12 And 8 Yo to Stay Home This Summer - Help with Concerns?!?!?!

Join Netflix and help them pick out movies. You could do a different theme each week: Oscar winners, different directors, movies set in Africa.

Have them do projects around the house, like organizing your photos, closets, or collections.

You might want to find a reliable, responsible teenager in your area who is willing to drive them into town and just hang out with them 1 day/week.

For food, summer is a wonderful time to have salad. You can keep all the fixings (lettuce, cucumbers, olives, nuts, cheese...) handy and they can make their own salads each day. Also, granola and yogurt makes a hearty meal. You can make bigger suppers and then save the leftovers for the next day, to be reheated in the microwave.

Hi M.,

I have an 11 yr old who has had to stay home on occasion, I typically fix him a lunch plate (sandwich, a fruit, veggie sticks & chips) I also keep fruit, granola bars. Give them things they need to accomplish durning the day such as reading and chores (Laundry, garbage, dishes, dusting & vacuming) Things that don't require harsh chemicals. Make sure they have plenty of games they can play indoor(board games & electronic so they can mix them up) and outdoor (basketball, soccer, catch).

Hi M.,

My daughter is only 2 is as a mother I have no advice... but like one of the other mothers below as a child I was in a similar situation.

My mom would teach summer school... or be working on her advance degree so us kids were on our own. I was the oldest and only girl with 3 younger brothers. My 2 youngest brothers would listen to me (they were 4 and 7 years younger then me). My one brother, 2 years younger then me refused to listen to me. He would get upset over everything (like me saying time for lunch or we should do our chores before mom or dad come home).

I was 12 when I started to 'babysit' and even with the class I was not ready to handle many situations. Like my brother locking himself in a closet or room, or him running away (my parents always knew where to look for him but it was very scary on my end). My brothers always got into fights and I could never break them up... finally my parents would split us up between neighbors or friends. Just be carefully and aware when siblings babysit siblings... know how your children interact with each other and don't put them in a situation where one is a 'parent' over the others.

Food wise my mom just had cut fruit, veggies and sandwiches fixings for us in the fridge (we did not have a microwave so it had to be very simple). For snacks my mom had trail mixes, granola bars and fresh cut fruit. Everything was pull and go, we just ate what was there... we did sneak chocolate or other sweets but thats what kids do.

Best wishes in your choice.

How well do they get along and does the 8 year old listen to the 12 year old?? Do a trial run for a week or two and let them know ahead of time if they do well, do the chores assigned, keep the house clean, give you a weekly book report and do so many pages in a math book , etc. that they will be rewarded in some way ( take a trip to an amusement park or something fun with the money you would have saved sending them to daycare) but if not they will need to go to daycare. Or if it doesn't work out have the twelve year old do some odd jobs around town to keep her busy, mow lawns and clean house for the elderly, babysit, paper route, walking dogs, weeding gardens as well as light duty around your own home-- organize your garage, basement, toys, have her be in charge of your garden... and have the eight year old go to daycare. Reward your daughter with something she really likes every week or two-- a manicure, a day with her friends, time shopping with you, a game or movie -- Hard work never hurt anyone, it keeps them honest and accountable and they will be able to save up for something they really want. Kids are really motivated if they know there will be something fun in it for them every once in awhile. It also wouldn't hurt to have someone you trust to check in with them once in awhile or have someone they can go to if there was an emergency.

Food ideas-- sit down with your daughter and son and let them assist you with a menu for the month. Kids like to be involved and they will more likely stay with the menu if they help with it. Quesadillas are easy in the microwave -- flour tortillas and cheese, meat, black olives or whatever they like , scrambled eggs in the microwave, baked potato (in the micro) with cheese and toppings, sandwiches (tunafish, eggsalad, meat, cheese, pb&j), soup , burritos, have lots of fruit and vegies on hand. Check out a Microwave cooking or kids cooking book from the library. This will be a great learning experience for your children to learn how to make their own food and enjoy it. Just go over some safety guidelines with them and let them know that part of cooking also includes cleaning up. If you trust them and they are responsible they will do well. I hope you and your kids will have a great summer!

I like the ideas of giving the kids stuff to do- from theme days to chores. I think daily chores would give them a sense of responsibility and that everybody has to pitch in. They would have their individual lists to do, the could get to the fun stuff.. My dad made me do book reports weekly during the summer.. My friends thought it was a drag for me, but i actually liked it. I still love reading to this day. So maybe coming up with some school-like 'chore' activities would give them some structure too... I would personaly attempt to limit the TV time by giving them all that other stuff to do. Is there a more relaxed 'daycare' or friend's house that they could go to in the other town where they could be a little more free to head off to the library or pool or whatever but still have an adult that they check in with?

I would NOT personally let my children stay home alone all summer. There are so many concerns in the wold now with random things that occur. It would be best if you had a teenager that could at least check on them every once and a while. Work books and other library books would be helpful for activities. Making a calendar of today is (themes) sports day, or jump rope contest day or other ideas that are planned out on a calendar for them with ideas. It can be something that they plan. That was it's something that you are able to know what they are focused on within that day.

Ideas:
color days everything orange, red, blue
scavenger hunts
board game day
watering the flowers
picture day (organizing a set of photos in an album)
research bugs then find them
opsticle course
learn to cart wheel
practice for a recital (piano, dance)
put on a play/skit

Maybe have different theme days....
Monday is chore day- earn some extra money
Tuesday is Movie day -rent them
Thursday they can prepare dinner for the entire family
Friday free day

If they have no friends or anything to do they may become very bored and turn to sleeping or watching tv all day.

They do have camps at the YMCA where you can try and get a scholarship if your eligible.

As far as meals hotpockets,pizzarolls, sandwhichs, spaghetti o's etc....

I use to spend my entire summer with my best friend she was an only child. Her parents moved and would fly me out to Atlanta for the summer. She lived in a fancy neighborhood with a pool,tennis, and country club so we were never bored. We drove the golfcart around and worked on our tan. Not having those things to do we would have been bored.