Ready To Pull Out Hair

[sharlan]

I have not had school aged boys in 12 years, so I am really out of practice. And the boys that I had, I had from infancy.

Neither boy seems to be able to entertain themselves for longer than 2 mins. They can't seem to play with ANYTHING for 5 mins. Get Legos out, dump Legos, put two together, put Legos away. Get out cars, look at cars, put cars away. Want to watch tv, choose a show, walk away. See the pattern?

Boy #2's dad forgot his lunch money this morning. We spent 15 mins going through my pantry and fridge so I could pack him a lunch, he was nearly in tears. I gave up and gave him $2. He eats waffles, pancakes, and pizza, only drinks water.

They are both fine in the pool for an hour, but I have to be in there, of course.

Please convince me this isn't the new "norm".

[lilrugrats]

How old are they? My main phrase to school agers is "if you cannot find something to do in this house, I can get you something to do, or clean. There will be no saying I am bored, or there is nothing to do."

I do have a basket of school aged art projects that if they have been good at finding things to do all week and its friday and i see they may be bored i will pull them out. This is only in summer, during school year if you are bored do homework or read!

[MsMe]

if my Sa can't find things to do on their own (fr long enough or quiet enough) iI have them follow my preschool program for as long as it takes them to want to find their own activities and stick with it.

Every time they break a rule I 'make' them read for 30 min. I day or so of being a preschooler again and they entertain tehmselves...then a few days a fighting and whining and reading for three hours and they shape up.

Be firm and coinsistant

[Kaddidle Care]

At 12 they probably have mandatory Summer Reading that they probably haven't done. Good time to get their books. Library Trip!

[sharlan]

Originally Posted by Kaddidle Care

At 12 they probably have mandatory Summer Reading that they probably haven't done. Good time to get their books. Library Trip!

They're only 8. Neither one is "bad", they just don't know how to entertain themselves for 5 mins.

[Sugar Magnolia]

I think this is the new norm. With it being such an "on demand, instant gratification" society, they don't know how to act. Not their fault. I had a friend who had a boy like this: she used a timer. Get Legos out? Set the timer for 30 mins. You can be "done" with Legos when the timer goes off. This is no good for preschoolers, but an 8 y.o should be able to sit for 30 mins.

[Kaddidle Care]

Originally Posted by sharlan

They're only 8. Neither one is "bad", they just don't know how to entertain themselves for 5 mins.

Oh duh! Sorry - read too fast.

Here's something that might be fun - my boys both did this at this age. Get a large piece of posterboard (works best) or sturdy paper, have them pencil out a track and create their own board game complete with roadblocks and "go back" spaces. Have them color it and give them dice and something for people - it could be anything, a coin, part of another game, etc. and have them play their own game!

We did a Halloween themed one that was a lot of fun - "vampire - go back 3 spaces", "Giant Spider, go back 2". They loved figuring out booby traps. Just warn them not to make too many go back spaces or they'll never finish the game!

My kids really enjoyed doing this and working together on it.

[familyschoolcare]

If they are looking for you to find something for them to do then give them some "extra" homework practicing your handwriting is always good ant any grade. Have then sit down until the whole page is done. Tell them if they do not do the neatest work they can it will not count and they will have to do it again.

[familyschoolcare]

If all else fails when they come looking to you for something to do just repeat I am sorry you are bored (or what ever they said) what are you going to do about that. If they move from one activity to another but clean up their own mess you might just have to "deal" with it.