Well, my lovely munchkins are out of school. And this means I get the joy of bringing them to work and trying to balance out their desire to do nothing but watch t.v. (and my secret desire to let them do that so I can get some WORK done!) and the need to be a good parent and NOT let them do that.
So I’ve told them they each only get 60 minutes a day of “electronic time”. They are very familiar with this as I’ve done it many times in the past. This summer I’m only giving them 60 minutes of schoolwork which they are thrilled with. And I’m giving them 60 minutes of MY busy work, which I’m paying them for, and only the oldest is thrilled with that!
I’ve got them learning to take notes while they watch a history program that the oldest gets to pick out. I’ll get the middle one involved in working up some science project to do.. I’ve got a nifty little worksheet I found online for that. And for the rest of their day they get to do whatever they want as long as it doesn’t involve an electronic.
This has turned into a “fend off the bored nine-year-old” activity. I’ve got board games and activity sheets and coloring.. instead they are wrestling around the living room as the youngest takes everyone on individually.
Joy. Well, at least my heavy middle son is getting exercise!