Off The Fence - Summer months leave parents searching for day programs

Susan Thompson
Express staff

This past weekend we celebrated Mother’s Day (hi Mom, love you), and now that the flowers and brunches and homemade gifts have been given and received, Moms are once again facing a perennial problem: what to do with the kids over the summer.

Most of us sign the kids up for some kind of summer classes or sports, since it’s a chance to get the kids out of the house for a bit, lets them burn off energy, alleviates their boredom, and gives them a chance to see some of their friends. Unfortunately it’s getting a little late to sign your kids up for most summer classes or sports if you haven’t already; in some cases it’s even getting late to get them into sports for fall! It seems as soon as hockey season ends the scramble to get into summer sports begins. Spots are almost always limited and I never look forward to registration days for various kid activities. I’m always relieved when I can get in, secure some kind of place for my girls, and get out again unscathed, somehow having once again successfully survived the gauntlet of long, slow-moving lines, frantic and competitive parents, grumpy children, and detailed paperwork. Sometimes there’s even a little mild pushing and elbowing, although really it’s a wonder more riots don’t break out among Moms desperate to get their kids into the most popular sports, like soccer.

There are lots of options though, depending on what your kids are into, and not all of them fill up as fast. We’ve done swimming lessons in Falher before and the outdoor pool is always great during those long, long hours of Peace Country summer sun.

There are a few other classic answers to summer vacation. Summer camp gets the kids out of your hair for weeks at a time, although my own kids have been too young for that option until now. There are also several day programs for kids running in various local communities, and often they involve lunches, crafts, activities and even field trips.

Unfortunately, none of these options are free. In a recession that means making more careful choices and possibly deciding not to do all the stuff we did in past years.

If you’re working full-time it’s even worse, because full-time summer childcare can get expensive very quickly, and again, spots are usually limited.

Personally, this year I only put my kids in art lessons in Peace River. Not much competition for spots there, and it’s two hours of quiet craft time for them every Saturday that gives me a chance to get groceries and run errands. Good enough for me. My girls can get their exercise riding their bikes and playing catch in the backyard with their Dad (and doing their chores, grumble grumble). I’ll probably curse myself for it later, probably mid-July when my kids are telling me how bored they are, but maybe we can make up for it with some extra sleepovers and playdates.

Of course, summer is a great chance to come up with some special family activities too, to spend more time together, to reconnect and maybe even to take a trip. None of that has to be expensive. Just baking cookies, flying a kite or camping out in the backyard with Mom and Dad can put a big smile on a child’s face and make summer special. There are lots of ideas for free activities to do with your kids online too, from putting on a play to holding a scavenger hunt, and of course, endless crafts. I know, I’m lucky I don’t have teenagers yet and my kids are young enough to enjoy stuff like that, but then teenagers also usually get summer jobs!

Grandmas and grandpas generally fit into the equation somewhere too. Give a little cheer for them, since they charge nothing, there are no lines and no paperwork to fill out to get to see them, and our kids love spending time with them (they know they’ll be spoiled rotten, after all). The only issue with grandparents is coordinating to make sure all grandparents get roughly equal time (otherwise, arguments and hurt feelings ensue, and that’s no fun for anyone).

All in all I’m just trying to remember not to stress too much. Summer is supposed to be fun, after all, even if sometimes I wish fun didn’t take so much advance planning.

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