Parenting

Keep your preteen having fun, out of trouble, and busy this summer.

If you have a preteen at home, the summer months can offer up a number of challenges. You want your older child to enjoy down time, but you also want to keep him busy. You might be thinking he's ready to stay home alone from time to time, but not all day, everyday. You need to figure out how to keep his school skills in tact, while offering up opportunities for fun, new adventures. Oh, and of course, you want to enjoy your time together, whether it's at home or on vacation. With that in mind, here's your guide to summer fun with older children.

Summer Camp 101
Summer Fun and Travel
Summer Learning and Retention
Summer Jobs and Responsibilities
Summer Safety

Summer Camp 101

For many children, summer fun equals summer camp. And why not? At camp children can learn new skills, make new friends, go places they've never been before, and become a little more self-reliant. Plus, it's just fun. Below is your guide on finding the right camp for your child, dealing with homesickness, and cutting the cost of summer camp.

Summer Fun and Travel

Summer fun is all about travel and adventure. Take advantage of the weather and time together to go someplace new, even if it's in your hometown. And if you're traveling out-of-town, be sure you're prepared and have plenty of travel activities to keep your tween busy. Most of all, enjoy your trip and make lots of lasting memories.

Summer Learning and Retention

A long summer vacation can impact your child's education, but there are ways to keep your preteen from forgetting all he learned over the school year. In fact, there are ways to help your tween retain valuable skills and school lessons, while boosting reading and writing comprehension. And they're fun, to boot. Be sure your family's summer fun includes a little reading, writing and review. You'll be glad you did when school starts up again.

Summer Jobs and Responsibilities

Preteens shouldn't get a free ride all summer. Summertime is the perfect opportunity to help your child develop new skills, and take on a little more responsibility. You can begin by writing a chore contract with your child, indicating his responsibilities at home. But your child may also be ready to begin working and earning a little spending money. Here's what you need to know.

Summer Safety

You want them to have fun, you also want to keep them safe. Below are a few considerations every parent should think about to keep the summer fun and safe for their child.

Tweens