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guitarnan
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| Posted: June 07 2010 at 10:41am | IP Logged
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I am really hoping to keep my tween away from video games for at least part of the summer. She is such an extrovert that she bores easily at home. She likes to read, but not all day long (unlike her bookworm mom!).
She loves to swim, but I have to be at home part of almost every day because I work from my dining room table.
What do your pre-teens enjoy doing on days when it is too hot and muggy to go outside?
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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hylabrook1
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| Posted: June 07 2010 at 10:48am | IP Logged
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Learn to knit/crochet/embroider? Play card games -both with others and solitaire? Learn to cook/bake (I know you're into this yourself. Maybe make something extra-special that is more than you would do if you were squeezing meal prep into a very busy schedule). Gardening - maybe a small plot of her own to tend? I'll add to this as I think of other ideas; maybe I'll even ask my own daughters!
Peace,
Nancy
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mom2mpr
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| Posted: June 07 2010 at 1:50pm | IP Logged
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These are from ds (12) and dd (7)
-draw--there are some online drawing classes that are fun--Mark Kistler (not sure I'm spelling it right) is one who is fun that comes to mind. He has videos online.
-from dd-crafts, " a trip to Michaels to stock up."  Yarn dolls are fun to make. Maybe make a bunch of something to be donated.
-a pet--we have bunnies and they are quiet and fun. Need to clean cages about 2x/week if inside.
-online foreign language--some libraries have access to a program either Rosetta Stone or another.
-ds say's to write a book, poem, something for a magazine like Highlights, Boy's Life--or girl equivalent.
-volunteer for a few hours a week at the local library, animal shelter, nursing home or even your parish VBS.
-do some jobs for mom/earn $--my ds balances my Discover Card bill (yes, I pay him a few bucks), mows the grass, etc.
-start Christmas planning and gift making.
-find a county fair near you and see what you can do to enter. Ours has artwork competition in addition to baking, all the agricultural stuff, bunny club, dog obedience, crafts--a lot of fun.
And if I were working from home I'd make her cook dinner every night Well, maybe most nights--PBJ and mac and cheese could get boring.
Thanks for making me us think about those days when the cry of, "there's nothing to do," rings through my house.
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Anne, married to dh 16 years!, ds,(97), Little One (02), and dd (02).
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Sarah
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| Posted: June 07 2010 at 10:55pm | IP Logged
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If she is like my extrovert 13 yo, she doesn't like activities alone. He is pretty bored or lost without people thus gardens and other handicrafts are no fun for him unless he's doing it with me or another sibling or person. So, its tough. I found a list of 101 things to do for him and he claimed it all sounded boring, but they were all activities he would do alone. I guess the answer is to be near him, talking and helping him most of the time. So, if I ask him to make pizza, for example, I'm in the room. He only came out today to look at "his" garden that I ended up planting for him, because I was out watering it. So, I guess what I am saying is that if you can find baking, crafts, etc for her, she may enjoy them with you or another person. I find extroverts to be very hard. Also, be sure she has plenty of outside interaction to fill her social cup. Also, give her some chores too, to mix in and then maybe a fun reward for doing it well. I don't think this was much help. Sorry.
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Six boys ages 16, 14, 11, 7, 5, 2 and one girl age 9
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hylabrook1
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| Posted: June 08 2010 at 2:20pm | IP Logged
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Sarah - I'm not Nancy/guitarnan, but I think your observation is very important. Recognizing the role of temperament in whether an activity is *boring* or interesting is definitely something to keep in mind. Also, as you say, the same activity can shift from boring to interesting depending on the context, for lack of a better word.
Right now I'm in the midst of trying to explain to my 14 yo dd that even if she is bored, I can't take her a million places or answer questions one right after the other because I have other things to do and think about - like dinner, laundry, planning school for next year, even (and I know this one is just unbelievable) re-fueling my own energy. Pre-teens and younger teens are a very tough audience to play to at times!
Peace,
Nancy
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guitarnan
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| Posted: June 08 2010 at 2:32pm | IP Logged
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I definitely agree. My dd is 110% extrovert and I am, well, not.  It makes a huge difference.
I love these ideas...so many fun things! I hope she'll be willing to start on Christmas/birthday party gifts...I really need to be more organized about gift-giving this year because of the crazy dance schedule.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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KackyK
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| Posted: June 08 2010 at 3:16pm | IP Logged
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Got a digital camera? Make some movies. My dd15 makes them all the time. But just today, my ds 13, who had shown no interest before, made some of him "playing" with his transformers. He added his own sound effects (his mouth!) and some music and it was rather amusing. Amused him for a couple of hours at least! He did it with just his regular digital camera, not the house video camera, kwim?
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KackyK
Mom to 8 - 3 dd, 5ds & 4 babes in heaven
Beginning With the Assumption
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guitarnan
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| Posted: June 08 2010 at 5:21pm | IP Logged
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We have a Flip (a free item from Verizon, LOL!). Making a movie is a fun idea...although I confess to visions of my kitty cats dressed up, unwillingly, in little costumes...
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: Tween Activities/Hobbies for Hot Days
