My daughter wants to be a couch potato | ADHD Information

My son just wants to watch TV and play computer games when he is home as well. Sometimes I play a board game with him. I also read with him at times.

Since he doesn't like to do much here, I try to take him out sometimes. I took him out in the heat yesterday and today. So I told him we are staying in tomorrow. On Wednesday we will be going to the library. They are having the St. Jonhs ambulance therapy dogs.

He has never liked camp. He has been to different ones over the years. I used to make him go but not anymore. I sent him to his first overnight camp last year. It was a bust too. There was a kid there who was mean to him. He was hitting him with his towel. The staff didn't really do anything.

Lostmyshoe,

If it makes you feel any better, my son and I haven't got out our bathing suits in four days!  I know my son had a perticularly bad year in school and he just really started to relax.  Let your dd have her fun.  I would just let her veg and save the worry for the school year.  Day trips can be great, maybe you could plan them together and let her pick where she wants to go.  As for being a bad mom, no way.  Our kids really need their down time.  Good Luck!!

Sounds like a typical teen  nowadays.  I would not worry as much as long as she gets some kind of excercise.My daughter has been on summer vaca for about a month now and we really haven't done very much besides swimming and hanging out at my sisters and Mom's house. Today she didn't want to do anything except watch TV and play video games.  I offer her other options and she just doesn't want to do anything.  I'm wondering if she is just plain fried from the school year and just needs down time.  Sometimes I feel that way too after a long school year of working 2 jobs and summer finally comes.  I just hope I am not being a bad Mom by letting her hang around the house when there is a summer recreation program she can be going to.  My Sister-N-Law puts her kids in programs all summer whether they like it or not.   I don't want to force her out the door but I don't want her to be a couch potato either.  We are going to the shore in a couple of weeks, but in the mean time I'm going to look into some day trips and hope I can get her to go.  What are some things you guys do with your kids over summer vacation?  Any suggestions are very welcome.  Thanks.  Dee  

I Dee!  I have thought a lot about this too.  School year is so hard, with so many struggles and battles.  I thought about having my son go to a class or tutoring or some other continuous activity, besides the Y camp he is at because his dad and I work during the day.  He is a Counselor In Training there, and has a good measure of responsibility.  But, he comes home and wants to sit and play on the computer and play video games, and it's just too hot to go out there anyways.  I think he should be doing something more productive, but I just let him be.  Of course, he is asked to help around the house more because he doesn't have homework, and I am on overtime.  Next year, before he starts high school, I might have him do something different, but fun.  I feel badly that I cannot provide the kind of summers we had as kids.  Just hanging around with nothing to do but swim and play games and watch TV! 

Oh, one time he was on "school enforced vacation" for three days, and I found out a lot about community programs offered through the city parks and rec departments that kids can participate in, volunteering, helping with younger kids, whatever they do at the centers, etc.  He also did some work for our church as a service op during that time.  There are always elderly or sick who need visits or errands run or yards worked on, groceries to buy for, or houses cleaned, hospitals love volunteers too!

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[QUOTE=lostmyshoe]Thanks so much for your kind replies.  I think she really does need some down time but I am going to try planning some day trips.  My H wants to go somewhere on Thurs. his day off and I think that will be nice.  It's an aquarium not too far from us and I think my daughter will enjoy it as well as us. We are also thinking about going to a Drive-in movie tomorrow night.  My Mom's cousin opened one up a few years ago and we still haven't gotten there yet.  I loved Drive-Ins as a kid and am looking forward to it.  I think it will be a neat experience for my daughter.  I have thought about camps but I don't think camp would work for my daughter as she is pretty shy and very sensitive about what her peers think of her.  She only likes to go places where she knows someone.  This has been a big issue with her since she started Middle School.  She does have to do some volunteer work though in working toward her Confirmation, so maybe we will gradually look into that too.  I'm glad I'm not the only one who's child wants to veg.  They have so much more work at school then we did and I think she's just plain exhausted.  Next year is going to be much harder(7th grade), so I guess she can probably use all the rest she can get.  Thanks again so much for your replies and advice.  Off for my 4 mile morning run around the neighborhood before it gets too hot.  Everyone have a great day!   Dee [/QUOTE]

you're in nj, right?  i so miss the drive-in movies, if you don't mind my asking----where is it?

Thanks so much for your kind replies.  I think she really does need some down time but I am going to try planning some day trips.  My H wants to go somewhere on Thurs. his day off and I think that will be nice.  It's an aquarium not too far from us and I think my daughter will enjoy it as well as us. We are also thinking about going to a Drive-in movie tomorrow night.  My Mom's cousin opened one up a few years ago and we still haven't gotten there yet.  I loved Drive-Ins as a kid and am looking forward to it.  I think it will be a neat experience for my daughter.  I have thought about camps but I don't think camp would work for my daughter as she is pretty shy and very sensitive about what her peers think of her.  She only likes to go places where she knows someone.  This has been a big issue with her since she started Middle School.  She does have to do some volunteer work though in working toward her Confirmation, so maybe we will gradually look into that too.  I'm glad I'm not the only one who's child wants to veg.  They have so much more work at school then we did and I think she's just plain exhausted.  Next year is going to be much harder(7th grade), so I guess she can probably use all the rest she can get.  Thanks again so much for your replies and advice.  Off for my 4 mile morning run around the neighborhood before it gets too hot.  Everyone have a great day!   Dee