difficult or negative that kids who have become adults have no idea of how to navigate the kitchen. We need to make cooking and baking fun, for all to enjoy. Yes mom, cooking and baking can be enjoyable.


Parents can look at websites or at the internet to get any number of ideas of what to do this summer. Hopefully, you will miss the “Mommy, I’m bored” response and hear the Mom, I’m tired.

Have a safe, educational and wonderful summer.

SUBMITTED BY:
Howard Chusid, M.S. Ed. is an experienced Career Counselor. He has the training and experience to give Career Assessments such as the Strong, MBTI, SDS and others. He is also a Registered Mental Health Intern and a member of the National Career Development Association, American Counseling Association and the American Psychological Association. Visit the website at www.professionalcareerstrategiesfl.com