I keep on reading articles or talking to various parents about how much or how little prepared activity is healthy for child during summer vacation. We thought pretty strategically about giving our boys a good mix of free time and structured camp time. We also shelled out some significant coin to ensure this structured time would be time well spent.
Side story: We sent Hud to sailing camp last summer and due to weather conditions (it was slightly above a gentle breeze, um, don’t you need wind for sailing camp?) they only went out on the water twice in the week. The off water time was spent playing baseball with a wooden stick (with rusty nails) and a crunched up pop can. $275. I wish I was kidding.
So why I am so anxious about the idea of Hud and Tasman doing nothing the first week off of school? I am so fearful of idle time, mostly because of the trouble I maneuvered into when I was bored kid. My boys are generally pretty good, not that mischievous and deep down I trust them…I think.
Hud asked me to sit with him last night, as he does, right before he drifts off to sleep. He wants to set up our massive six person tent in our backyard, and has for a couple of days now. I have been reluctant, mostly because it takes awhile and I did not have the time or energy to help. So, with exasperation I told him no for like the ninth time, the volume turned up a little for impact. He then turned his back, which I questioned and he told me he didn’t think it was that big of deal, he just wanted to set up a tent to play in.
I walked out of his room.
This morning he came down early, sat with me for awhile. He told he wished I could stay home from work while they were off, a statement he knew I could not satisfy, but was not malicious, just honest.
I asked him if it was because he wanted me to put up the tent. He said, now that you said it… I said no again.
He called me at work today and asked again, this time, he wanted to do it himself. I said go for it, there are instructions inside and if he can’t do it, please try to put it back in the bag. If he can do it, have fun.
Most of the arguments for the unstructured summer vacation time are to drive kids to figure out how to handle so much idle time, to let their boredom be the catalyst for creativity. Setting up a tent in the backyard to fill it with blankets and pillows and games and fun times with his brother seems like the perfect way to spend a summer day.
I worry too much.
They’re not only setting up and tent, they’re building a memory of what summer is to them. That’s so fantastic.
I wish I could get my boys to so something…anything together.
I’ve got a miserable, BORED tween whose brain in turning into mush via xbox. He’s in camp next week.
We’ve spread out camps for the 3 of them off and on throughout the summer to have a balance between busy and bored. I gave the oldest kid this week to fry his brain and then he’s unplugged the rest of the summer.