About Me
- Olivia Fox
- I am a believer in God, a mother, a daughter, a sister and friend. I am purpose driven with intentions of inspiring, provoking thought and dialogue while motivating and changing lives GLOBALLY...
Friday, May 13, 2011
The Olivia Fox Fix: What in the ham sandwich am I going to do with the...
The Olivia Fox Fix: What in the ham sandwich am I going to do with the...: "Parents believe it or notl this school year is quickly drawing to an end. I'm scratching my head like....'where did this entire year go so ..."
What in the ham sandwich am I going to do with these kids this summer?
Parents believe it or notl this school year is quickly drawing to an end. I'm scratching my head like...."where did this entire year go so fast?" Be that as it may, as my mom says, its almost over and now the question becomes what in the world am I going to do with these LITTLE BASTARDS for the summer?Ok maybe little bastards is harsh and completely inappropriate, but I CANNOT be the only parent who just wants to say that, at least once!
When I was young, many moons ago, I dont recall my mom and dad worrying about what to do with myself and my 3 older brothers, for the summer break, we were just trying to make it. Technology was NOT like it is today, so we thought everybody was doing what we were doing, letting tomorrow worry bout tomorrow, and enjoying today. Today with the divorce rate at 50 percent, and in most 2 parent homes, both parents are working in some type of capacity, money is tight and gas is outrageous!. Can folk really send kids to these expensive ass summer camps? How about ,golf, swimming, tennis, football, soccer, art, dance and karate lessons, not to mention money for a family summer vacation?
What advice can a mother of one, who salutes all parents who have more than one child, I dont know how ANYBODY raises MORE THAN ON... sorry I digress....here is some simple advice.
1. Get a calendar a planner in front of you, mark the end of the school year, and the day the next year school beginss, break the time up by weeks and then put in activities that are already in place that continue all year round. Like my kid is in horseback riding, it's all year round, put that activity on the planner. Then.... if you are going the camp route, figure out the scheldule of the camp and fill in the days that the camp will take place.
2. Budget, dont let your mouth write a check your bank account can't cover. Kids get hype and if they hear one of their little friends is taking part in a particular activity ,lesson, or camp, they will set you up by telling you that's what they want to do. You get caught up in the kid's enthusiam and say "oh yes that sounds like fun." When you go online to register, you discover this dam camp is 300 dollars A WEEK!! 10 weeks in your summer? YOU KNOW DAM WELL YOU DONT HAVE NO $3000 DOLLARS TO SPEND ON NO CAMP!!! So... with that being said ,check your finances and THEN LOOK AT ALL YOUR OPTIONS. Be sure to check your rec centers in yout area, YMCA and YWCA's and your kid's school usually will always have some kind of magazine, paper or fliers about local day camps.
3.Have fun with it. Last June I lost my job and I was so happy to NOT HAVE TO WORK and enjoy my kid, for the entire month of July we had MOMMY CAMP. I looked at all the places, and activities we could do and each day was something different. On a Monday we would go to the library in the morning, swimming in the early afternoon, then go home and either watch a video or do crafts. The next day we went to the zoo and then cooked dinner by following a recipe together and me being the creative, over hyping a simple thing, pro, by adding some flavor to the simple activity of cooking dinner, I told her we were going to play FRENCH CUISINE and put on aprons and top white chef hats and cook up a meal. It was so much fun.
Just remember these activities dont have to cost alot, picnics are free, most museums and library visits are free, zoo free, parks for hiking ,bicycling free. Going to the beach is the best, if you plan ahead you can get great hotel rates and make it a special 3 or 4 day long weekend and THAT IS YOUR SUMMER GET AWAY.
Look, times are hard, and children are little leaches who suck the life right out of you! Hahahaha... with your wallet following close behind, but all kidding a side, the thing about children is they grow up so fast and their youth is on a fast track and YOU CANT GET THE TIME BACK once it is gone. Most of us work, but the time you DO HAVE enjoy your kids. Because when they are grown and don't want to be bothered with yo old ass....you will wish you had taken the time to go camping in your back yard and hype it up as a fabulous retreat to back to nature.(smile)
Remember... this and RAISING KIDS,THERE ARE NO DRESS REHEARSALS!! Get life and enjoy them little bastards!! Ooops there I go again, thinking out loud.!!!
ROFLMAO. Enjoy your kids!!!!
When I was young, many moons ago, I dont recall my mom and dad worrying about what to do with myself and my 3 older brothers, for the summer break, we were just trying to make it. Technology was NOT like it is today, so we thought everybody was doing what we were doing, letting tomorrow worry bout tomorrow, and enjoying today. Today with the divorce rate at 50 percent, and in most 2 parent homes, both parents are working in some type of capacity, money is tight and gas is outrageous!. Can folk really send kids to these expensive ass summer camps? How about ,golf, swimming, tennis, football, soccer, art, dance and karate lessons, not to mention money for a family summer vacation?
What advice can a mother of one, who salutes all parents who have more than one child, I dont know how ANYBODY raises MORE THAN ON... sorry I digress....here is some simple advice.
1. Get a calendar a planner in front of you, mark the end of the school year, and the day the next year school beginss, break the time up by weeks and then put in activities that are already in place that continue all year round. Like my kid is in horseback riding, it's all year round, put that activity on the planner. Then.... if you are going the camp route, figure out the scheldule of the camp and fill in the days that the camp will take place.
2. Budget, dont let your mouth write a check your bank account can't cover. Kids get hype and if they hear one of their little friends is taking part in a particular activity ,lesson, or camp, they will set you up by telling you that's what they want to do. You get caught up in the kid's enthusiam and say "oh yes that sounds like fun." When you go online to register, you discover this dam camp is 300 dollars A WEEK!! 10 weeks in your summer? YOU KNOW DAM WELL YOU DONT HAVE NO $3000 DOLLARS TO SPEND ON NO CAMP!!! So... with that being said ,check your finances and THEN LOOK AT ALL YOUR OPTIONS. Be sure to check your rec centers in yout area, YMCA and YWCA's and your kid's school usually will always have some kind of magazine, paper or fliers about local day camps.
3.Have fun with it. Last June I lost my job and I was so happy to NOT HAVE TO WORK and enjoy my kid, for the entire month of July we had MOMMY CAMP. I looked at all the places, and activities we could do and each day was something different. On a Monday we would go to the library in the morning, swimming in the early afternoon, then go home and either watch a video or do crafts. The next day we went to the zoo and then cooked dinner by following a recipe together and me being the creative, over hyping a simple thing, pro, by adding some flavor to the simple activity of cooking dinner, I told her we were going to play FRENCH CUISINE and put on aprons and top white chef hats and cook up a meal. It was so much fun.
Just remember these activities dont have to cost alot, picnics are free, most museums and library visits are free, zoo free, parks for hiking ,bicycling free. Going to the beach is the best, if you plan ahead you can get great hotel rates and make it a special 3 or 4 day long weekend and THAT IS YOUR SUMMER GET AWAY.
Look, times are hard, and children are little leaches who suck the life right out of you! Hahahaha... with your wallet following close behind, but all kidding a side, the thing about children is they grow up so fast and their youth is on a fast track and YOU CANT GET THE TIME BACK once it is gone. Most of us work, but the time you DO HAVE enjoy your kids. Because when they are grown and don't want to be bothered with yo old ass....you will wish you had taken the time to go camping in your back yard and hype it up as a fabulous retreat to back to nature.(smile)
Remember... this and RAISING KIDS,THERE ARE NO DRESS REHEARSALS!! Get life and enjoy them little bastards!! Ooops there I go again, thinking out loud.!!!
ROFLMAO. Enjoy your kids!!!!
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