you sure had some great questions!
i wrote them all down and i am going to randomly answer some now & some later.
here goes:
1. how much time do you spend on personal appearance?
not much.
most days i don't wear make-up, i "do" my hair every other day or so,
and wear capris and t-shirts nearly everyday.
BUT i DO try to look decent most days by the time my husband gets home.
i pop a piece of gum in my mouth before he walks in for a minty fresh kiss…change OUT of my pajamas
from the night before….or my nasty gym clothes from the morning workout that was 7 hours prior.
he has always been sweet to say that he thinks i am a "natural beauty" (aauuuwwww)
so i don't worry too much about needing makeup.
i feel better about MYSELF though when i am wearing makeup.
if i only have a little time….i will put on powder and lip gloss….and mascara sometimes.
2. what kind of friends are your favorite?
confident women.
strong.
loving.
open.
kind hearted.
compassionate.
honest about their lives.
honest about their hurts and struggles.
accepting of my flaws.
encouraging.
not all friends are like this.
but when you find them…you know.
they are the ones worth keeping.
3. what is it like to have a teenager?
scary.
there were many questions about raising a teenager…what is it like? what's your advice?
how do you talk about sex? what are the rules for clothing? chores? cell phones? etc.
guess what….i have all these same questions!!!
i have to be careful because my teenager reads my blog.
(she claims she doesn't because it's a "stupid lame blog" but i am smart enough to know better)
since she reads it i have to chose my words differently than if she didn't.
mothers could understand me 100% while teenagers would get the exact opposite from what i say.
so….i will say that…so far….raising a teenager has been….
challenging.
duh.
but really…there is nothing i could tell you that would prepare you for it.
like childbirth.
it's all talk until YOU are living it.
it's hard.
and possibly wonderful at times.
i am hopeful for many more of those times.
and there WILL BE as we all get used to what it means to be parents of a teen and just to BE a teen.
we are ALL learning as we go here.
i TRUST that God is in control.
HE will cover over my mistakes in raising my children with HIS Grace.
i am trying my best with God's guidance and that is the best i can do.
i pray for "grace like rain" to come over my parenting…please.
she is learning to drive.
it's quite an experience.
4. where did you get the rainbow shoes?
they are from ———–.
5. do you have an accent?
not really.
i think i sound "normal".
i sound….like american actors on tv…?
helpful answer? doubtful.
kansans don't sound like texans if that is what you meant.
someday i will post a video so you can hear me.
6. how do you pronounce your last name?
great question!
duerksen is pronounced DERK-sen.
i don't know why the U is in there….it's a german thing i am guessing.
7. what is your favorite George Clooney role?
oh my.
i just got all sweaty thinking about all the george clooney roles that i love.
i loved him on ER.
like really loved him.
when nurse carol left the show and HE showed up at the end…i rewound that tape like ten times!
he is dreamy.
i loved him in Out of Sight….he was steamy.
Up in the Air….because he seemed human.
Oceans Eleven….because he is so good at being handsome.
i could go on and on.
but let's just look at him for awhile….i love the gray hair.
8. do you sleep?!!
i am a night owl.
i love to sleep in.
i don't sleep a LOT but i do loooove to sleep.
i go to bed late (midnight or after) every day…unless i am sick.
i always have since i was a kid…my poor mother.
9. how did you meet chicago jen?
i met jenny at our apartment building in Des Plaines, IL.
i was 22. (whoa)
we lived in the same hall with one apartment between us.
she and dave were newlyweds….we had been married two years? i think.
we only had little lauren at the time.
i soon found out that her aunt was MY HIGH SCHOOL SPANISH TEACHER.
for real.
Senora Ens was jenny's aunt.
and that jenny had visited her aunt every easter growing up.
in kansas….from illinois.
Senora Ens lived ON MY BLOCK!!!
so our entire childhood….we were a block apart on easter and never knew.
and i was most likely the worst student Senora Ens ever had.
i spent more time in the hall than the classroom and i got a D-…..so embarrassing.
she was craig's teacher too but he transferred out right away to Weights Class instead.
ha.
jenny and i went to the same church in glenview.
we started a small group bible study with a few other couples….and the rest is history.
lots and lots of history.
love you chicago jen.
and dave…i love you too.
but i promise not to hug you.
10. can we see the dining room?
it's not done yet.
craig has done all the work that he can and we are waiting on me!
he painted for HOURS.
i have curtains to make….furniture to paint…pictures to hang.
i PROMISE i will show you when it's done.
why wouldn't i?!!
11. are you a shy, quiet person in real life?
i don't think anyone would ever describe me as quiet.
and i don't think that i am shy.
i get intimidated and nervous sometimes.
but i don't think that i am shy.
i like to talk. (understatement)
and i love making people laugh.
🙂
my personality is Sanguine on those tests you take.
12. do you and craig ever fight?
we are not perfect.
did you think we were?
surely not.
of course we fight…but not often.
right now…we have very little to fight about.
we try to talk about issues that may come up.
and to speak kindly to each other and about each other when we are apart…aka: husband bashing.
marriage is hard work that takes upkeep and determination.
seriously……we are having so much fun together!
i spend a lot of time thinking about what i can do for him and i feel he does the same for me.
for example, i made one of his favorite meals for sunday lunch today and he seemed surprised and happy.
that's love.
and later he sent scott upstairs to me with a plate of dinner while i was working.
kind of like breakfast in bed.
it was so sweet.
13. where can i find…..
the rainbow ribbon…….walmart sewing/craft dept
the red EAT letters…….pottery barn clearance 3 years ago.
the red and white bowl……anthropologie 6 months ago.
cute purses………..elisalou
recipe for rainbow cake……..may 22, 2009
be kind to others print………..the wheatfield.
where i print my pictures…….scrapbookpictures.com
14. your husband is hot.
wait….that wasn't a question.
it is fact.
he is scrumtralescent…i just made up a word on the spot. :)
15. what do you like most and least about blogging.
i love the community we have here in blogland of mostly happy, kind people.
i love the encouragement you give me and the feeling of accomplishment of having my family's
story recorded….good and bad.
i dislike….the time it takes to download pics on a post.
am i doing it wrong?
surely there is a way you could just drag them across from your files to your post?!
it would save me SO much time if you can.
and i dislike people who are mean….leave mean comments…take their time to actually write
something that would hurt someone else.
least favorite for sure.
************************************************************************************
i think that that is ENOUGH about me for today!!!
that was probably too much actually.
hope you aren't asleep by now.
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marnie scott - we both put a stop to tv and computer the same time….its a great idea, we do it once a month for a week. that week we do it, they play with each other, play with their games, toys, and find new things to do outside. (they are in the tent,in the house right now!) school starts soon, and summer will be forgotten….but i hope they have memories of it, thanks to me “turning them off” and really getting to play. i am glad to see i’m not the only one!
Tracy - Good for you! I complain pretty much everyday about how I loathe my children rotting in front of the tv/computer/DS etc. etc. We are late for everything, I can’t get them to do anything and I just don’t like lazy kids. I have tried limiting screen time but I eventually get lazy regulating it and the kids push & push. I have taken it away as a punishment…2 weeks at one point and let me tell you, there was no arguing, figthing, sassing etc. for 2 weeks…they were angels. I had to give it back b/c they were off punishment, but after reading this I am going back to limiting it…I like one show and 30 minutes of computer/ds.
Everyone has given you some fabulous ideas. Good luck and I will be looking out for how it is going.
Janet - I’m obsessed with our kids getting out to play and cos it rains er – ALL the freakin time here, we have no screen time on dry days. They just need to go and figure something out. Sometimes they play lego for ages. They are 5 & 7. The 7 yr old has had a bit of a Wii addiction so er we broke it, as it became his central to everything plan. Now he hardly asks about it. We do have other kids on the street. This year they’ve made perfume (from herbs/leaves in the garden), potions, if it was warm we turned the sprinklers on and they danced through that – one of the other gardens has a trampoline and someone else has a bouncy castle, they play football in the street (our garden is teeny – and has no space for toys), basketball in the drive, sometimes tennis on the street. They have been loving reading the Secret Seven by Enid Blyton, and they have this huge adventure/mystery solving game going, Today they made a shop out the front and tried to flog some of their toys. They also spend quite a bit of time making tents and stuff out of big empty boxes. I think kids go through an initial I’m bored phase – and then their imagination starts to kick in. Good luck!
theheavensdeclare@yahoo.com - Meg – you probably already know this, but you have some GREAT readers! 🙂 These comments were such a blessing to read! And, you know, the computer and the t.v. can stay restricted somewhat after the 21st, too. All the benefits you’re seeing in your children now can actually LAST if they don’t get back in the habit of lots of video games, tv, and computer time. Our four kids (ages 3-9) are home all day throughout the year, but the tv is only used for a little each week and we don’t play video games. They have great imaginations, love to play outside, and they love to read great books. It can be done – even against the cultural current. Loved this post and all its responses 🙂
XO,
Jacci in Ohio
Kim - GOOG FOR YOUUUUU!!!! i am so inspired by you and by all of these posts. i didn’t have time to read all of them, so someone may have mentioned this already….but i’m reading the book last child in the woods by: richard louv for some encouragement and ideas. because for REAL we did not all grow up zoned out by electronics…we PLAYED. hard. outside. even when it was really really hot or really really cold. and the great thing is – those are the memories that will stick with you, not what happened on hannah montana “or whatever”.
anna - charades
pictionary
sardines
write and act out a play about a mom who is so mean that she will not let her kids watch tv… ;0)
jaz - flipping brilliant hahahaha love it
Patricia - This summer I came up with JulyNoTVMonth! The kids were horrified at first, then mad, then they got over it by Day 3. It was such a blessing to spend more time having conversations with them rather than trying to talk to them over the din of the TV. My kids are 12 & 16 (she just turned 16 on the 29th of July and was OK with no TV on her birthday by the time the day finally arrived.) We went to the library every week (sometimes twice a week), we rode bikes, we played games, they had friends over, we went to the park, we went to the swimming pool, we crafted, we cooked, they played with old toys long forgotten about, we did puzzles, we gardened, we cleaned out closets, we napped ~ and in the end, we just plain spent MORE time together which was my main goal. When I suggested we do it again next summer, I must admit I was greeted with some major eye-rolling!
I should say that most of the things we did were THEIR ideas. I initially had a list of things to do, but to be honest, they had much better ideas! Once they got used to the idea of no-TV, they adapted very well. I did have to remind them frequently that no-TV didn’t mean spend more money …
kasey - is this rule for your oldest also? just curious how you get a teenager to follow the no computer rule?
k-
Julie Ann - Check out the blog…one pretty thing. lots of craft ideas.
Lori McDonough - Didn’t have time to read through all the other suggestions, but had to contribute…letterboxing! Have you heard of it? It’s my family’s favorite “do-together” hobby. It’s like a treasure hunt, it’s free and it’s so much fun. My kids are 16, 14 and 10 and we all have fun doing this. I blogged about it here: http://bit.ly/aAYkY7 and you can go to the official letterboxing websites http://www.atlasquest.com and http://www.letterboxing.org and look up your hometown (and surrounding towns) to find letterboxes in your area. I promise your kids will love it! Have fun!
lacy brauner - I think you rock and i tell you that when i can : ) we too have cut tv. we quit paying for cable. im just wondering when my husband is going to fold and want it back… but the kids? 2 and 4… watch movies. old ones, like milo and otis and the little mermaid. i got sick of the excuses for kids shows on nickelodean and disney. my 4 year old develpoed a bad attuitude and was rude. i watched some of the shows.. there was too much whining from spongebob and too much kissing on icarly! channel 8 was always a good alternative… but i just got tired of it all around. so my family watches movies together now. we never did that when we had fox sports, the cooking channel, or disney! my kids still want to watch tv.. but now its on the bare minimum and its stuff i grew up with! and… they have a love for rock and roll and country.. because i am a little bit of country and a little bit of rock and roll.. because now i can listen to music and not spongebobs annoying buckteeth voice: ) again, you rock and youre wise
Laura - finding their name, letters, fractions, site words, sports words, etc. in the newspaper/old magazines and cutting them out and make a poster.
could lauren read aloud to the younger ones…a chapter per day? “Shiloh” is a good one for all ages. (maybe a gift card to her fav store/mag subscription, etc. for each book completed)
spoons card game…even annie can play-so. much. fun. (must have spoons! :-))
scrabble, monopoly, rummy card game.
play office, school, etc.
four square, jump rope, hula hoop contest.
memorize a Bible verse and surprise Craig at dinner or use as dinner prayer for that evening.
just a few ideas. you remind me so much of my mom…i’m the youngest of six children and have such good memories of her teaching us how to play and then giving us the tools to entertain ourselves. Games, pretend play, crafts, etc. We were told to, “Go outside and play” a lot, too! Good memories and you are making those for your children.
amy jupin - this is a funny post.
especially the sign taped on the computer and annie’s conversation.
i myself have tried this and failed miserably.
i say throw on some good music and have a dance party.
it may not keep the kids busy until august 21st, but it is a supreme stress reliever!!
Allison - This is so ironic. Yesterday I was trying to find your email address on your website so I could ask you this very same question of HOW DO YOU GET YOUR KIDS TO PLAY BY THEMSELVES?? As a child, I never expected my parents to play with me. Sure, my mom played board games with me, but she never ONCE got down on the floor and made my barbies (or my brothers’ army men) have dialogue. I have 2 wild little boys (8 and 5) and I sometimes just have to shut my bedroom door and lock it and tell them to go play. I am sick and tired of being their cruise director….
Heather R. - I grew up with some friends who were Mennonites. No tv. We learned how to make clothes for our dolls. We listened to great bible stories for kids on the radio. I learned how to milk a goat(okay…no goat, I get it). Great games of kick ball. We rode our bikes ALOT.
I stole your idea this summer. Ironically, it was your poster. It has help us keep busy. Lemonade Stand, Box City(collect boxes from stores…let them decorate them), read a chapter book together(we take turns), volunteer(animal shelter), go fishing, sleepover, learn how to make balloon animals, wash cars by hand, Omaha Zoo(just got back). Just some ideas?
~Heather R.
ann - Hi Meg – My kids and their friends take a camera and “make a movie” – dialogue, costumes and all. The last time was a “horror” movie where they were all screaming at one of them dressed like a monster. This entertained them for hours.
Wendishopscotch.blogspot.com - Hi Megan! We don’t have a TV and limit computer time to 15 minutes a day. I think it will take some time to get used to but they’ll find something. I don’t think it’s Mom’s responsibility to entertain. I’m always amazed at what they come up with.
Karen - I totally agree with “se7en”. That, plus reading books! Raising my kids on a farm didn’t allow any of us much ‘play time’ but that’s because they knew they were part of the big picture, not bystanders. We as parents never, EVER, had nothing to do (like you!) so if anyone ever complained, we ‘gave them something to do’ and it really never happened again. Truthfully I can’t remember it ever happening, but I’m sure it must have.
Robyn - these are all great ideas.
so i won’t add to it!
when in doubt… make yourself a stiff margarita and lock yourself in the bathroom 🙂
your brave!!!!!!
maybe ammend the rule to if you can play nicely and come up with some creative ideas and teamwork things throughout the day. you can EARN 1/2 hour of tv/comp/gaming at the end of the day.
Meredith - So many great comments here Meg. I don’t know that I can add anything more. I understand your frustration, so I just wanted to encourage you. You have planted so many seeds of creativity and contentedness in your children that I am sure their frustration will only be a passing phase. Ride it out and I’m sure you will start to see some of those seeds you have already planted in them start to germinate and bloom. You can always revert to the choice or play vs chores:)
If you’re interested there is a terrific book called “The Winter of our Disconnect” by Susan Maushart which will really encourage you. Here’s the link: http://www.randomhouse.com.au/Books/Default.aspx?Page=Book&ID=9781741669640.
Hang in there xo
Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - Ok – that is too funny. We just declared school nights no electronic nights – so my craziness will begin Monday. I got them a subscription to National Geo Kids and Highlights mag (very affordable)… they have to choose one activity each day (read article, etc.).
Bri also bought this game named ‘Survive’ fromm the 80’s. The kids LOVE it!
I’ll email if I think up more!
Emmylou Hart - Your house sounds like my house. They like crafts & drawing, playdoh & sometimes I tell them they HAVE to play outside for an hour. I even lock the door when they keep trying to sneak back in. I have also had my oldest read in his room for an hour & he usually gets so into his book that he reads longer.
We have a rule that they can’t turn the TV or video games on in the morning until they have eaten breakfast & cleared their places, brushed teeth, made their beds & said their morning prayers. They also can’t play/watch unless their rooms & the family room are clean.
Good luck & enjoy the rest of summer (our school starts tomorrow on a Friday!)
http://emmylouhart.blogspot.com/
Julie Ann - Well, as a teacher I must say that I am very proud of you. You do not realize how many kids do not know how to play! I have to teach some of my kinders to actually play and not beat the toys. Ugh!
I would suggest for your sanity that you do a room time which means they need an hour of quiet all to themselves..that gives you an hour to reboot. They decide what to do, play dolls, write a letter, read books, color, they decide even just stare out the window.
When I took students on a Maple Syrup tour (I’m from Michigan…glad you enjoyed your vacation here) the tour guide said something most interesting (he was 80)…in my day and even when the Native Americans worked the maple syrup everyone had a job and worked. We all worked together for the greater good. No one had self-esteem problems because everyone was needed. So true, everyone had to pitch in for survival…what a concept we all have to do our part. Hence, chores! They will love it won’t they but they won’t complain that they are bored around you when you say you have something for them to do.
Sprinkler
water balloons
baseball game
soccer
park
bike rides
get a big ole’ box and paint it for a fort
magazine collage…torn pages to make pictures
paper mashe'(how do you spell that?)
paint the picket fence for mom?
j - It’s like you decided to punish yourself. Take it back!!!
Taylor-Ann - 1. Games are our family past time. Get out of playing the same ones over again and try some new ones. We like phase ten, LOOT, cribbage, screw your neighbor. All simple games that the kids will love.
2. We also like hiking or taking the dog to the park.
3. create a family project. Find something in the house that you have wanted to tackle; paint , make something and get all the kids involved.
4. Find a local newspaper and see whats going onin your town that week. Sporting events, the library….
There is so much to do but we forget about most of them becuase we are glued to the tube .
Good luck and I look forward to reading how it turned out for you.
Audrey - There’s no way I can cut the tv or computer completely off. I have certain hours that they can be on. That’s more for my sanity. Your very brave!! This is mainly something for the older kids to do. My 12yr old has been entertained for many hours and days. Then I encouraged him to make them for christmas gifts(dog leash, key chain). Just to keep him busy. On u tube they have many tutorials for survior bracelets made out of 550 cord. Good luck and I hope this helps.
Heather Young - Thinking back to what I did when I was a kid-and my mom was the same way-no T.V. during the day-find something to do! I was the oldest of 4, and would always get games going of imaginitive play. Have kids transform kitchen/dining into a restaraunt-they make menus (with things they can really make) and take turns being the waiter, cook and customer. Suggest they write and illustrate a story, then have them share with the whole family. Have them create their own summer camp. Each kid comes up with their own “station” and gets to tell the other campers how to do the station. This works great because each kid can lead something they are good at.
If worse comes to worse, and they just keep saying they are bored and have nothing to do, write a list of house hold chores they can do and post in common area. Call all the kids over and go over what you have included on the list. Inform them that the next time they can’t think of one more thing to entertain themselves they are free to choose something off the list to do. Make clear that complaining to you is not an option anymore. If they come up to you just say “check the list!” 🙂 Hope any/some of these ideas help!
Sandy - I like the Minute to Win It idea. That show and those ideas ROCK.
I have to say though, your kids play inside and outside more than most kids. I see it in your pictures. 🙂
Angela Atkins - Let them do their own thing. You might make a suggestion or two, but with my son, he seems to flounder for a bit and then settle into some monster story of his own with his legos or whatever for hours. Reading is good. Take them to the library if it is decent in your place. It is always so amazing what they do when they aren’t using the tv or games that I rarely want them on.
Lori - Growing up, I didn’t dare mention that I was bored, because my mom would immediately hand me a list of chores that she kept handy for such occasions. I took a similar route with mine as I told them “I am NOT a cruise director”. Boredom never killed anyone, and once they get bored enough, the imagination kicks in and they come up with things to do.
One of my favorite things to do as a kid, in the summer, was to switch rooms with my sister for a week. It took a long time to straighten the room, then pack my stuff and then move into her room. She loved it too.
Good luck! Put your ear plugs in for the initial whining, and then they will find something to do!
Darcie L. - Build a cardboard house out of a refrigerator or Washer/Dryer box, or more than one. We used to cut doors and windows in them, then spend hours and hours drawing on them, inside and out. Decorating them like a real house – hand-colored bookshelves with books (titled, of course) and curtains and flower boxes on the outside, and a mailbox slot to slide mail through. All colored with markers or crayons. Don’t know if they’d stay in one spot long enough to do this, or if you have a place inside from the heat to do it, but I loved it as a kid!
joye - ok, this may run up your water bill…but our whole street plays, from 2 to 15. We have a HUGE basket of plastic animals. They put the water hose down on the curb and create “animal creek”. Make beaver dams with sticks and rocks and mud (which eventually get blown up by fireworks by the older kids), they make boats out of sticks and glue, put animals in groups down the street in each neighbors yards, fill buckets with water and send it down and watch the animals get taken away in the flood….you see what I’m saying. Water hose and animals lead to lots of creative fun!!!
Catriona - PS. Have your kids got Bop It! ? It is BRILLIANT and costs about $20. Hasbro makes it. It is really addictive and I can imagine your kids loving it – although the noise will do your head in after a while…!
Catriona - No TV AND no going out because it’s too hot?! That’s hard work. We don’t have a TV at all, just a laptop that we watch DVDs on: I have watched Monsters Inc almost every day for about 3 weeks with my 5 and 3 year old!
My children are much younger than yours so I don’t have any great tips but how about this: http://www.skiptomylou.org/2010/06/09/mom-im-bored-jar-from-somewhat-simple/
Keep having friends round and invite yourselves round to other people’s, those would be my failsafes. Also, as others say, they’ll work it out. Read books, play games, be bored, make stuff up, help, fight, etc.
Erika - Put them in charge of some sort of cookie or lemonade stand and let them keep their profit! Or think of someone to give it to.
Make those little weaving loom potholders we did when we were kids. I saw them at Wal-mart today.
Make jewelry with felt and beads.
Have them advertise and do a car-wash.
Go on some sort of scavenger hunt. You’d have to organize that one, but who doesn’t love a scavenger hunt?
Jenn N - I have tried this too but caved a bit on rainy days or when it is just too hot to go outside. For us, it’s the Wii addiction.
We have spent a lot of time this summer at the library which often has great programs, gone to movies, got them in the kitchen to cook and bake as much as I can, they each have a camera, lots and lots of reading (have I mentioned I have a financial incentive for every book they read), parks, splash pads, berry picking, lots of lego, children’s museum, games, games, games (I have never played so much Yatzee and Uno in my life), shipped them off to family, had family visit, go to the beach for dinner and a swim, play dates with friends, take them to the mall to begin back to school shopping, puzzles, and pray that school starts soon.
Maria - wow…you are brave.
We only do the computer for a couple hours a day, same with tv (well, maybe double that for tv, give or take)…but I do make them get off everyday for ‘quiet time’ (nap time for the littlest one) while the older 3 play in their rooms…legos, whatever.
I let them play much more in summer than in school time…during school days its only on weekends for computer/ds/wii time. TV for 30 min to have a break, then HW and other activities usually take over…so sometimes they’ll get more, but not lately.
playdates, swim time (I don’t even go out unless I’ll be near a pool…the heat index here is just killing us), summer matinees…
but usually I just tell them ‘go play’ and they do whatever…yesterday it was ‘percy jackson’ type play since they were playing a lego minotaur game and they watched a bit of the movie during lunch.
I guess mine are still young enough to not get too grumpy about it…but its still there…
oh, and reading time if they get really grumpy about having to have ‘quiet time’ in the first place…which they whine about at first, then get so absorbed in their books and/or fall asleep.
4 days and counting!
Lisa from Paint in My Hair - they could work together to put on a play…costumes, set design, write a script, make refreshements and tickets, etc..
that’s what I’m hoping to have mine do, anyway 🙂
Jen - One more thing: read yourself some John Rosemond–his mantra “Parents were not put on earth to entertain their children”! And I tell mine that ALL THE TIME! If they say they are bored, I tell them “Only boring people are bored.” That shuts them up quick!! 🙂
My mom used to pour us some green kool-aid, line up the cups on the back step, and lock the back door! We HAD to play outside until my dad came home! We survived–and we had NO neighbors. We made MANY forts, lots of pots of dandelion stew, and many great memories!!
Heather - I honor you for doing that, it’s hard but good for them! 🙂
Maybe teach them how to do whatever you’re doing all day (without making it sound like a chore), have themed days on a visibly posted calendar with an activity per day that they can look forward to. Like “fort day” where they are allowed to turn the living room into a giant fort, or lunch menu items that they love like “ice cream sundaes for lunch day”. Make “spirit” days like at school where they wear a certain outfit on that day. Set up an indoor photo studio (pick a backdrop, put a stool in front) and take “formal” or modeling/headshot photos of your kids for fun. Let them make it like glamorshots if they want, or let them paint their faces or do whatever with their hair. “camp” indoors one night (sleeping bags on the floor) or spend a day researching stars and space and then drag mattresses outside one night and look at the stars to see if you can find some you know. Have them do their own preparations for school or encourage them to scrapbook their summer memories (print out a LOT of photos from your camera).
I’ve got my son starting to ramp things up for school, like practicing his handwriting and giving him little homework tasks so he isn’t shell-shocked when school starts again. 🙂
Good luck!
PS-pray about it!
Mrs. Jones - Amen, sister!!
We have been playing card games. Specifically, Nertz and Egyptian Ratscrew. For the younger kids, we play Skip Bo and Ruckus (card games you buy).
Lindsay - Tell them “All children whining of boredom will be put to work! Find something good to do, or I will find something for you.”
bobbie - I agree about not entertaining them.. make them entertain themselves. Maybe take a trip to the library and let them check out some books to read but other than that, just let them play by themselves. If they need suggestions of what to do… I would keep the broom and cleaning supplies in plain sight. hahaha. Then send them to texas.. my house needs cleaning.
Suzette - I feel your pain!! I have an ONLY child that was grounded from everything electronic/phone/friends for a week. Wow! I couldn’t say, “Go play with your siblings” so it was all me all the time. Let’s just say board games, legos, and books got a lot more use that week and mom got nothing done! Oh well, we start school next Thursday so the countdown is on!! Hang in there!
Daniele Valois - I think they will figure it out! Suddenly, they will be bored of being bored and start playing together and use their imagination! That, or tell them it is time to scrub!
elisa - I tried this day before yesterday. It lasted one day. It’s too stinkin’ hot.
tara pollard pakosta - what about board games?
for your little ones what about a good old fashioned game of find the button ?
what about the older ones designing a fun treasure hunt for the younger ones?
charades. reading out loud to all of them, a good classic. mine are loving Caddie Woodlawn right now.
paper dolls. build a doll house out of boxes for barbies/pollies (older ones can help make the furniture out of wire & cloth etc.).
I always give mine school work if they complain they are bored, that ususally gets them off playing on their own. we don’t have this problem thankfully! mine do go on the computer more in the summer I noticed though. during the school year we limit their time on any electronics.
Christine Ishmael - My dad took away our TV when we were kids for 3 years! We were TVaholics and wouldn’t go out to play! Head the the library..we became avid readers and still love to read to this day…books on tape for your non-readers and comic books for the boys…lots of good stories out there…love anything Roald Dahl…if you’ve never read Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, then read it with your kids, hysterical!
Michelle - Let them build a huge fort in the house with all the blankets, sheets, chairs, tables, they can find. Encourage them to take flashlights in the fort and read, let them eat lunch in there, etc. I know clean up sucks, but they will make fun memories.
Kori - It may sound counterproductive, but why not have them create their own TV show that they put either on video for viewing for August 21, or even just act out like in the ‘olden days’ when there were live studio audiences.
sara's art house - We are so on the same page. I am so sick of the tv and video games. Its not even like we use it all day- it is just that they CRAVE it. I want them to play like I did when I was young. I heard a friend say that they won’t even begin to really play until they say they about bored about 3 times. Tough it out girl! You can do it! Just try and ignore the complaining and see where it leads- it will lead to something because their imaginations WILL kick in. It just takes time. I am really trying to do this- trying to relax- it is OK if they say they are bored- they have plenty to do – they know where the paper and markers are. They know where the board games are….they have books (i have seen your pictures of their books 🙂 🙂
You can do it ! You are awesome!!!
anna. - They will make their own fun out of boredom. They need to cross that threshold first. Boredom breeds imagination and free play. Don’t worry one small bit about it. They’ll figure it out!!!
Ana - Man, Meg, I could have written your post! My kids don’t know how to entertain themselves, either. My daughter can find ways to play by herself, she likes to color or play with toys, but my son…. the minute the screen (TV/computer/leapster) goes off, he’s as lost as can be! He and boredom are a lethal combination. It’s terrible. Nothing I suggest seems to be good/fun enough. I am looking forward to reading all the comments! Hang in there!
Margi - I feel your pain! We don’t have a TV, just watch what we want on the computer… but I’ve been so frustrated with our 7yo’s computer addiction. I’ve told him on sunny days he doesn’t need to play at all… and then I end up letting him a little because he drives me crazy when he’s not playing. We’ve gone as long as a week a couple of times but I would love to say no more until school. But uh yeah, our school doesn’t started for over a month yet!!
Courtney - Sometimes, it just takes 2 minutes to get them going on some heavy pretending. You just might have to say, “how about you can play hotel? you’re the owner, you’re a visitor…” etc. Assign a few roles. Give them a scenario… “you’re visiting a tropical island”. Maybe even throw in a natural disaster for some action? One person can be the doctor who saves the day?
Also, journaling. It saves me all the time! Of course, I mean the kind with lots of layering, tons of art supplies, etc.
donna - i had my 3 neices here over the weekend – plus my own 6 children! we made kool aid play dough – they loved it! then we set up a pretend bakery and everyone made baked goods (there were a few hot dogs in there too). we set them up on pretty plates with doilies and fancy napkins and played bakery. I had several other projects planned, however by the time we made the playdough, created our goodies and played bakery there was no time left to do anything else.
Meg B. - we only have basic cable and one nintendo ds that only gets used on car trips. we save it for special movie nights or the olympics. they do have toys that they love, trains for the 7 year old and dolls and crafts for the 10 year old. the book shelf is full and they both love to read. we also make sure we make it outside some each day, early morning with lots of bug spray for when it is in the 100’s like it has been for the past few weeks. i also involve them both in preparing meals for the day and meals for the freezer. it will get easier and you may decide that after school starts they won’t miss it nearly as much. good luck!
Liana - chores + reading + projects (something to paint? scrape? sort? windows to wash?) then it is up to them. Plan a couple of field trips each week and then they can figure the rest out. 🙂
Love your caveat, btw. My boys watch maybe 1-2 hours/week…but I get my fix after they go to bed.
Janelle - We started no screen time M-Th last fall and we’ve continued it through the summer. My best advice for you is NOT to give them things to do…or else they will always come to you for something to do! I strategically set out stuff for them…I’ll put a pack of UNO cards on the kitchen table…a couple of coloring pages on our project table, etc. Then I let them find them and decide what to do!
Kimberly - Take them to the pool. That’s what hot summer days are for!
miss lynn - well. we are
the freaky family
that DOESN’T EVEN
HAVE A TV.
(except for during american
idol season. then we
dig it out of the
basement. it’s about the
size of a shoebox.)
anyway.
hit the library. check out
a fun read aloud. read the
first chapter to them
and get the older ones
to read to the younger ones.
cross your fingers.
idea number two.
water balloons.
three.
pick up a huge box
from the refrigerator
store. one for each
kid is best. they will
play for hours.
meg, you are a great
mom. have fun!
www.Kellyloves.wordpress.com - scavenger hunts, obstacle courses …
have them create a list and then have them go at it. If they have something to work off of, it may help.
you’re a wonderful mom — and you’re not mean – you’re smart!
http://www.kellyloves.wordpress.com
Stina - I’d just suggest doing nothing. Kids find something to do. If they are just going to whine and complain, then you could suggest a few extra chores….but, otherwise, kids usually find something to do all on their own. Good luck! I think you are brilliant! It might be a shock for a few days, but they’ll figure out that they need to come up with something else to do…and usually those are some great memories. 🙂
kristin blumberg - As a kid, I always liked to play in the closet with my mom’s old crinoline and other vintage clothes. My sister and I would spend hours doing that, putting on make-up, doing each others hair. We also entertained ourselves with big old empty boxes. We made so many interesting things, and it was FUN!
This summer, my kids have been playing a lot of Skatergories, Banagrams and Yatzee. We have been doing watercolor still-life paintings with flowers from the garden.
Good luck!
Lora - Love the read an hour and walk a mile suggestion! My son broke his arm on day 3 of summer break so our summer of swimming went down the tubes. There’s been way too much tv and Wii around here! yesterday I had them take the clothes off the line and make cookies…….then I rented them a movie!! sigh……..today we’re heading to the park for a picnic lunch with friends.
Good luck, dear Meg. I’ll be praying for you!!
Keri ~ Forever Folding Laundry - Oh, the conversation between Annie & her friend cracked me up! You’re such a meanie. 🙂
I was going to suggest a big box, too. Could you run to your local Sears and see if they have any refrigerator boxes to give you…cut out doors & windows…give the kids some paint or crayons and let them make a box village? Hopefully they could keep themselves for awhile without your help.
Good luck and know that I feel your pain as well. I have a back to school countdown going on our blackboard. 🙂
Angela - Kudos to you, sister! I so wish that I had the self-discipline to implement and stick with it. I’ve tried to definitely limit it this summer, and it’s worked OK. My older boys are great at entertaining themselves when they can get outside. But with a heat index of 105 or higher (which we’ve endured quite a bit this summer), that can’t happen for long right now.
Kristy - There is a fun game called Quelf! It is silly and fund for all ages.
Michelle - Maybe I am the only one that feels this way, but why are they not entertaining themselves? They can read, color, play with legos, play with friends, go to the park, or just figure it out themselves.
Bec - Take them to the library and have them pick out a few books. Create a reward system for each book that they read. It’ll help them get into gear for school coming up AND they will be reading. You could even have them have to give you a summary of the book to prove they read it. If Annie can’t read on her own, set aside 30 minutes a day where you can read with her. Your kid’s teachers will appreciate it- trust me 🙂
Courtney - good for you! i’ve never done it for a chunck of time…but i’ve definitely done it on certain days. i always tell people it’s like pulling a bandaid off…it’s PAINFUL at first. the kids drive you INSANE! but you just have to stick to your guns and NOT entertain them all the time and you WILL be amazed at what they come up with! it’s some of the sweetest moments between my kids!
Dana@Bungalow'56 - Megan,
I haven’t had a chance to post about it yet, but this activity… my girls came up with on their own. It kept them busy for about an hour. They asked if they could use my old magazines, and then took out markers and gave the women in the ads makeovers. Several computer based games for girls are like this. Anyway, they would change their lip colour and drawer heavier lash lines. After a bit of this they started to create mustaches and vampire teeth, so I could see boys even enjoying it. It was an easy thing to do, a few magazines and some markers. Have a contest to see who can make the most beautiful face and then the scariest or weirdest. Good Luck. You are a brave brave woman.
Dana
erin @ little apartment on the prairie - Good for you. I think there are times when that is the right thing to do. My parents used to shut off the tv and kick us outside, we found stuff to do. My nine year old was recently getting a little hard to handle so I took away his DSI for awhile. Kid’s get addicted to that stuff too! And though I have endured constant nagging and asking for it back, after a week or so, he’s acting better and finding things to do outside: digging, hunting for bugs, harassing the dog. It’s all good.
Kate - Buy them rollerskates (with rainbow laces).
As a kid my mother never really entertained us like I always feel pressure to with my own (I have five, too.)
Most days things are good, but when we are idle at home for too many days in a row and I don’t want to go anywhere and spend $, I get fed up with their boredom. Oh to be bored! (They hate this by the way) They seem to be able to know when Mom is fed up and scatter about the house, magically they play games and read books and occasionally they actually get crafty without arguing over every little detail. It’s hard to find the balance.
Something that always puts us back on track is having them be a part of something bigger than themselves…helping out at a retirement home with computer skills or games always feels good. They would love your children.
Angie - We start school next Wed, so I’m seeing the light at the end of the tunnel here! My kids (13 & 9) get 1 30 minute TV show and 30 minutes of computer time during the day. We’ve done this all summer. They’ve read a lot of books..my oldest is writing her own stories. I’ve been trying to schedule things in the middle of the day…seems like after lunch is when they get stir crazy. We have been getting out the slip n slide, going to the library and lately we have been volunteering at school. Of course, having friends over always works, but then you have the friend wanting to watch TV and get on the computer. Love your blog, btw!
Katrina - You are brave. I can do a couple days without technology and that’s about it. We do a lot of arts and crafts at my house. I just buy a bunch of supplies at the dollar store and let them create whatever they want. I’ve got foam picture frames all over my walls right now. And sometimes I have my older daughter take the younger one to the playground (so I can get some homework done). They even make their own little books sometimes. My younger daughter makes a picture book and the older one makes an illustrated written story. Good luck.
tasha roe - teee heee hee!! laughing so hard at Annie’s friend!
we do treasure/scavanger hunts. instead of giving a straight list of items we make questions that have to be answered THEN find the item. might take more time to prep than it takes them to finish….
my boys like to make up their own games with cards, game boards, etc. they sometimes use playing cards, inside of cereal boxes or cardboard boxes for the board. its usually decorated with construction paper or scrapbooking scraps. they’ll borrow lego pieces, etc – very creative stuff.
i have been wanting to do this for a while – write letters to friends and family. tell them about their summer, etc. include a photo or hand drawn photo, etc.
we like to make collages with old magazines. they could decorate some folders for school or a bulletin board for the room, make locker inserts, etc
hum…homemade playdough? lol 😉
katy - i spelled construction paper with a K …nice
Becky - Dutch Blitz! It’s an old, fast paced card game that has become a summer staple for us. We let the littler kids start with a smaller stack of cards to get rid of but other than that it is enjoyed by all ages! Our summer rule is that you have to read an hour and walk a mile (exercise) before any electronics. Good Luck!
katy - mine love to play with their cars, trucks and tractors in the dirt under our shade tree.
this will help you out…….
*have a meeting, tell them you are going to set a timer for 10-15 min. while they are in their rooms picking up, tidying, etc. when the timer goes off, they’re allowed to leave the room and stop cleaning. My kids honestly had fun w/ this activity b/c of the anticipation of the alarm on the microwave. One of the kids was finished w/ his room and my daughter was NOT, so bro helped sister finish her room. Granted, their rooms are NOT so picked up today.
*give them piles of Old magazines or catalogs, have them make their own “dream boards” of things they think are pretty or want. they can glue their cut out pics on construcktion paper or whatever you have…brown grocery bags..
ok, off to my ob appointment soon……gotta jet
Niki - My boys found a toddler sized mattress in the storage room and have spent hours riding it down the stairs in the past week.
A safer activity might be to let them do a collage with magazines and anything else they can come up with. That’s always fun! Or maybe make a diorama type setting for the lego people.
When my sisters and I were old enough to use the video recorder, we made our own music videos. Lip syncing, outfits, the whole nine yards! It was hilarious!
I’m making mine clean out the gross car today. See I’m a fun mom, too! LOL It really has been stinking hot in Kansas lately! Hopefully it will be a little cooler today!
Nikki - My sister and I were the queens of entertaining ourselves as kids. I don’t know how my mom did it, because my kids are not quite that way just yet 🙂 My mom would let us build tents in our rooms with blankets and sometimes she would keep every empty food package or let us use the canned goods to play store. She gave us old magazines and each our own notebook to make collages or just glue pictures we liked. With my kids, I let them have at my box of paper scraps, or make paper dolls (my oldest, who is 5, really loves that one.) Or, verrrry occasionally, I let them gather a ton of pillows and quilts and things in a huge pile in the living room, then start running from another room to jump in it. We call it the “crash pile”. Anyway, I love reading all these other good ideas! 🙂
Stephanie Carroll - Maybe this is old school, but in the 80s when I was about Annie’s age, sometimes my dad would bring home a big box- like a refrigerator box? and we loved it. We made forts and stuff…this sounds really lame and country. That’s Amarillo for ya I guess.
We also loved running through the sprinklers?
Mickie Lara - As I write this, I am on my laptop, my 6 year old son is playing his DS and the TV is on… yikes! I would like to say that is rare, but I would be lying. I have been home with my son this summer and it has occured to me that he too doesn’t really know how to play. And being an only child, it’s even tougher so I have yet to ban these things although I have considered it. I can still remember one summer when I was a kid and my parents unhooked the television for the whole summer (no computers then)I was 8 and thought I might die…I didn’t! But, it was actually my mom who broke down because she wanted to watch the Watergate trials and a Barbara Streisand movie (yep, I’m old) and I have been watching tv ever since! So, my only advice would be rather than none, maybe just regulate it a little more so they won’t tip the other way when it comes back.
barbara - you live in a massive house right? what about epic games of hide & seek and capture the flag (or a hidden treasure/philosopher’s stone, etc)…… or they could put on a play about a world where TV and Video games/internet are the ONLY things children are allowed to play with and about a rebel who brings down the system so all kids can be free to play outside, tell stories, play sports and games. wow, I’m getting carried away here! they could organize a neighborhood talent show?
good luck!
alamama - good for you! we have never had a tv. we are pretty strict on the pc time too. it is also 100+ here all summer. they listen to books on cd, read, daughter (14) does make movies/videos on her pc (it’s for church, some of, it so i let it slide.). Son gets with friends and plays basketball, etc. i guess he is used to the heat. library, daughter volunteers two different places. son pretty much entertains himself. the first two or so weeks are usually the hardest. then they start finding stuff to do. you can do it!
becki - I feel your pain. I am so sick of seeing my kids faces in a screen. Isn’t it crazy? Then friends come over and they all bring some kind of hand held thingy and I’m thinking “you’re friends are here and you don’t even make eye contact with them….put that crap away!!”
We allow our boys an hour of video per day and a little longer with the tv. It’s so hot here in Houston that I’ve let it slide to longer. Even the pool water is hot! It really is about the balance.
During the school year they know to not even ask about videos during the week. It is absolutely not allowed. Ever.
So to help with the hot issue….put a fan outside. We do this with the ping pong table. Also, have you seen the fans with the water misters built in? Those are good. Sometimes the boys take a big plastic bowl of ice outside and just hang out.
One of the commenters mentioned playing with a cassette player, me and my little sister did the same thing and it was a blast.
Maybe some of the kids could work together on writing a book like Diary of a Wimpy Kid…someone is in charge of illustrations and someone in charge of the story. My boys wrote one two years ago called the Adventures of Fart Boy. When they were done, Dad took it to his office and made lots of copies of it for them to hand out to friends.
I’m worried for you…pulling the plug on everything when it’s so stinking hot outside is gonna be tough, but I have done it before and could care less who thinks I’m mean.
And yes…”I KNOW you’re bored…it’s summer, you’re SUPPOSE to be bored!!!”
Julie K. - Oh my gosh! I did the same exact thing two weeks ago. No TV or video games for a week. My kids were different people. They cooperated, they were thoughtful. Amazing change. As a result I’ve limited video games to weekends only and only two favorite tv shows during the week. I didn’t entertain them except for just one or two projects up my sleeve. I was not their entertainer – they pulled out the board games – they read SO much more, they loved the books on mp3 our library offers, I’m toying with pulling out some old pots and pans for them to make mud pies. Make some little wooden boats for the pool – they make them into speed boats. Giant pieces of paper for murals. We’re making shrinky dinks today. Once they adjust to the shock … you will have new kids. 🙂 Never. turn. back. ! 🙂 I paid my kids to pull weeds – put them to work – it gives them more motivation to play on their own when they’re done. 🙂
Danielle @ Transforming Home - My kids always love the indoor tent/fort thing. I try to use dark blankets and towels so it is dark inside the tent, then they can play with flashlights and other light up toys and it is so fun!
Good for you doing the whole “no TV and computer” thing. I have never even thought of trying it. Not that our TV is on all the time (about 1 1/2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon, then off till bedtime), but it would be a huge deal in this house to miss Calliou. Hmmmm, now you have me thinking….
heidi @ wonder woman wannabe - I worked as a director for a YMCA day camp before I had my littles – here’s a few things I remember organizing
backyard bowling – save up plastic water/soda bottles rather than recycling right away fill them up part way and set up like bowling pins use one of your sports balls
hide and seek & fort building, (indoor and/or outdoor)
nature walks combined with scavenger hunt to look for items along the way
board games
cooking/baking
encourage them organize larger games with other kids nearby in the neighborhood like capture the flag, baseball, kick ball, dodge ball etc. or even dream big and create their own olympic games!
GO! 🙂
naomi - Oh where do I start?
I too am tired of entertaining and coming up with things for THEM to do.
I agree with so many of your other readers … let them get bored.
Two weeks ago I didn’t ban the tv/video games, but I did tell them that I would only play WITH them actively for an hour a day … the rest of the time, THEY have to figure it out.
Sheez … I mean, when we were kids, my mom NEVER played with us …. we did it all ourselves. (and walked uphill to school, BOTH ways in the snow!)
Anywho – I have no suggestions, but love the one who shared that when they kids say they have nothing to do, give them some time to clean out their closets of all of the “things” that they don’t enjoy anymore to give away.
Sara @ It's Good to be Queen - we struggle with this too. I get sick of the t.v. but after a while of not having the tv, i just want to give in so i can get a break! It’s hard to come up with things that don’t make a huge mess that you then have to spend an hour cleaning up. Would they enjoy washing the car? I thought about doing that today just because it’s been 103 degrees and they could play in the hose and get the car clean…. maybe they could give waffle a bath? Do they like puzzles? I’m impressed that you’re doing this. I feel bad a lot b/c I hardly watch any tv and my kids watch too much. I console myself with the fact that it’s educational…but still…. Okay keep us updated with how this goes and what ideas you have. You’re a rock star. the end.
Joni - Oh, and I forgot to mention: we were not entertained, at all…we had to entertain ourselves! And if the words “I’M BORED!” were uttered…we had to do a CHORE! I also learned to do ironing and lots of laundry at an early age, too. So…for your older kids, laundry will take up plenty of time, it took two days out of my week!
Joni
Becky @ Farmgirl Paints - My girls love to watch tv, but thank heavens they’re great at using their imaginations. A long time ago we came up with an “I’m bored” list. It has about a dozen ideas of things they can do when they can’t think of something on their own. Here’s just a sampling… play barbies, make forts, play cook, dress up and sing, color, put on a play, play polly pocket, legos, sidewalk chalk, play hotel, get out uno or battleship, clean your room, read, take Fergie for a walk etc…
Good luck! It makes the days soooo long when you have them constantly interrupting you for entertainment.
Joni - Our family of nine grew up without a television…of course, that was back when television was the only electronic entertainer…but I venture to say your kids WILL LEARN how to entertain themselves: we did!
We read.
We played library…really we made cards, categorized all our books, had a checkout desk with a typewriter, phone and etc. This would be set up upstairs and would last for days.
We played school, same as above only it was school and dolls could be the students, although there was enough kids at home that we would take turns being teacher/student/principal.
We worked in the HUGE garden.
We rode our bikes and as we did, we pretended we were bus drivers, had our stops, etc….
We laid in the dirt and made roads, lumber yards, etc…with our matchbox cars. We had elaborate setups for all of this. The lumber yard was made with sticks broken into pieces and stacked and bundled like what we saw at the local lumber yard. Our houses might be stones, and into the dirt we would carve out driveways, etc.
Soon, your kids will REMEMBER how to play. I, too, am troubled by the amount and the hold that electronic entertainment has on our kids. Shoot, even I find MYSELF picking up the iPhone constantly to check it….
I don’t like that about myself or our culture…but it is what it is. I admire you for your efforts to get back to “knowing” your kids again…
GOOD LUCK, MEANIE!
Joni
Rebecca Kriner - Thank GOD it doesn’t apply to you I nearly hyperventalated when I thought you wouldn’t post for two weeks.
Janine - I’m not a parent but as a teacher I have found that the all or nothing concept is never a good thing. It pervades everything else in their lives. If I don’t know it, I won’t try or do it at all. Kind of a learn to give up fast kind of attitude. Without realizing it that is what taking away tv cold turkey teaches them. It’s a subconscious thing. Your kids view this as a punishment and they may or may not know what they did wrong. I agree with you that too much tv and computer is bad. They become tv zombies. I think your sanity and the kids would be better served by setting strict tv time limits and maybe keeping the no computer rule. It may be summer but 100 degree weather isn’t exactly run around outside weather. Maybe make tv/videogame hour at the hottest part of the day, not first thing in the morning.
for non tv activites- take them to the library for a new batch of books. And see what free events are going on there. Come up with a charity activity so the kids can do something good. Have each of them make calendars for the upcoming school year. 10 mos. of pictures to make. Start brainstorming Halloween costumes. Do you have any free museums nearby or somewhat nearby? Lakes? Good luck.
Kelly - I LOVE Emily’s post!
I think it’s a badge of honor to have your kids call you mean.
Sounds like you’re doing something right.
They’ll show their appreciation later!
Krista - Oh I am so ready to go back to school! We don’t start until August 30th. I must say “Go find something to do” at least 100 times a day to my girls, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. With it being so hot, no one wants to go outside and if they do, it’s only for a short while. I am glad you are having the same problem. You have crossed my mind many times when I am at my wit’s end. I always think “If I were Megan, what project would I have my kids working on?” But that’s as far as I ever get! Luckily my older one was busy with a pack of colored popsicle sticks, glue and sequins for hours yesterday while the younger one napped. Peace and quiet!!!
Kelly - Good for you! I applaud your pluck!
You are a wonderful mother and I love reading about you and your family. I love craft days and all the fun things you do with them… but…
kids these days need to find their own entertainment. I believe your imaginative activities give them a basis for making their own fun. Your kids seem very creative, and you allow them to run with their ideas. So, they’ll be fine. It will just take time. Once they are wandering around the house, they’ll rediscover a game, book or puzzle they set aside. I’m sure they’ll do their own art projects. They’ll make up games to play outside. They will use all that wonderful background knowledge from all the things you do as a family to make their own fun.
I am a teacher and am flabbergasted at how children expect to be entertained. After the initial shock wears off, they will miss it less, and appreciate their new found freedom.
Just like you and sugar!
Jenni McIntire - One of my absolute favorite memories as a kid was when my younger sister and I made our own radio station. Remember cassette tapes? We would record our voices as the hosts of WCUP (yes, it’s potty humor) 37.9 with Earl and Esther. We would chat and play music. We also had segments like Scary Mary “It’s Scary” stories, cooking with Julia Child, and we would do our own commercials. We spent hours and hours doing this, laughing so hard we would cry. I wish I had the tapes–we have looked and looked and can’t find them–but the memories last forever.
Kari - that’s a tough one. have you been to the library lately? that seemed to help us out having new books to read. and last night my kids had out the jump ropes – of course it was 8:00 by then so it had cooled off. good luck! i live in omaha and we start school on the 11th in our district – it’s been a fun summer but i’m ready!
Lorie - You are stinkin hilarious! I too struggle with this, although I haven’t banished the tv or computer yet….but seriously, kids these days DONT know how to play. My kids are CONSTANTLY telling me they are bored. Please! Go outside and play, although our weather here this summer has been TERRIBLY hot too, and YUCK, who wants to be outside when it’s like that.
Amanda - You are speaking to my heart! I have struggled with this for so long….and my kids are only 4 and 2! I finally took pictures of all the things they play with around the house (and some things they dont), made a chart for them, and everyday, they have to decide from the pictures what they are going to play with that morning…then they stick the picture on the chart. They have to do what they put up there for at least 15 minutes. It’s kind of hard to explain. I am posting about it later this morning, so you could stop by my blog and take a look….if you wanna. I have tired of entertaining them 24-7! So I get what you’re saying. Hope you find a great solution and tell about it! I use anything I can get for help with this issue.
mary - we used to have scavenger hunts, put on plays in the yard, have a drawing day in the woods, hunt for funny things around town, you know there are sites that give hillarious scavenger hunt rules for walmart and other stores, we never had any of these fun gadgets as kids, i think our biggest thing was being allowed to watch tv from 7-9 and if we were really lucky to watch saturday night live
best of luck meg!
Julianne Brimner - Okay no suggestions, but I am cracking up about the conversation between Annie and her friend….I might be tempted to ban her little friend…just kidding…My six year old plays outside all the time when it is cooler, but at 100 degrees it is really not an option right now.
Denise - I so love your honesty here. My kids are fine as long as the neighbors are available to play – the minute they have to come up with something to do on their own – all I get is sad eyes and the “i don’t know what to do” song. u.g.h. so glad that I am not alone here!
Dee Stephens - Right on! I don’t have kids but this is an awesome idea! Kids don’t know how to play anymore!
Amy - My kids get 60 minutes of screen time per day during the summer. If they complain about that limit or say they are bored, two things happen: they lose the next day’s screen time altogether and they get to do a chore! This summer, they’ve had to try on ALL their clothing and model it for fit, purged toys for an upcoming consignment sale and sorted all the school work that’s been piling up in a giant tub for 3 years. We have also added some outside “building” materials this year that have been fun – camo netting and pvc pipes for making shelters.
colleen - We’ve given up tv for lent several times over the last few years (our computer policy is 20 min per day). It’s not exactly summer, but it’s a pretty cold and wet time of year here.
The first 3 days are the worst, and then they forget about it totally. I remember when my youngest was about 6 she said, “I forgot all about the TV. We should just give it to a poor family.” I was like….”Not so fast”!
Just let them go…tune them out. They will find something to do out of necessity.
Jen - We did a Skip=Bo tournament a few years ago when we did much the same. We played each night as a family and kept track with scores, charts, etc. Kids LOVED it! We have also done reading time and bible study time–we all read the same Proverb on the same day and then each shared something we learned from it. For kids it was VERY simple but they did it!
Anywhere you can all volunteer? Any VBS programs the younger ones can attend? Helping an elderly neighbor? Let the older ones plan and cook a meal one day a week? Cooking lessons? Do they have daily chores? Deep clean/declutter bed rooms?
As you can tell–I am a “mean” mom too and have thought all this through before! 🙂
Elizabeth Gleason - A trip to the library! crazy I know they still exist. I have a kindle now but I still appreciate the library from when I was a kid.
Kate - Make play doh !
Tara - the stories that you could tell them of when you were little could have something to do with how we totally entertained ourselves without the tv or computer. what computer? there were no computers in homes when i was little (and we’re right at the same age.) 🙂
Tara - my kids are away at my parents house this week and they know that when they come back…life as they knew it (with tv and computer) is OVER.
I’m not turning it off 100%, but we’re going from WAY TOO MUCH THIS SUMMER to about 2 shows per day on the tv and maybe 30 minutes of computer.
Kudos to you for quitting cold turkey.
ideas….
legos
board games
reading
playing outside even though it’s 147 degrees
let them invite friends over
remind them that you are NOT their cruise ship director and then go into all the stories of how it was when you were little…. 🙂 see if that works.
stacie - I feel your pain … the end of summer is crazy, and I feel like I have tons to do to get on the ball for a new school year. I’m thinking I’ll take a day trip with them … I don’t know what’s in Kansas but we are thinking of going to a working Amish farm, a nearby National Shrine, a lake to skip rocks in it, state park area with caves, waterfalls and hiking. For me, that few hours in the car on the way there and the way back can be a time to pray together, brainstorm ides, set expectations with them. Anyway, I’ll pray for you. Good job! Thanks for inspiring me!!
Debra - Good luck, momma & good for you!
We used to be tv-free & limited game time but have been very lax the last year. I had planned on having everyone take a break for a while until my son got a laptop for his birthday last week. I feel bad not allowing him to play on it then.
tami - My kids are the same way lol. They sit on the couch and play video games or my daughter is on the cell phone. When I was little we were gone from sunup to sundown. I dont know why these new age kids are afraid to go outside. There is a lot of loonies out there that lerk but we live in a very safe neighborhood in the suburbs go figure lol. I think I have scared them to death too. I take them everywhere and wont let them walk to the corner for sodas and chips.
We go to the park and a lot of places like the Georgia Aquarium,Botanical Gardens,Museums,Plays. All of that stuff requires money I know but thank God I’m in the media and get a lot of freebies lol. I’m going to say a prayer for you and your family but its a lot they can do.
rachelle toimata - Hello, gorgeous blogger. I have spent the better part of the evening scrolling through page after page of wonderful posts about your life seen through ur lens and heart. Its really inspiring. Parts of me felt connected to the way you choose to live your life, other bits felt challenged that I needed to up my game for my family. I agree with se7en, leave them be. let them get bored. its a good experience (and a bit painful for you) but they quickly learn to make their own fun. Meanwhile, spend the time you would spend with them creating your own fun. They may want to join you or not. Do something you really enjoy. Make your favourite dessert then sit down and eat it for lunch! Hahaha. They’ll come around. Being bored isn’t the end of the world. I try not to entertain my lot all the time. They have come to love reading and drawing and calling up friends to hang out at our house. They will always play computer games and Playstation when given the option but like you, I totally think its not necessary and I also don’t like their attitudes when they are on it. When I remove these things, my two oldest start talking to each other and playing games of their own free will. I might suggest things to them, but really I try and stay out of it. You will do well whatever you do. It feels a bit ridiculous sending you ideas because you have a good handle on parenting. I look forward to reading what you choose. x
ellen - Having school-aged kids is so different. This summer has been eye-opening for me as two of my three are not preschoolers. My eight-year-old wants to know what we are doing at.all.times. AND! we did something different this year: no summer camps. It’s been good and also very hard. I’ve realized how much I depend on them to entertain each other. I’m definitely focused on giving them more time.
I don’t have any great ideas, mostly because I have been stealing ideas from you (especially the crafts!). I did just want to say that I hope you’ll have grace for yourself and them. I feel like those last few weeks of summer are always intense. They are so ready to get back to some sort of routine. For us, summer is about spending time with our kids. Our children go to school. Public school. So, we’ve decided that it’s really important to capitalize on our time with them in the summer. I know that this blog is just a piece of your life but it seems like you do such a great job at that, really spending time with them doing things they love.
se7en - Leave them to their own devices for a couple of days – once they get over the horror you will be amazed at what they get up to!!! I am sure you have lots of crafty books and materials lying around to inspire them – leave them!!! I always have a few days when we have a break from school when my kids roam around waiting for something to do… and I so want to fill in the time gaps… But I remind myself that while I am their mother I am not the entertainment!!! And seriously after a few days they get it and then I don’t see them for dust!!! If someone really is looking for a project I have plenty of leaves to sweep and plenty of cupboards to wipe and… you get the idea!!!
Emily - I think what you’re looking for is an activity to keep your kids from pestering you because they’re bored-but don’t you want them to learn to play on their own? Or with each other? I don’t want to be in charge of every minute of my kids’ days and I only have two! When my kiddos start complaining-you know the mantra “I’m booooorrred. Can’t we watch Teeeveeeee? There’s nothing to dooooo” -I’ve come up with a few responses. {Brace yourself, I may sound like someone’s mother here} First we treat the phrase “I’m bored” like a bad word here. You don’t get to say it without some serious “what did you say?!” looks from Mom. Then I remind them of their room full of toys-if they really are that bored, they can go through the toys and figure out which ones we’ll be giving away, seeing as they don’t want to play with them anymore. If that still doesn’t stop them I tell them if if I hear them complain about not having anything to do I’ll give them chores. I wouldn’t know what to do after that because my children fear extra chores more that they fear the Easter Bunny (who is not allowed anywhere near our house).
Make them figure out how to be kids 🙂
Sophie - You can let them camp inside…. Either put up a real tent if you have one or build one from sheets and pillows (way more fun)
And then you can let them sleep in it overnight or just stay there during the day.
Bake
Do a treats trail. Tape a piece of yarn (one colour for each child) to the end of their beds and wind it around the house, leaving treats (doesn’t have to be candy etc) along the way. Keeps them occupied for a really long time, especially if you use the whole ball of yarn each time.
ElizSeg - Game Day. They each pick a game they want to play and you play it as a family or group.
Water fight. Outside, of course.
Making school supply bags for charity. Have them check the newspaper for sales, make lists, buy, assemble, and deliver to a charity or local school.
Pinata. You have to fill it with good stuff. Recently at the store I overheard someone on the phone asking which tin of MIXED NUTS to get for her pinata. I couldn’t resist, shook my head no and said, “Um, none.” She gave me a dirty look but I had to stick up for her kids.
Have them plan, make, and shop for dinner. That helps you AND teaches them.
Lemonade stand.
Scavenger Hunt.
Mentos in Diet Coke experiment. Very cool. Buy several 2 liters if you do it cause you’ll wanna do it at least three times.
Make your own ice cream or snow cones. Heck, Kool-Aid and crushed ice will work.
Yard games – you might have to buy some equipment but it should be on sale right now & you could offer prizes like an ice cream sundae or a root beer float.
Beth - 1) Our kiddos like to play “parade” they line up some fun & creative things and then take turns parading past us while we clap. 2) Sardines… like hide-n-seek, but when you find the ‘hider’ you hide with them, cramming everyone in the hiding spot until the last person finds you. 3) Treasure Hunts 4) Yard Olympics 5) silly challenges like you can only talk in 3 word sentences all day & we keep score, if you catch someone wrong you shout “BZZZZ!” and keep score 6) Make a Family board game… this was in Family Fun magazine a few years ago… find an old game board & customize it, make up family questions & fun facts, find fun little game pieces around the house, use mint tins for keeping prizes in, find something fun to use for prizes, cover the outside of the box with family photos. *I am super impressed with your no TV/Computer idea!! But not sure if we could make it without it for 24 hours! Wow! Maybe you are starting a challenge for us all… hmmmmm
Meredith - Minute to Win It on NBC has lots of fun games you can make and play at home. http://www.nbc.com/minute-to-win-it/how-to/
amanda - I feel your pain! We’ve cut the tv / computer time way back for the last couple of weeks. We do 45 minutes of reading time and I’ve put all the art books at a place where they can reach them easily. They’re learning to have independent play time, but it’s still hard. My nine year old son has been making things from The American Boy’s Hand Book by Daniel Beard – great book! Today he made a bow and arrow out of a stick, elastic string and shot off pine cones for half an hour. 🙂