Ugh. Tweens. Not old enough to stay home for the day and too old for most summer day camps.  How the hell do ya’ll do it?

This is totally new territory for me. I noticed it last year.

It was a hot day and we had already been to the beach twice that week and it was only Wednesday, so I decided to pack a blanket, snacks, water and towels and take the kids to the Spray Park. My kids love the Spray Park. Well, they used to.

This year my 10 year old daughter looked at all the 3 year olds having the time of their lives playing on the ‘choo choo train” and then looked back at me and said, “What do you want me to do? Playwithabunchofbabies!”

And she was right? I had never really looked at the situation before through her eyes.

I just expected her to run under the water for 3 hours. You know, eat some snacks, reapply some sunscreen, fall and skin her knee, complain that she was cold and then do it all over again.

As Bob Dylan said, “Times they were a changin’.”

Every year, every day, every minute its something new that I am not ready for. It just never stops.

Sometimes they surprise me!

“Wait, is that Rebecca from dance? I’m going to go play with her.”

Sure enough, my daughter who had just announced that the Spray Park was for babies was off playing with Rebecca from dance and having a great time at the Spray Park.

It’s a damn crap shoot.

Also, don’t tell me it is not my job to entertain my kids all summer and that it is good for my kids to be bored. Well, sure. I get that. But, we have tried that approach and it doesn’t work.

I am a damn Cruise Director in the summer. And everyone knows a Cruise Director needs to be prepared!

Obviously, I am not buying ALL these things. But, in case you have to be a Cruise Director in the summer for your little jerks, you might like to consider these ideas.

This I bought. I loved our tether ball set when I was a kid, so I am hoping that rubs off.

My Mom bought this for my kid’s a few years ago. WE LOVE IT. I had the original as a kid called a Zim Zam.  I used to ride my bike home from lunch just to play over the noon hour. I was pretty good. I’m still good. So good, that we have to find some replacement balls because I like to kick my husband’s ass when we play.

This I am buying. I seriously think my kid’s are going to love this. I am super stoked about it! Maybe it’s for me, maybe not.

My daughter loves Graphic Novels. So I can never really go wrong with these. We probably won’t buy this from Amazon. We’ll take a day and go to the local book store.

I am super debating this idea. I don’t want to go through all the work of setting this up, only to have it turn green and mouldy, wreck the grass and then have a neighbour kid drown in it.

THESE ARE LIFE SAVERS. When they get into this, they really get into it. I just like to have a shitload of sidewalk chalk on hand for when the mood hit them to actually draw on the driveway.

I am not going to buy the human sized connect four. It is way out of my budget. But I want it so bad it hurts.

Inflatables are THE best. But, they stress me out at the beach. Are the kids out to far? Wear your life jacket? Did I forget the pump? Fucking nightmare, but fun.

Water guns are the best. I mean, someone always ends up crying and I usually get the shit sprayed out of me. But, I don’t care. When the water guns come out, it usually means I am so desperate, I have lost my mind.

The trees in my back yard suck for this, but lot’s of people I know have them and LOVE them. Some are just for balance, but this one is a ninja one.

Have you tried this game? I mean, we are still a total UNO house, but this one is fun, when I remember the rules. Usually, someone gets punched, but the first 10 minutes after we remember the rules are usually punch free.

It took forever but our son is FINALLY into Harry Potter. My daughter is fully against, but seeing him read the books has brought out some sort of competitive nature in her and she wants to try the series. Pray for me that this works. Because I am sersiously ready for them to read and watch the movie all damn summer.

Again, not going to buy this but want it so bad. I think I could make a kick ass drinking game out of it.

This should get me about two hours of free time. Is it worth it? Financially, probably not. But desperate times call for desperate measures.

BUY UNO. YOU HAVE TO. It’s the best for family nights on the deck. We usually make milkshakes and play. Super fun and usually only one kid cries and throws the cards.

Painting is always hit or miss in our house. I usually set everything up and get about 3 minutes out of them. It is usually best when they start painting themselves, that gives me about 6 more minutes and then I have to clean them, the carpet, the towels and the shower. I will buy this locally at a really cool kid’s toy store that we have downtown.

Happy Summer.

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