The kiddies are out of school now (groan) I’m wondering when I was appointed entertainment director. When I was a kid. If I said I was bored my mother <I>found</I> me something to do. It wasn’t pretty. With everything there is for kids to do in this day and age, why do they have so little initiative?
When we had summers off, we worked to earn the money to buy our clothes for the next school year. We didn’t have much leisure time as kids know it today.
I don’t get it either, I used to go to a friend’s house and we would find something to do ourselves. I say, give them a ball, show them the door.
Yup, and we walked to school(no busses), ten miles (each way), up hill, in the snow…Oh yeah, this is about summer.
I worked after age 12, mostly in summer camps as counselor something or other. So it was more fun than work. But summer should be fun for kids, no sence in making adults out of them too early, kids need a childhood first, There’ll be plenty of work for them later.
Sili
I was having flashbacks of my father as I read that (but you forgot the “with no shoes” part.) He said that so much when I was a kid that it got to the point that when he would start talking all I heard was “blah blah blah blah” Yeah, Ok Dad whatever you say but Grandma tells a different story. 
I agree with that completely. I have a nine year old daughter and 15 year old sister at home as I type this and I have encouraged them to be complete bums for the summer with the understanding that they straighten up after themselves and do the few chores I have them do (vacuum, dishes, etc…) They are on their vacation after all and I know thats what I enjoy doing. No responsibilities and the life of leisure! They will have plenty of time later on in life for working and major responsibilities and why not let them enjoy their childhood now.
You only get to be a kid once so enjoy it I say! 
I don’t mind them being bums all summer. Too many kids have way too many activities at their age. What I object too is all the whining about being bored.They think I should entertain them.
My answers
- Go read a book
- Go outside and play. (We have a pool for gods sake)
- Go play videos
- Watch a movie
- CLEAN YOUR ROOM (The old standby)
- Call a friend to come over
- Ride your bike
But alas none of these answers are any good. They still want me to find them something to do (That means I’m supposed to drop everything and take them somewhere,never mind I can’t drive due to surgery and crutches)Maybe I should just beat them then at least one of us won’t be bored.
Bratman: No reflection on your children Qwisp, but nowadays if you just kick the kids out on their own to find something to do, it may end up in jailtime. I think one of the problems now, at least in my area (D.C. burbs) is that so many neighborhoods are designed around getting to and from work as fast as possible and are lacking on the “family” aspect of the neighborhood. Showing my age a bit, but when I was young we could go outside and play ball in the street. That’s not really a possibilty in most of the neighborhoods around me now… Good Luck Qwisp!