Curing Summer Boredom

"Mom, I'm bored."

I bet you wish you had a nickel for every time you've heard that phrase this summer! Chances are your tween may need some help figuring out what to do with all the extra free time. In fact, August is primetime for boredom with many kids. They seem to have a "been there, done that" attitude about the things they couldn't wait to do in June.

If you want to keep your child interested, challenged and busy, how about getting him or her involved in a volunteer project? The YMCA, YWCA, churches, shelters, community centers and summer childcare programs are wonderful places to volunteer and even to find job opportunities.

Summer jobs and volunteer experiences can teach your tween responsibility and provide a chance to earn some spending money. If your tween is interested in a certain profession, summer is a great time to try to get some experience in that field. For example, if he or she expresses an interest in firefighting, contact your local fire station to see if any opportunities exist for your child to do some work at the station during the summer months.

For a fun, interactive activity, check out My Trip to the Zoo.