Remember those Evil Canevil motorcycle toys where you pull the cord to rev up the motorcycle and off it goes? Zack got a Fantastic Four toy similar to that, and he plays with that thing for an hour at a time trying to break his record in how far he can get it to go. Seems to me like the old fashioned toys entertain the kids the most - well, except video games. Zack's other favorite is his cap gun...
Larger than Life...
This is how we roll - two ice waters and a large Diet Coke with extra ice. The kids prefer water to anything else which is strange to me but good for them.
Park fun...
Happy moments...smiling eyes!
A trip to the pet shop...
Zack: "Here lizzy, lizzy, lizzy..."
And, lastly, a tribute to my pops (RIP). As a kid, my dad would cut a watermelon in quarters and give each of us kids a piece. We'd go outside and eat away spitting the seeds at each other. It is a good memory I have of him - one that brings a smile to my face! So, this one's for you pops - here are your grandbabies keeping a tradition alive! And, they got just as sticky and dirty as Julia and I used to get!!! These are the tiny moments in time that make life enjoyable.
Question for moms out there: How much time do you allow your kiddos to play video games on a summer day? Do you make your kids read or do any type of academic work during the summer time? Do your kids have chores? Do they get an allowance?
I have taken to giving each of my kiddos $5 when I am going to run errands that include any type of store which is about once a week. Then they get to manage their money. They've done pretty well. The hardest part is for me not to cave to their wanting to get something that costs more! I figure the best thing to do would be to have them save their $5 and add it to the next week's $5 and then return to let them purchase what they chose that cost more. Hmmmm... I need to get better at this! :)
3 comments:
My kids are older and so I am not a good judge about video time. In the summer, they play more b/c it is too stinking hot to go outside here. (They can only swim so much.) My 10th grader has had to read Hamlet and The Lord of the Rings trilogy for school and write a report on them. Anna is in summer school taking ESL, so she is reading. My other son is severly dyslexic and HATES to read... it is such a struggle for him. Daniel is just learning how to read (working on the "Bob" books) and improving his English.
Their chores are unloading dishwasher and bringing dirty clothes down/putting clean clothes away. Once school starts, their chore list will be increasing. Our two new additions have been here long enough to settle in to our routine. The problem is we have a house cleaner, a pool guy and our yard is kept up by our HOA... we do not even own a lawn mower. Just this week, I let our pool cleaner go so the kids can learn that responsibility and cut my cleaning lady back to every other week. We'll see how it goes.
Allowance has been the same amount per week as grade they are in... I am on the fence about allowance now that they are older. Not sure what to pay them for, what is expected chores, etc.
Sorry this ran so long. Concise is not easy for me with four kids now. :)
HI Deanne,
It always looks like you have so much fun! As for video games, Klaire doesn't even have one, so I'm not a good judge on that, but this summer I have her read to me every night and then I read to her. Currently we are reading Kit's books from Amercian Girl because she wants to see the movie. I also play games and have bought her alot of puzzles. You might want to try to read some fun books to them like Charlie and the Choc. factory, we just finished that, like a few chapters a night. I also have her do some simple workbook pages a day. I think I wrote you about those a few months ago. As for money, you have great idea! Klaire will be in first grade next year, I can't believe it! Take care.
Kristin
Watermelon and water are also a favorite with Kristina. The interesting thing is that she likes hot water or tea (I give her chamomille)...so European.
As far as video games she doesn't own one. She likes it and plays with them at the dentist office or getting her hair cut but at home I prefer for her to do kids' games on-line. www.pbs.org, www.uptoten.com, www.starfall.com - for reading is excellent.
She is expected to do chores like clearing up the table after dinner every day and picking up trash from trash cans in bathroom and bedrooms once a week, once in a while helping sort laundry, fold clothes, do dishes - she is really good at it, of course because it involves water. No allowance yet. I do not want her to connect helping around the house with getting money. She is a member of the family so she has to contribute to keep the house nice and clean plus she really doesn't have any expenses that she would need money for. I will probably start like you did - money for spending if we go out when she is 7, and then allowance when she is old enough to make lunch and decide if she will spend her money buying lunch or make it at home and save.
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