Comments on: When plans don’t stay planned

By: Laura Vanderkam

Laura Vanderkam — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 16:22:32 +0000

In reply to A. @A - absolutely!

By: A

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 13:22:42 +0000

I’m assuming you’re another CTYer? ;).

By: Calee

Calee — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 14:27:07 +0000

At least in Texas, the community college system offers a dual enrollment option for high school students. Summer classes are typically pretty quick and he might be able to knock out a science or math credit (and potentially get transferable college credit as well ).

By: Cb

Cb — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 08:50:07 +0000

We just have one – nearly 5 – so are enjoying the last year of full-time daycare/travelling when school is still in session. So we start “summer” the first week of June, with the Queen’s jubilee weekend (2 extra days off!). We’re going to stay in an eco-bothy on a farm. Then at the end of June, kiddo and I decamp to Portugal for two weeks to visit my parents, we have a long weekend at the beach with distant cousins in early August, and then school starts on the 17th. I

I’m done with teaching already so I feel like it’s kind of summer as I won’t be back in the classroom until late September, now time for research and writing.

Our summer holidays are shorter (6 weeks, a bit like a US year-round system). But I’m trying to figure out what we do for the 9 days off in October, February, 2 weeks off in Easter and associated insert days. I think it’s pretty rare to have two fulltime working parents in our village, so options are a bit more limited, especially for younger kids? They have holiday clubs at the school, but rumour is that they are pretty lacklustre – I found a wildlife camp for October, maybe drop him with grandparents in February, Easter is easier as teaching is typically done by then and my university closes for a week.

By: Natasha

Natasha — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 18:12:23 +0000

Not sure if he’s old enough but the summer after my daughter’s 9th grade year she did a 3 week EXPLO camp on the campus of Yale. She choose two courses to take – world religion and infectious diseases. Loved it, and is now a senior in college, chemistry major. For the Explo camp they stay in dorms and do fun weekend day trips to NYC, Boston, etc. My son went away to the same camp in NC for five summers, which was a better fit for him. Cabin living, cooking over a fire, swimming, and such. My youngest (11) has refused camps until now, but is doing an overnight soccer camp this summer and we will fill in with weekly private lessons in other areas of interest for her.

By: Maureen

Maureen — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 16:23:55 +0000

We’re still trying to make it to Tanzania after postponing our trip for the past two summers.

Our only snafu: My son moves up from U13 to U15 hockey, meaning the week of summer hockey camp with his club is different. I knew this, but neither my husband nor my son realized it. It doesn’t interfere with the Tanzania plans, but it doesn’t work as well with visiting extended family.

By: Nelle

Nelle — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 16:20:37 +0000

In reply to Rebecca. That humor writing class looks like a lot of fun!

By: Caitlin

Caitlin — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 15:39:40 +0000

The summer between 9th and 10th grade is tricky, before kids are 16 and old enough for summer jobs. (And of course most teenagers can’t afford expensive sleep away camps.) When I was that age I volunteered at the local hospital and the local library. I was on the neighborhood swim team and I had a job babysitting every morning after swim practice. My oldest is ten now, but I definitely plan to have her volunteering and working in some capacity at that age. I know our swim club hires 14 and 15 year olds to work in the snack shop, for example. And we hire the teenage guy next door (also in 9th grade) to mow our lawn weekly and weed our flowerbeds as needed. Your church could be a good place to start if you need some leads for volunteering!

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 14:51:04 +0000

I don’t know how close you are to Penn, but there’s a writing project on campus that offers summer writing camps for students entering grades 9-12. Here’s the link: https://philwp.gse.upenn.edu/

I used to work for the chapter in Denver and it’s great!