Summer Idea's For 13y/o

[2China2009]

I need some idea's for my 13y/o this summer. I am looking for volunteering opportunties,art classes and she will be taking the babysitting class through the Red Cross. I was also thinking a maybe a mothers helper for a few days a week. Any other suggestions would be helpful.

 

[kimblebee]

She's only 13..let her enjoy summer and sleeping in every day.

I never understood parents who want to schedule their kids to within an inch of their lives. Let them be.

 

[Lilacs4Me]

My 13 year old DD will be waking up leisurely, sitting around her room, painting her toenails, taking a million selfies while snapchatting with her friends, and getting dressed around noon to walk down the street to meet up with her other bored friends and doing pretty much the same thing at their houses until dinnertime. They will go to the library, or park, or local coffeehouse for a smoothie, or the ice cream parlor, or just ride around on their bikes for a while. Hang out on the trampoline. Find someone with a pool and go swimming. DH and I work from home at least 3 of the 5 days in the summer and her BFF's mom is a teacher and is off in the summer.

DD is busy all day and night during the school year. I let her be bored in the summer. Cheerleading starts Aug 1 and school starts Aug 20th-ish, so really, she can do whatever she wants from mid-June until then.

 

[Coonhound]

In many libraries volunteers have to be 12 but spots fill up fast- everybody needs volunteer hours logged for school.

 

[sam_gordon]

I need some idea's for my 13y/o this summer. I am looking for volunteering opportunties,art classes and she will be taking the babysitting class through the Red Cross. I was also thinking a maybe a mothers helper for a few days a week. Any other suggestions would be helpful.

What does SHE want to do? I'm sure there are plenty of sports camps, around here there are also 4H camps, academic camps, church camps, etc. Does SHE want to be "kept busy"?

 

[mjkacmom]

My 13 year old DD will be waking up leisurely, sitting around her room, painting her toenails, taking a million selfies while snapchatting with her friends, and getting dressed around noon to walk down the street to meet up with her other bored friends and doing pretty much the same thing at their houses until dinnertime. They will go to the library, or park, or local coffeehouse for a smoothie, or the ice cream parlor, or just ride around on their bikes for a while. Hang out on the trampoline. Find someone with a pool and go swimming. DH and I work from home at least 3 of the 5 days in the summer and her BFF's mom is a teacher and is off in the summer.

DD is busy all day and night during the school year. I let her be bored in the summer. Cheerleading starts Aug 1 and school starts Aug 20th-ish, so really, she can do whatever she wants from mid-June until then.

This is ds14's typical summer schedule. She and her friends do come up with ideas before summer starts, but they tend to involve me as a driver, so limited.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Swim team

 

[hereyago]

I have to ask: Is your dd interested in all that?



If so, many volunteer places require a parent with her since she is just 13. How about your local food bank?

 

[Hikergirl]

Not sure what age your town allows it but what about a CIT at a summer camp? Although it may be too late now to sign up for this year.

 

[hereyago]

She's only 13..let her enjoy summer and sleeping in every day.

I never understood parents who want to schedule their kids to within an inch of their lives. Let them be.

ITA as long as said kid doesn't start the I am bored mess,lol. My dd Did that one time, I told her I was not get cruise director and if she was bored to start doing some detail cleaning,baseboards etc. Yea, she never said it again,lol.

 

[Kitty 34]

What does SHE want to do? I'm sure there are plenty of sports camps, around here there are also 4H camps, academic camps, church camps, etc. Does SHE want to be "kept busy"?

My thoughts exactly!! What did she do last summer?

 

[Lilacs4Me]

ITA as long as said kid doesn't start the I am bored mess,lol. My dd Did that one time, I told her I was not get cruise director and if she was bored to start doing some detail cleaning,baseboards etc. Yea, she never said it again,lol.

Same! My kids learned very fast that if they start that with me, I will have a list of chores ready for the next day!

 

[Lilacs4Me]

My thoughts exactly!! What did she do last summer?

With my kids being that age, I have noticed that parents are uncomfortable with the idea of not having their kids' summer days booked up with pre-planned activities. I mean, after all, a huge percentage of them have been in daycare in the summer since birth, so to those parents, sitting around the house all summer doing "nothing" is an inconceivable notion. It's never been done before, at least not in their kids' lives.

I know a family where both parents are teachers. Their DD is my DD's age - 7th grade, 13-ish (the are all turning 13 at some point this year) and a 12 year old son in 6th grade. She is going crazy trying to find a camp (daycare) for her DD since all of the camps (daycare) around here age out after 12 years/6th grade. She is freaking out because she JUST KNOWS her DD will be bored and un-stimulated being at home all summer with *nothing* to do if there isn't a daycare to attend this summer!

Oh, and she doesn't want her home, either, because even though she is a teacher and has much of the summer off, she uses that as her "me time" and the kids put a crimp in that. So, even though it wasn't a necessity all these years, her kids have been woken up at 7am daily to attend summer daycare because their mother didn't want to entertain them all summer break.

I get it when they are little - lots of daycare places will give away a spot if you pull your kids for 2-3 months, so a lot of people will keep their little ones enrolled but only bring them a couple days a week. But these kids are practically teenagers! How bad can it be to have them home with you!! Personally, I love summer because I can wake up and go to work without having to wake anyone else up. Tweens and teens are generally grouchy psychos in the morning! WHY do it when you don't have to??!!

(Before the flames start, yes, I am judging *only* by my own standards, and the fact that I am cheap and won't pay for daycare when I don't need to, plus I am one of those who thinks kids should be bored sometimes. I get it - YMMV)

 

[cabanafrau]

Check your local community college for summer programming. I know I've seen stuff in the areas of science, engineering, computers and film making, but you may find art as well. You could also check your local fabric and craft stores for any workshops about sewing, knitting, cake decorating, etc

What about helping at your church or other churches in the area with VBS? She might be able to help in the area of arts and crafts in particular.

Kids need some downtime, but mine reached the point where they were quite interested in having a lot going on. It's also a bonus if they happen to stumble into a new interest that might turn into a lifelong hobby. Looking at how extremely busy they are in the college years I'm very glad they were used to full schedules before venturing into college life. Entering that level of busy after much time vegetating and it would have been like a truck smashing into a brick wall.

 

[hereyago]

Oh, and she doesn't want her home, either, because even though she is a teacher and has much of the summer off, she uses that as her "me time" and the kids put a crimp in that. So, even though it wasn't a necessity all these years, her kids have been woken up at 7am daily to attend summer daycare because their mother didn't want to entertain them all summer break.

That is truly sad. Don't get me wrong, everyone should have "me" tine. But I also enjoy spending time with dd and dgd, going to library, thrift store,park, etc.

 

[smiths02]

My son is going to Boy Scout camp for the first time this summer (he'll be 11). It's $230 for a week away from home.

I as/am kind of nerdy, so I would always join the reading program at the library. (This was in CA, but they have one in GA). I know reading a certain number of books got you a prize.

My son has also taken an art class at the community college where his grandparents live. So look at community college schedules. Your city/county might also have a rec center. Some of those are fun classes that aren't too expensive (as long as someone can get here there)

 

[holden]

Last summer DD14 was a Counselor in Training for one week at an art camp 5 minutes from our house. She wants to do it agin this summer and hopes that she can do 2 weeks.

 

[hereyago]

My son is going to Boy Scout camp for the first time this summer (he'll be 11). It's $230 for a week away from home.

I as/am kind of nerdy, so I would always join the reading program at the library. (This was in CA, but they have one in GA). I know reading a certain number of books got you a prize.

My son has also taken an art class at the community college where his grandparents live. So look at community college schedules. Your city/county might also have a rec center. Some of those are fun classes that aren't too expensive (as long as someone can get here there)

I loved the summer reading program at the library, as well as my dd.

 

[hereyago]

For a couple years,my dd would go during spring break and summer with the church to VBS (su mmer) and during Spring Break go away for the week to another part of the state and do a similar Habitat for Humanity type thing. It was like,nhelp repaint an house or build a wheelchair ramp type thing.

 

[QueenIsabella]

My DD13 will spend the summer: going to Italy for 12 days, going on a family vacation for a week or so (7 days at a resort, maybe a couple extra days traveling and visiting other spots), probably a week at dance camp, and the rest of the time...doing whatever. She may, possibly, do some work (volunteer or paid) at the dance studio.

DS11 will be going to a week at Boy Scout camp, then the family resort trip as well. No Italy for him, it's a girls trip.

In our house, we try to balance summer between some down time, and some interesting activities. Luckily, there are many sources nearby for day camps--the YMCA, for more general, summer-type camps (swimming, hiking), then a couple colleges with more educational camps--chemistry, computers, forensics, and so forth. We also live near the beach, so day trips there are on offer, plus you can spend the night on the beach, which should be fun. We might throw in a long weekend trip or two, as well.