How do I cope with the school holidays and no money?

jexygirl

old wallpaper and waterbased paints, a hand and footprint painting in the back garden, picnic to the park with the football or frisbie, check out the local paper for what events are happening for free, ofen talks / exhibitions or even local "trails / walks" through the local towns can be fun and historic, also helps with reading signs etc. Set up a treasure hunt around the house with clues, have a "picnic" in the lounge, or if you have a tent, even set that up in the lounge - it is way more fun than outside! If there are any local rivers / bridges, make some paper boats or even set him the task of making a mini raft out of things you have around the house, twigs, string etc and then go see how far it goes. Not sure how close you are to the sea, (we used to live in suffolk) beach combing is always fun, take a picnic, see what stuff you find, and make a big sand picture with all the shells / seaweed etc. Another one is get him to make a "treasure chest" full of things he either doesnt want or need, or little bits that he thinks show life today, the newspaper, a magazine, perhaps some photos of things around the house, box it all up, get him to write a letter to whoever finds it, and then dig a hole and bury it.
thats about all I can think of atm, hth
Jex

zippychick

katylou6180 wrote: »

zip..you keep coming to my rescue!! one day ill learn to post things in the right place or use the index properly!! I will have to have a look at the ideas, I have someone who when trying to learn to ride a bike, it didnt go right so chucked it on floor and stormed off (my temper) and wouldn't try again as he has no patience at all! Park is ok but you have to pray for kids around his age (only child) He can't be dealing with nature and things, it's just there...and I am now truly believing he is a spoilt brat and that's down to my poor parenting...and something that I have to nip in the bud before I breed the next generation of "i want it...if i can't have it...ill steal it or get it by underhand means" I never realised until I just wrote all that down in black and white!

Thanks
xx

He he that's quite ok. You will learn the more time you spend on here. This thread is great with searching help taught me all i know

That's a shame about the bike.... How long ago was this? Maybe if you position it (or nature) differently? I dunno.... I just wouldn 't necessarily give up on it altogether. Could you read books about trees and plants and he could learn more interest that way? Does he have something he could use as a camera so yous could go and take pics of nature stuff? Maybe yous could make a scrapbook of fun days out, and him taking pictures to print off eventually (when jessops do a free print) and put in a scrap book?

Do you have a beach nearby? Can be good for boys and finding stuff - crabs/shells/stones etc? Or am i being overly optimistic :rotfl: Doing a few messages in a bottle with a pre set up email address? (although this isn't environmentally friendly, is it?)

He may not be spoilt - maybe just a little used to getting his own way? Don't worry :A

Do you have a young friend/cousin/playmate you could bring on play dates? Does he have a cool aunty or uncle who could sometimes come along ?

Can his Dad make him a go kart to take out? Can Dad teach him DIY stuff? like making you a present - pen holder?

If he is ten years old, i don't think he is too young to know the value of money. He should be able to understand Mum doesn't have as much money to spend on treats - so it could be a challenge for him to also come up with days out where yous don't spend...? Treasure hunts home made?

katylou6180

Thanks Zip, yeah probably some things could be done a different way! am thinking the local major park tomorrow with our old digital camera...we're with virgin so get free prints! He is not particularly crafty or dextrous ( think it may come with the dyslexia) His uncle has just got him a bike in an attempt to try again...and taking things out of dad's hands! If we got Dad to do DIY it would be a miracle...if he learns anything from his father it will be how to put up a wonky shelf!! I think I should start honing the cooking skills though...he watches masterchef and cooking programmes like a religion and always wants to help cook and bake etc etc...but when you're obese like me there is only so much you can cook and eat!!!

Thanks for the responses all!!

zippychick

would the dyslexia make crafty stuff harder for him? In what way? Sorry, that's a genuine question to see if we can find ways round it IYKWIM?

Cool there's another bike on route

Cooking - perfect! Are there things you buy that you could teach son to make from scratch? For example you could both TRY making bread together for the first time. Or both try baking a cake together first time Or flapjacks. Or buns. Or pancakes for dads surprise breakfast. Or you could (if he is really into cooking), pick a meal he really likes, then between you write a list of what you need at the supermarket - go buy them, make recipe. Maybe even take pics for each step so he could make his own picture cook book - with captions written in his terms and writing - so he understands them and the dyslexia may not be such an issue - or again, have i totally misunderstood the difficulties you may face ?:o:p

Actually, does someone want to adopt me, and take pictures of me so I can make my own cook book?:D:rotfl:

katylou6180

dyslexia=symptoms of dyspraxia, he's not very dextrous and is a lefty also...so scissors and the like phase him but the thing is....if he makes things they HAVE to be eaten... and what do I do with him all day if he helps to cook dinner? And as for putting anything in writing or crafty or actually writing anything down....put the second word as off!! and he draws stick men......

zippychick

well you could drag the whole dinner thing out if it's something he enjoys. Sorry, im genuinely not familiar so i thought he would benefit more from visual stuff, but that doesn't seem the case:o

what kind of thing DOES he like doing that doesn't involve electronics? Could you try to identify what skills he uses playing his computer games, and try to fit them into real life tasks? if that makes sense?

What does he do with grandparents which costs but he enjoys? Just would be easier if we (ok, I) can understand the type of things he does like doing and which will happily amuse him

Sorry, im probably not helping at all am i? Would he have any interest in planting basic veg?

if he draws stick men, could yous try to teach him to draw between you - you both learn? Again if that interests him. Are there any libraries with classes?

If you feel this would benefit from being moved to the families board do let me know. It'smore family related and it means you may reach a larger audience as there may be more parents with experience in there - or in here. I am genuinely not sure

castri09_2

1 how about making a treasure hunt for around the house ,garden or where you live
2 have you a video camera how a
bout making a movie or a music video with him in

3 how about having a themed day (my girls like to have fairy day)where we dress up even me do face painting, cooking, art and anything else to do with the theme

4 how about making a sports day with just the family

5 how about setting him a task of designing and making a three course meal and making it for less than £5 (me and my girls like come dine with me ,so each person in my house had the task of coming up with a three course for less than £5 the girls loved doing this we had to rate them or course we gave them 10 out of 10)

hope some of these helps

thriftmonster

Don't know if he would be interested but I saw a suggestion on an American website once which my two did - which is to build a crazy golf course out of junk. You will need to borrow a lh putter (or a double sided one) and a golf ball - but you can use boxes and cardboard tubes etc. It can be done inside on a smaller scale - or make a crazy marble run instead.