tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8908127.post4085301352070965699..comments2024-03-14T13:08:14.915-04:00Comments on So, the thing is...blog: How to Fail at SummerBarb Matijevichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16469997012394334517noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8908127.post-6075470803221159652012-09-15T11:27:24.312-04:002012-09-15T11:27:24.312-04:00I hate the idea of a programmed summer. In my min...I hate the idea of a programmed summer. In my mind, summer is a time to relax by the pool, and regroup. Kids are programmed enough already.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8908127.post-81760611659520221652012-09-05T13:11:59.562-04:002012-09-05T13:11:59.562-04:00I just spent a year (o.k. 11 mo) being unstructure...I just spent a year (o.k. 11 mo) being unstructured. I don't think I have nothing to show for it (see: happy well-behaved puppy, gorgeous gardens, and far less-stressed me). But I don't think I like the unstructured time - it is hard to focus. There are too many ways to be pulled into distractions. And far too many distractions - it's constantly fighting against the tide vs sailing my own boat.Bullwinklehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12765320040505378403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8908127.post-82049008139708930892012-09-05T00:43:35.652-04:002012-09-05T00:43:35.652-04:00Ohmygoodness hilarious!!! Our summer was a poop sa...Ohmygoodness hilarious!!! Our summer was a poop sandwich. Lame-lame-lame. I don't know what my problem was.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8908127.post-44667623446813895482012-09-04T16:15:25.147-04:002012-09-04T16:15:25.147-04:00Everyone needs a little structure to make the bori...Everyone needs a little structure to make the boring part more appealing. Sounds like you worked your way to a reasonable balance!<br /><br />I've seen teen girls who sail through the hormonal storms of adolescence quite smoothly, maintaining beautiful relationships with their parents. And I've seen otherwise, too. Sometimes in the same family! I really think the changes they go through affect each girl's brain differently.Suburban Correspondenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11488916572135296650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8908127.post-35344858394532217712012-09-04T13:25:08.849-04:002012-09-04T13:25:08.849-04:00Oh, I forgot. And I read. A lot.Oh, I forgot. And I read. A lot.Mokihanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11504052259244873399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8908127.post-27413949231643626142012-09-04T13:24:45.789-04:002012-09-04T13:24:45.789-04:00Ahh... summertime was so different when I was a ki...Ahh... summertime was so different when I was a kid. Nothing to plug in at all, except a radio.<br /><br />I rode my horse, swam in the ocean, went sailing with my dad and brother in our Mercury, played kickball or softball or whatever with the neighborhood kids. Went ti-leaf sliding. Picked wild guavas. Hiked up the trails in the Ko'olau Mountains. Rode my bike with my friends.<br /><br />It didn't get better than that, and we never went on vacation. We lived in paradise... who needed one? (Well, maybe my parents!) Mokihanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11504052259244873399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8908127.post-35925042566890836282012-09-04T13:10:16.969-04:002012-09-04T13:10:16.969-04:00My boys (16 and 13) put a kibosh to the whole summ...My boys (16 and 13) put a kibosh to the whole summer organization thing about 3 years ago. Because I work outside the home, the screen time began to wear on me, in that I came home and nothing had happened. So now they have chores to do (a list that I left on the microwave every morning), they have to get at least one hour of exercise a day (for the oldest, it was working out, as he has a gym membership and the youngest had bike riding and he learned to long board)and then they were free to do whatever - which mostly involved screen time. This year, I STRONGLY encouraged the older son to get a job, but to be fair he went to summer school to get a grade 12 credit (in my day, you went to summer school if you failed, not to get ahead. Different world....)And they had to plan dinner and prepare it. They had to give me the ingredients the Saturday before, and then they were responsible for preparing. We ate some...odd things, but at least I know they can survive on their own. I am still not happy with the screen time - but providing the other stuff got done, at least it minimized the arguing (I have budding lawyers in our house). Not sure that it is any better than organizing camps and lessons, but my house was clean(ish), we had dinner plans and they got exercise.momwhoknitshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02953391478311778178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8908127.post-2021662178931565762012-09-04T12:20:59.267-04:002012-09-04T12:20:59.267-04:00It took my boy until the last couple of weeks of s...It took my boy until the last couple of weeks of summer break before finding his "tribe" in the neighborhood. It is harder for him since he doesn't go to the local elementary. <br /><br />I think Sarah is right they will remember this summer fondly and with humor.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13764319394920779007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8908127.post-82652994203351570492012-09-04T12:13:56.263-04:002012-09-04T12:13:56.263-04:00My 16 year old son had some down time between trip...My 16 year old son had some down time between trips, for the first time in 4 years! I think he got a little bored, but it was a nice change for him.smalltownmehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10857871195417461235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8908127.post-80201335878095956042012-09-04T12:09:55.499-04:002012-09-04T12:09:55.499-04:00Your kids will remember the "boring summer of...Your kids will remember the "boring summer of yoga." This is not a bad thing. I'd venture it's a good thing. Are they happy to be going back to school?<br />Sarahnoreply@blogger.com