Tips for When Kids are on Spring Break
By: Gayla Baer
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My kids are on Spring Break this week and I’m trying to get my work done in between keeping them from being bored, running errands and trying to spend as much quality time with them as I can.
Without having to stay up into the wee hours of the morning, does anyone have any tips to share with me and other parents who are faced with the same situation?
What are some new and entertaining things I can occupy my kids with for an hour here and there?
What do other work at home parents do to keep everything running smoothly without sacrificing their work or their family?
I’m going to leave this going as an open thread of sorts while I hop off here an take my kiddos out for lunch and a little shopping.
It’s supposed to be the nicest day of the week here — pushing mid 70′s –before it drops back off to the 40′s later this week. I want to enjoy this one quality day with them — will be back later and hopefully have a comment box full of fun and innovative ideas 
Tags: parenting, family, spring break, entertainment
Related posts:
- Spring Break is here! Don’t forget the Bull Frog
- 94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy for the Work at Home Parent
- Printables for Kids – Recommended by Mom
- MomGadget Beauty Break – Maintain a Healthy White Smile
- B.S.I. – Improve Your Blog with 5 Tips or Less
April 2, 2007 Filed under MomGadget
Oh I like this topic. Hmm, one thing I’d do if the day is beautiful enough…set up the sprinkler or a small swimming pool. Or the night before a warm night fill up water balloons and water guns, this will keep the kids entertained for AT LEAST 2 hours. I’d suggest television or cartoons but that also tends to start fights between 2 or more. Go outside and play with your friends is another, or go ride your bike out front, depending on age. Hope these help, I’m going to post a few crafts up this week. Love the topic.
I find the best time for me is before they wake and after they sleep. My kids start their vacation friday, I’ll let ya know in two weeks how it went.
I have a friend with 4 kids who says that it is not a parent’s job to “entertain” their kids. When her kids come to her and say “I’m bored” she assigns them a household chore like cleaning the bathroom. Now, they don’t tell her they’re bored… EVER. They are pretty creative kids as a result, and they’re perfectly happy. They are only allowed 1 hour of TV a day, by the way, so that’s not much of an option.
That’s not to say that she doesn’t regularly provide interesting activities for them, but she just doesn’t feel she needs to entertain them all the time.
Well, I’m a SAHM (so my opinion may not count), but I take my son to the park if it’s nice out, or we go to the library and watch movies with other kiddies if it’s raining. He still needs to learn to behave in public, so my options are kinda limited, but he LOVES going to the bookstore and playing with the Thomas toys they have set up for little kids too.
I am also of the attitude that it is not my job to entertain my kids. Yes, I pay attention to them, I do things with them, but I don’t entertain them.
We have spring break next week – hmmm, could be interesting.
Get some nice new paints and plenty of paper! I did that last week for my four year old and we have LOTS of gorgeous colorful new paintings now adorning the sliding glass doors. They look awesome with the light shining in and it really occupied some time for him.