This Is How We Do It!

This Is How We Do It!
June 17, 2011

"She hit the floor, next thing you know, shorty got low low low low low..."

So this is how we do 8th grade Graduation in the 21st Century! An SUV Limousine, Booty Bangin Music, and a smiling limo driver with that last minute smirk as we holler, "Drive safe!"

School is out for Summer and oh what fun we have in store! Have you planned your Summer yet, or are you just "wingin" it like most parents?
Well, if I may inject here, Summer should never be a "wing thing" when you have kids. Even though school is out for the next few months, they still need some kind of structure to keep them out of trouble and keep their minds keen so it isn't such a difficult adjustment when the Summer is over and they have to go back to school. So here is a helpful list for you to refer to in making plans that will not only keep your kids on their toes, but they won't break your bank either.

Credit to walletpop.com for these ideas.

Biking or hiking on a bike trail. And not just any bike trail. I'm thinking about TrailLink.com, a website powered by Rails to Trails, a national nonprofit that's working to transform abandoned railroads into bike paths. According to the site, there are more than 30,000 trails across the country that are suitable for bike riding, walking, riding a horse, jogging -- anything but driving. There are trails in every state -- some are short, maybe a few miles at best, while some stretch out for fifty miles or more. But they all tend to be in scenic, out-of-the-way places and on flat ground, which was perfect for trains and is now perfect for parents and kids on bikes.

If there aren't any bike trails near you, you may want to check out NatureFind, a free app at the Apple app store, which provides information on more than 200,000 annual family-friendly events at more than 8,800 locations across the United States.

Bowling. It's usually an inexpensive activity, anyway, but if you go to KidsBowlFree.com, you can print free bowling coupons throughout the summer that are good at bowling alleys across the country. As one Philadelphia mother who's participated in the program told me, "I was skeptical, but it's truly two free games per child. I suppose they make money on rental shoes and snacks. It was wonderful for rainy days last summer."

Visit your local museum or historical landmark. Most museums offer free admission on specific days or nights. If you think your kids would be interested, don't forget to investigate the less obvious places. Almost every city and town has some sort of museum, landmark or historical society, and it's worth at least checking their website to see if they're hosting anything aimed at families.

Visiting the library. Not only do they have these crazy things made out of paper called books, but they often have free programs, from read-aloud story times to craft sessions to animal groups bringing in little critters, all designed to get kids interested in visiting their library. And if that doesn't get your kid excited, you can always point out that many libraries loan out DVDs, and Wii and Nintendo games. While the idea of renting movies or games sort of destroys the point of getting your kids away from those pesky electronic devices, by taking them to the library, at least you'll have moved them off the couch for an hour or so.

Volunteer. The nonprofit WaysToHelp.org lists thousands of volunteer opportunities for children and teenagers. To find something your kids will enjoy, you can use its search engine to find volunteer activities that children and teenagers are allowed to participate in, like helping clean a beach or a creek or assisting at an animal shelter. Ask your children which activities sound interesting -- they're more likely to enjoy it if they get to choose themselves.

Open a lemonade stand. It's old-fashioned to the point of being a little corny, but what kid wouldn't enjoy running his own microbusiness? It's fun and educational at the same time, and if you really want to go all out and do something a little different and teach your kids about service and helping a good cause, check out Alex's Lemonade, a nonprofit website that teaches kids how to put up their own lemonade stand. Basically, you register online, and the site sends you a lemonade stand kit, which includes promotional materials, tips for holding a successful lemonade stand and, while supplies last, a voucher for a canister of lemonade.

Your kids won't be keeping the money, though -- you'll be sending it to Alex's Lemonade, which raises money to help fund cancer research. It was inspired by a young girl named Alexandra "Alex" Scott who had cancer and, at the age of four, announced that she wanted to open a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer. The nonprofit has raised $30 million since it was established in 2004 (the year that Alex passed away).

And while this is something you can do any time during the summer, June 11 - 13, 2010, is the organization's big annual weekend where they have thousands of volunteers across the country opening lemonade stands and trying to raise a collective $1 million to go toward fighting and curing cancer.

Gardening. While this is easier said than done, especially if you're not a gardener yourself, it can be done fairly inexpensively. Kids can start gardening as early as three years old, though the term 'gardening' should be used loosely from this age until about eight years old. Separate out a small area just for your child in your larger garden. For very young children, gardening is more about the adventure and exploration, and less about results.

And if you have older kids who manage to grow some tomatoes, carrots or some other produce you can serve at the dinner table, not only are they learning a new skill, but they're helping you save money in the process.

And if they are enterprising at all, you can help them knock on doors and see if any of the neighbors have some weeding projects they need done in exchange for a fee. This is a great way to teach your kids about being responsible with money and how to manage finances.

Day camp or summer camp. True, many and most camps are going to put a dent in your wallet, but if you're working and your son or daughter needs to be somewhere other than home, you may want to investigate camps offered by the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. Despite my best effort, though, it was hard to nail down exactly what a day camp will run you, even if you call either group's headquarters.

"There are over 300 different councils throughout the country," one person, who wasn't authorized to speak for the Boy Scouts, told me, "and each of them has a different price." And, he added, it depends on whether the child is of Cub Scout age or is old enough to be a Boy Scout. But he cited $200 for a week-long, overnight camp in Texas, which includes meals. And I know one Girl Scout summer day camp in California that's charging $60 for their full-day, week-long camp, which is also the price for the Girl Scout day camp in my neck of Ohio.

The good news is, not all camps require your son or daughter to be a Girl or Boy scout to attend camp. If you're intrigued, visit the Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts' website to search for summer camp opportunities.

And here are some ideas that really need no explanation, but just as reminders, we'll suggest them: Go on a picnic, fly a kite, put together a jigsaw puzzle, play some board games, catch some minnows in a creek, chase after some butterflies with a net, throw a slumber party for your kids, climb a tree (carefully) or build a tree house (very carefully), put up a tire swing, visit a playground, walk a dog (a neighbor's, if you don't have your own), play some catch in the yard, catch some fireflies at night, play flash light tag at night, take your kids to a garage sale or flea market, hold a garage sale or wash the car. And if they're nearby, don't forget to take your kids to visit their grandparents or perhaps an elderly relative who could really use the company.

Finally, remember this summer that there is value in your kids doing nothing. It might sound crazy or lazy at first, but Dr. Susan Smith Kuczmarski, Ed.D., who is based in Chicago and often conducts workshops for parents and educators and has written a book on teenagers, points out, "There's tremendous value for children in what I call 'hammock time.' This means doing nothing: daydreaming, hanging out, getting lost in your thoughts, doodling. Call it what you will, it means shifting gears to neutral. Our culture puts so much emphasis on 'doing,' and children soon pick that up. Children are profoundly nourished by introspective time. Too much focus on busy activities and games leaves very little time to dream, wonder, reflect and discover."

So the next time you hear your child say, "I'm bored! There's nothing to do," perhaps your reply should be "Good!"

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