Summer Activities for Kids (and Parents)

Good morning! The kids are off to school and I'm perusing a list of summer athletic camps. My son loves basketball and soccer, so that's a no brainer. My daughter, on the other hand, is a book worm (she's in 3rd grade, reads at a 7th grade level), very artistic, but hasn't taken much to team sports.

She tried soccer, didn't like it, but did manage to finish out the season. She told me this morning that she would like to try volleyball, so we'll see if she likes that better than soccer. I'm just happy that she's willing to give it a whirl.

I wasn't into team sports as a child, either. I loved to read, collected rocks (probably why I eventually became an archaeologist), played make believe, and took a lot of music lessons (piano and french horn). That was all fine, but I have often wondered what I missed. I believe playing team sports can foster a strong sense of self esteem, advance one's ability to tolerate and work with others, and it certainly offers health benefits.

I was a chubby cheerleader. There, I said it.

I endured some insults from other kids, but mostly, I wasn't happy with my physical appearance. I still cringe when Mom drags out the old photos. I would like to help my daughter establish a healthy lifestyle now, and hopefully getting involved in team sports will help her do that.

I'm sure we will be regulars at the local swimming pool again this year and we already have new fishing poles. Whatever it takes to get them off the couch and outdoors...the DSi will not win this battle!

Howdy!

Welcome to Juice Box Junction, where the juice spills and the cookies crumble. But, not to worry, my friends, it 'ain't nothin' but a thang.' I'm a single (divorced) mother of two and have one of each. My daughter is the oldest, nine going on 16 (isn't there a song about that?), and my son will be seven in three days...the countdown has begun!

Birthdays at our house are a week long affair. If the special day falls during the middle of the week, we do our little family thing, with a small cake, open gifts, then the actual big birthday bash is held during the following weekend. Sometimes other family members can't make an appearance for a few days, so they straggle in with their well-wishing, and the whole thing seems to drag on to the bitter end..."I repeat, it's not your birthday anymore...get over it!" Thank goodness my labor didn't last as long as the celebration...I would have sent them back!

I remember how I wanted their first birthdays to be so special. Not too much planning, just the expectation of the big gooey-goo-blob moment when they dove fists first into beautifully crafted baby cakes and frosting was flung to the chimney with care, and in their hair, not to mention the chair...

Too bad birthday planning isn't as easy as it was then...hmmm...maybe it could be...I'm certain my son would love to eat his cake and fling it, too...