Ahhh, the start of summer "break"

**MomToTwoBoys** · 06-26-2008, 02:24 PM

Today was the first day of DS #1's summer vacation. I decided to take them to the playground but lo and behold, the mosquitos wanted to have a feast. Thank goodness I brought a spray bottle of bug repellent because it wasn't just the kids those little suckers were going after.

DS #1 didn't seem too into being at the playground and he wanted to be more by himself. That's been the problem as of late. There's a wide gap in his and DS #2's age that the things one wants to do, the other doesn't care for. I brought them home for lunch and gave them some paper and markers to draw on, but they ended up fighting in the process.

It's especially hard since DS #1 is autistic and has a problem with expressing himself to anyone.

I really do need to find something for them both to do that they enjoy besides going to the park. I could take them to the zoo but it's really expensive here and I would rather do that when my mom comes to visit next month. (I am so excited about that, you have no idea.

) They really like to color and draw but I know I can't keep them inside forever. The mosquitos make it really hard to do anything fun and with the weather being exceptionally wet here in the spring, I have a feeling they're going to get worse. The pool I was going to take them to, also, is closed for work during the entire summer. I can take them to the wading pool but there's so many germs there!

Any advice?

**cheriede** · 06-26-2008, 03:42 PM

We have been making quite a few trips to the library. You may even check to see if they have any summer programs available. I signed mine up for the summer readying program, but we havn't done any of the other stuff that's available.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 06-26-2008, 03:47 PM

I'm not sure we even have a library nearby. I think there's one downtown but other than that, I'm lost. I should check that out but DS has bouts of aggressive screaming, so it'd be really hard to get him into the library to be there for a while.

Thanks for the idea!

**cheriede** · 06-26-2008, 03:55 PM

There are some days where my children do nothing but go after each other and I can only take so much. I will often just load all four up and go take a walk. Sometimes it is to the store and other times it is just walking. Fresh air seems to help break up some of the craziness in the house.

You could also make playdoh with them too. I know my kids always enjoy cooking and they have made something they can play with that they cooked.