Yesterday was the first full day of summer vacation. I'm already thinking of calling it quits

I have 4 school aged kids - two brothers and my own two kids. The brothers won't keep their hands off each other, the older one has started to talk back, and use language that is not appropriate (stupid, butt head, etc.) The younger one whines all day about not being included, etc.
My older child was also awful yesterday - similar behavior to the school aged boy.

They are all signed up for camps and lessons this summer, but with the holiday there is a two week gap. Thankfully I will be on vacation one of those weeks.

I am telling mom of the boys that after this coming school year she will need to find different care - she is also my neighbor so I feel the need to handle this carefully. But I need some ideas in the meantime to get the older kids to mind so I don't go crazy and the younger kids start getting ideas

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I could have typed this post.

Yesterday I had a food fight break out at lunch, had to remove all of the (plastic) bats from the outside play area AND the bubbles. ALL 1 SA kid. He needs more supervision than the 2 yo's! I am giving it until the end of next week, but if it's not better, he's GONE.

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That's tough. Been there, done that. Now only an occasional SAer and my grandkids sometimes. How old are the SAer's and how many little ones? If you have any infants it is super tough.

The one I had was really bad and he needed a LOT of physical fitness type activities. As a group we walked to the park and then played there. I also had him go out back and toss around a football or he liked this thing that was weighted and had feathers on it. Don't even know what it is called. He'd toss that around and chase it for a while at least.

When mine were school aged if they misbehaved I'd tell them they had too much energy and to go outside and run across the backyard. They had to touch one fence and then the opposite one. My friend gave me that idea as her mom had made them run around the house. It's like a gym teacher giving laps. It does seem to help.

I'd remove all bats, have a no stick rule, no play golf clubs, etc. It is just asking for trouble.

I'd ask them what they would like to do. I made the mistake of having a lot of what I thought were cool activities and 3 active school age brothers I had had them done in 30 min. and they were meant to last all day. If they say they don't know what they like to do then tell them to write a list of 50 'possible' things that could reasonably be done. Every time they are bored tell them to go do one of them.

Have them bring things from home to do.

I used to park hop with those 3 but I only had school agers and no little ones that summer. I also used to transport and don't anymore.

Maybe get them interested in a week long 'project' of some sort.

Board games, cooking if you can do it with little ones there, legos/building toys, see how many times they can bounce a playground ball without missing, jump rope, they make an outdoor obstacle course, limited computer games, reading time, open ended art, movie at little ones nap time, etc.

Laurel

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I just said after one week of summer this will be my last year of SA

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this is why I hate school agers.

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I agree! Not for any amount of money would I take SA. They are way too much work!

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When you discuss termination for the SA neighbors, I would simply play on the fact that her boys are too old to be comfortable or occupied in a family child care full of much younger kids.

That was always the excuse/route I took when trying to let down those families gently. The SA kids are simply at a level in which I am no longer equipped (mentally and physically) to handle, manage or entertain them after they get to be SA.

I also think that SA kids get super bored having to hang out with the little ones all day. When it's your own kids, they just learn to deal since daycare is just what mom does for work but with any other SA kids, I don't keep them past Kindy for the reasons you mentioned.

The potty talk, the rough housing, the whining, the boredom, the large physical space required and the amount of food they consume.

Approach neighbor mom by saying the boys are just too old and too smart to be spending all day in an environment that developmentally below them. That when they start getting in trouble and when the trouble starts..... well it's time to go.

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I could have written this post the first week with my SArs. 3 Weeks later, I know there story & life is good. I did put an end to the rough housing & potty mouth with being very consistent with my policy. I have no wiggle room for disrespecting others. I did have to laugh when a 5 yr old asked a 9 year old, "You know that is inappropriate so why are you doing it?" I swear I have never said that before, lol.

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My 3yo dcb is telling the 5yo sa dcb "Dcb Miss. ***** JUST told you that already! Im not playing with you again!"

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get them outdoors if at all possible. I would be doing library, spray park, parks, free activities, trail walks EVERY day! and then the occasional movie/arts and crafts day at home. Set up a swimming pool. Set up a computer lab, a library, a huge project like starting a garden and put these kids to work!

of course, none of this is realistic if you have a lot of infants and toddlers. I wouldnt suggest taking any kids younger than 3ish if you are taking school agers. otherwise you are going to have major boredom with those older ones.

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(giggle)

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I knew that Thursday and Friday were going to be tough because my summer assistant hasn't started yet (she's in school this week) and I have nine children ages 2 and up - though two of them are done for the summer today. We have a lot of things planned and I'm actually looking forward to the summer activities.

Today was much better - both days we were outside all morning, but today we also got to do some water/sprinklers. I don't know if the older kids are "bored" so much as seeing what they could get away with right off the bat (answer: nothing! )
But this is the last summer for it, for sure. My own kids can go off site, play with neighbors, ride bikes in the road, etc. but dc kids can't. So not having older dc kids might be a nice break for my kids.

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Yep, SA require a lot more attention, supervision, redirection, reminders, materials, supplies and food. All reasons why I prefer not take them.

I use the "I cater to the 0-5 age group and your DCK is too advanced for my age range. He needs more stimulation and to be with more kids his age. I feel like my program and structure are not enough for him" ... they always read it as if I'm saying that their kid is too developed or smart for my daycare which is fine by me.

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