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It’s the time every parent dreads I think.  But look at that statement in its basic form, why do we dread spending time with our own kids?  We really should take advantage of them while they’re home.  Use them in a fun way as extra help to get the housework done, and then when that’s done, you really can have some fun with them, act like a kid yourself, tire them out, and get to let off some of your own stress and steam in the process.

Much easier said than done I know, but here are a few suggestions you could try.  It’s never easy, but kids like a routine, and you never know, some of these suggestions might just work for you and make the summer holidays pass with a lot less stress and a little more fun.

1. Breakfast Time
   

   Keep a routine going.  Get them up for breakfast at the same time every morning.   While they’re busy munching their cereal or toast, you could get yourself dressed and ready to face the day, or maybe put the washing in the machine, or tidy the kitchen, assuming of course you didn’t do it the night before, you naughty, busy little parents you…..

2. Getting Dressed and Brushing Your Teeth

   Make it a game or race each morning.  The winner gets a point, the one with the most points at the end of the week gets a special treat, a chocolate bar or a small new toy car, and kids are easily pleased really aren’t they.

3. Got More Housework to Do?  Employ Your Temporary Workforce!

   If they’re old enough, the promise of TV or computer time is usually enough to get them tidying their rooms or helping you to tidy the house a bit.  If they’re young, put a few cups in a bowl of washing water for them to do while you do the bulk of it or load the dishwasher.  So what if you might have to wipe a few spills up afterwards.  That’s a small price to pay for your kids being involved and enjoying doing grown-up things by copying their parents.

   Continue the TV and computer time bargain with the older ones by getting them to hang the washing on the line or maybe even do some vacuuming.

4. Take a Break Right Up Until Lunchtime
   

   Give the older ones some TV or computer time.  Make a cup of tea, better still, get one of the older ones to make it for you, then go and have a break.  You could either give the young ones some paper and pencils or crayons for a bit while you enjoy your daytime TV, or even pick up a book and read to them while you’re having your tea.  Reading is always good for the children, they love stories, and even more, they love mum or dad reading to them.  It’s good bonding time for everyone.

5. Give Them a Snack Type Lunch

   Kids love little bits and pieces to eat, especially the younger ones.  Pop a boiled egg on for each of them and while you’re waiting, put out their plates and give them a carrot, share an apple between them, maybe some raisins or grapes.  Add a chunk of cheese and a slice of bread and butter or maybe some crackers.  It’s quick, easy, and a lot less hassle than you having to cook for them, don’t forget to give them the egg too.  The older ones can either do their own sandwiches or some quick cook noodles or something like that.  Try and make it a balanced diet if you can, but at the same time don’t worry too much about it.  They’re kids, they’ll burn most of it off if you keep them active, and you can always make teatime the healthy meal for everyone.

   You could either snack with them, or maybe, while they’re busy eating, you might even have time to quickly make the beds or check that the older ones tidied up properly earlier.  Maybe it’s nap time now for the younger ones too.

6. Play Time in the Afternoon
   

   Chances are, if you have older ones, that they’ve made their plans for the day by now and are already out with friends or doing whatever they’re doing.  Make some time for proper play with your younger ones.  It’s great to kick back and do childish things and get away with it.  If the weather’s not too bad, how about a ball game in the garden or just a tumble in the grass with them?  If it’s wet or cold, what about making a pretend aeroplane or train in the living room and going on an adventure with them?  Whatever you do, have some fun with them

7. Late Afternoon Kickback Time
   

   This is the time that can count for you, and it’s their reward time for hopefully having been good for you during the day.  Let them watch their TV for an hour, or go on their computer or video games.  You can then do what you want.  Catch up on remaining housework or paperwork, or even just kick back yourself and leave a few things until after tea.

8. Teatime

   I’m old fashioned, so teatime for us is a family time.  While they’re watching their TV’s or whatever, I make the tea, and then we all sit down around the table to eat.  We try to make it fun by having a quiz or question time during the meal, making sure to remember our manners of course!  Again, when you’re finished, get the kids to do their bit by helping you tidy away or wash up.  Yes it’s a chore, but once they’re in the habit and routine of doing it, they’ll be fine.

9. Bedtime

   There.  Now that’s about it really.  After tea is a time where the adults might want to catch up with each other, or single parents may just want to finish a few things off or kick back a little more.  Make bedtime a routine for the children again.  After their bath, have races for getting into their pyjamas or whatever, only this time the prize will be who gets to pick the bedtime story.

And that’s it.  Easy as that.  Well………you know it won’t ever run quite as smoothly as that, but some routine and actually spending time with your kids can make for a much better time during their holidays, and at weekends and other times for that matter.  Best of luck to you whatever you decide to do.

Happy holidays!!

I’ve compiled a list of things that have kept me entertained or that I would like to do soon. I left off options like reading, writing, and artwork because I figured that these were a bit obvious and would be of little to no help.

1. Rent/buy a metal detector

   This is the most expensive choice, and also the hardest to find, but a creative and interesting way to occupy your time is rent a metal detector. You probably won’t find anything of great worth, but you might find something cool, and the journey is more important than the destination, right? I’ve heard that bringing a metal detector to parking lots can help you find a lot of change, though not nearly enough to pay itself off.

2. Buy a black and white disposable camera

   This is one of my favorite ways to entertain myself as well as providing an artistic outlet and preserving some memories of the summer. Many drugstores sell disposable black and white cameras at low cost. In this digital age, we are used to taking as many pictures as we want and being able to delete the bad ones. Take a little longer to set up your shots, and try to compose each one in a different way. If you can, restrict yourself to taking one photo per day, or per hour, to avoid boring repetitive shots. I got one of these cameras for Christmas, then forgot about it after taking a few shots. On a couple of occasions afterward, I would find the camera and take only a couple of pictures. When I got the pictures developed, I had 27 pictures taken over four months from at least ten different occasions. I put the photographs in a very small scrapbook that my friends and I still love to look at. If you want, carry your camera in your purse or pocket, and take pictures of unexpected things. The fun is in the way you won’t remember what you’ve photographed by the time your pictures are developed.

3. Make paintings as a group

   My friend arranged this once as a graduation present for our entire group. She bought a bunch of cheap canvases, and we all sat around her dinner table, armed with brushes and acrylic paint. We’d each paint something for a couple of minutes, then pass the pictures clockwise. By the end, each piece had everyone’s individual art on it. We had a great time and ended up with a pretty cool keepsake.

4. Adventures at the Goodwill

   Go through your old clothes that you don’t wear anymore, and bring them to a local Goodwill Store. Not only will your donations be helpful, you will have more space in your drawers and closet to actually find the things you like, or you can use that space for new clothes. While you’re at the Goodwill, give yourself a five dollar limit and see what cool things you can find. My best friend and I once got a game of Scrabble (no tiles missing) and an old-school Gap vest for less than six dollars!

5. Go on a picnic

   My friends and I used to have a summer tradition of going on picnics at least once a week. We’d make crowns out of clovers, soak up the sun, or even fly a kite (or try, at least). Our picnics were fun because we were able to get everyone together and it was much cheaper than going to a restaurant or to a movie.

6. Sidewalk chalk-a-thon

   Get some sidewalk chalk and go nuts! Okay, so this one is sort of lame, but also if you’re really bored, it can be fun. Create a border for your art, then make sure every space is filled with pictures, song lyrics, or whatever you want.

These six things are all ideas that have either cured me personally of boredom or probably will in the very near future. Please leave a comment with your feedback or ideas.

Learn to make a new dish

Chances are good that your like to eat, and if your anything like me, when bored the desire to raid the fridge becomes dominant.

So whey not go out and make an afternoon out of a new recipe.

All Recipes

This is the Wal-Mart of recipe websites, here you can find everything from apple appetizers to a full on steamed zucchini dinner. What’s most appealing about All Recipes is that one can change the recipe to serve just yourself or a large army; it’s completely up to you. Not only does this culinary website offer the recipes, but helpful tips and advice from the food Dr’s themselves as well as various articles from a vast database of delicious medleys. So don’t be such a couch potato.

Read

Okay, so it’s not the greatest idea ever, but knowledge is power. Remember read something you enjoy, this isn’t a fourth grade book report that dues on Monday. It’s supposed to wisk you away from your troubles and woes for at least a little while. Nothing like watching the idiot box. Even if it’s Readers Digest or the latest copy of 2600 read something you would be interested in. Did you know that forty-two million adult Americans can’t read and because of this are losing 237 billion dollars total each year in money that they could be earning if they knew how to read. So hell, who knows, you could be making more money each year, just by increasing your vocabulary. I started @ a half-hour per day and worked up from there. I find that I have more of an imagination that I did when I was watching T.V. On the internet there are resources galore for awesome articles or short stories to repair manuals or How to’s. My favorite are:

Ehow

Their slogan says it all. “Learn how to do just about everything!” And they mean it. Self improvement has never been easier. Looking for a boost in self confidence? Maybe find a new niche? Or how to speak in public better? Look into ehow.com.

Short Stories

It’s not the snazziest of websites as far as decor is concerned but let’s not judge a book by its cover. Classic Reader has short stories from Edger Allan Poe to Israel Zangwill just for your eyes to view. Here you can also find many other resources to online public libraries of other writers and stories.

You Tube

You Tube is an awesome cure for boredom. Go out and take some of the home-movies you have of all the embarrassing stuff you did as a kid and put it on there or just sit and surf the database of videos. It doesn’t matter what you do here ort how you do it. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

YouTube

What I dig the most about You Tube is that its not just worthless crap. There are videos that can educate the average Joe about everything. For example, let’s say you’ve wanted to learn to play Black Dog by Led Zeppelin, but all the tabs you found for the beginning riff are way out of whack. Well, doing a quick search of the Tube once can learn not only by sound but also from the power of sight, making the song seem easy as custard pie. This education is not just limited to music. One could learn how an engine works or how the evolution of the light bulb, the sky is the limit here. And if what you’re looking for isn’t on there you have the power to put it on there.

Yes there is also a magnitude of funny, witty and profound videos. Did you miss the latest Bush Speech? Obama was on Colbert Report but you were @ work huh? No worries, they have it. Just go check it out already, it’s the talk of the town.

Go for a Walk

Since the dawn of a new era a gas prices has risen, walking doesn’t have such a bad name anymore. Besides summer is upon us, go out and take a brisk early morning stroll just to see the sun rise before the blistering noon day heat bakes you like a cookie. So, you’re not a morning person eh? That’s fine. Go out as the day is wrapping itself up; go mosey along just as the sun races behind you. Either way it’s not only refreshing and peaceful but healthy too. America’s poster child is so fat its cereal bowl comes with a life guard and even the life guard was born in June July and August. Come on now, is it that hard to put down that greasy cheap food and get some exercise? Maybe, it is an addictive narcotic that’s killing rather than healing, but that’s no excuse to give in to their clever marking hype. No means no! Go for a walk.

See a New Flick

Take your significant other out and enjoy the evening at the movies. He/she wouldn’t mind the company and the time to see the thrills and insight into someone else life for a change. With all the stress of work and the Iraqi conflict, no one wants to just waste away sitting at home. Czech out:

Cinemark

It’s got all the playing movies for you city and even allows you to buy tickets online from the comfort of your own home. Okay there might be some horrible movies out these days but you never know what kind of night it could be, so make it a good one and let’s face it it’s easier than running for President…

These are just a few of the many things there are to do in this world. Don’t take my word for it. There are a whole lot I’m not going into, play with your own ideas and be creative. After all that’s what life is all about. And Have fun!

• An empty coke can
• 5 packs of Sparkler candles
• A box of matches
• Electrical tape
• Keep water handy!
• An attitude to Pyrotechnics

Method:

1. Firstly remove all of the grey grite around the metal core of the candle and place on a sheet of paper. (leave all but 1 or 2)
2. Pour contents into the coke can make sure it is filled to at least at the bare minimum 3/4 full.
3. Cover the ring pull hole with mass amounts of electrical tape.
4. Poke a hole a little larger than the widest part of the untouched sparkler.
5. Remove the metal up to where it meets the Sparkler.
6. Find a wide and open space and light the top of the sparkler and move away at least 10 meters and keep water handy!
7. Watch the amazing reaction

8. P.s My height record is 10m! I want to see it broken!

Good Old Fashion Lemonade Stand

• Lemonade stands are a great way to earn some money. They may be a bit old fashioned and overdone, but it is a great way to earn a few bucks. Since it is in the middle of hot summer, there will be many people who are looking for something cool to drink, a major plus if it is nice and cheap.
• Tips: Location, location, location. Pick a good spot to place your lemonade stand. A good place would be in a crowded area or a place where many people walk by. A good example would be a park, in your town, or even at your street corner. Put a few flyers nearby to get the word out about your lemonade stand. To make a few extra bucks, sell some things other than lemonade. Baked goods are always a favorite!
• Things to watch out for: Creating a lemonade stand may take some spending from the beginning, such as buying lemons or brownie mix. Make sure you earn more than you spend!

Yard Sale

• Look through your room, garage, attic, anywhere you can think of and gather anything that you no longer need and hold a yard sale. Make sure you are absolutely sure that you are willing to part with it. If it belongs to your parents or sibling, get their permission before selling it. Some items that are always nice to sell are old clothes, board games, baseball cards, books, or old stuffed animals. Clean them up as much as possible and make the item presentable. When you have all your items place them neatly in front of your house and wait for buyers.
• Tips: Plan ahead of time. A few days before the yard sale will give you some time to make some posters and put them around your town or neighborhood. Make sure to put the time of the sale, the address of your sale, and the date of the sale. Get the word out about your yard sale as much as possible. It doesn’t hurt to check the weather either, it won’t help to place everything in front of your house just to get them drenched.
• Things to watch out for: Business may be slow at times, the key is patience. If you don’t sell as much as you hoped for, try extending the yard sale to the next day. Don’t price items at such a high price or people will not buy them at all.

Car Wash

• Gather soaps, sponges, towels, and buckets for car washing. Go door to door asking politely if they need their car washed. Ask them if they have a hose you can use. Once you have everything start washing! A car wash is a more simpler way of earning money if you don’t have much money to invest into anything or nothing interesting to sell at a yard sale.
• Tips: Washing a car can be a time consuming job, having a friend help you will cut the time in half. Once you are done with the car wash and are collecting the money, ask them politely to tell other people or neighbors to tell them about your car washing business. Write down your phone number so your customer can call you if they need their car washed again. Again, posters and flyers can help with your business.
• Things to watch out for: If you do have a friend that is working with you, that means you will have to evenly split the profits. Figuring out a set price for a car wash may be somewhat difficult. You have to set the price high enough to get good amount of money for yourself and low enough so that people will want to buy your service.

Chores

• Work out a deal with your parents or neighbor. Ask them if they have any extra chores or errands you can do for money. This is another simple way of earning money that doesn’t require you to spend anything. Once you are done, tell them to tell others about you.
• Tips: Don’t pressure anyone into finding something you can do. If there is nothing for you to do, move on.
• Things to watch out for: As far as things go, there is nothing to watch out for. The work given to you could be anything, some can take a while, while others can take a short hour.

Celebrate

• There are still many other ways to earn money even if they aren’t listed. Set up a different business. It can be pet sitting or lawn mowing. Create a business on what you already are talented in.
• Now that you have your cash, go use it on what you were planning to. You’ll feel great that you worked hard for the money and you deserve your reward!