Frugality and the March Break/Summer Time

[QM]

Hi everyone!

Just wondering what your thoughts are on having your kids doing things during the March break or summer time. I'm trying to make plans for it and am very undecided.

For the March break, I can't decide whether or not to register DD1 (who is almost 6 years old) in the local gymnastics day camp which costs $45 per day or $200 for the whole week or the local Children's Museum which costs $32 per day or $160 for the whole week. I don't think I want her going to something every day of the week because it doesn't feel really frugal considering I'm at home and I can take her to a local free playgroup Tuesday and/or Thursday. Half of my problem is also that I do home childcare and I won't be able to do as much with her like a structured program like the day camps can offer. She's an easy child to keep entertained (even at home), but I also don't want her to miss out on activities like these outside of the home.

And then I feel bad for DD2 (who is almost 3-1/2 years old). Why should she miss out because of her age and because she is the second child? Technically, the all day camp at the Children's Museum is for ages 3 and up, so she could go with her sister if I wanted to send her. I didn't register DD1 into things like this at her age, but does that mean that I shouldn't for DD2?

I guess my question is what do you do or what have you done with your kids during the March break holiday?

It just all costs money, and I don't know what to do! When it comes to activities/day camps during the March break or summer, how do you balance frugal from wanting your kids to have a good time outside of the home? How do you put a price tag on that?

[MomToTwoBoys]

We have the option to sign DS6 up for Flag Rugby but the cost is $180. It needs to be paid by March 6, which isn't in our budget. The Flag Rugby would go through the end of July.

As for March break, we always go to my inlaws for Easter. As for summer break, I try to take the kids to the park when the weather permits. We have issues with DS11 not wanting to come home, which results in tantrums from his end.

In the summer, I let DS6 go outside for most of the day. He rides his scooter and plays with the neighborhood kids. He also loves to ride his bike. I try to take DS11 outside and let him sit because he really doesn't want to do anything else.

If the weather's crappy, the kids usually either play indoors or I have them help me with chores. We make home baked goods too, so that works. We have the luxury if we choose to to go to the mountains on the weekends. However, DH's work schedule is nuts in the summertime so the only time we'd get to go is on Saturdays. That's no good either, because Saturdays are my only day to get out and grocery shop with DH around to pick me up.

I'd say that taking the kids to the park, doing arts and crafts and having them help you clean around the house are good. Board games are good too, if you have a gaming console then that's even better.

[druthb00]

I'm not a parent, but when I was their age I remember going to a church day camp (I think this was for a week in the summer) and I'm pretty sure it was either free or very low cost. That was really about the extent of my "structured" activities until I played soccer starting in late elem./middle school. Since your daughters have each other to keep (I had a sister 4 years younger than me) them company, I'm not sure if I would worry too much about paying money to keep them entertained; at least when it's warm outside.

For the March break, though, I'm sure it's cold up there and they are probably restless from being stuck inside most of the time. There's got to be something cheaper than $32/day/kid though (I hope LOL). Have you checked a local library to see if they have some sort of camp going? I've never been to Canada, but is there something like the YMCA there? Do you have relatives in the area with small children? That was one of my favorite things to do when I was growing up. We had a cousin who was 2 years younger than me that lived about 3 hours away. Each summer we would go and stay at his house for a week, and then he would come to ours the next week. Would something like that be an option?

Maybe I'm out of the loop on this one because I don't have children yet, but just having other kids around to play with kept me pretty happy when I was little. Hope this gave you some ideas

[lisaflex]

32 - 50 per day is pretty much the norm for easter break week camps. not cheap, but,......

we have summer camp registration next wknd! not too bad though....6 wks from 9 - 3 for about $700. cheaper than a sitter at 10/hr!

[AmyBoz]

Over March break, I let the kids enjoy some non-structured time. School is a structured time, and when we have a break, I like to truly give them a break.

We go for walks, we might go to the museum one day, we play a lot of card games and board games. We'll bake and cook and do crafts. We enjoy the slower pace of a school break, especially since it's a school break for me, as well!

This summer, I am joining the pool and plan on taking the kids as often as the weather allows. We'll walk to the park, "fish" in the stream, play basketball, hula hoop, ride bikes, etc. Again, summer is non-structured time. When I have had to work in the summer, I have enrolled the kids in a fun, educational day camp, which they also enjoyed. However, this summer I have more time off, and I plan to just let them be kids. I remember my summers were full of bike riding and tree climbing and swimming and berry picking, etc. I want them to experience that, as well.

[ladykemma2]

another teacher says enroll in nothing. to rest is a verb.

[lisaflex]

i do agree about the unstructured time. they need it! just tooooo much of it...lol

i think that over summer they need some structure. not all summer or all day, but, they get bored and activity is good for them.

we do a math camp the last 2 wks of summer from 9 - 12 mon - fri...which dd just loves!!!!! it is a pricey camp, but, gets her ready to go back to school!

[valerian]

My oldest went to lots of day camps, but then we had more discretionary income at that time and he has always been high maintenance (could never entertain himself, etc.) My two other boys have done much less, but then I've been at home with them and we've done things together. They do VBS at our church which they enjoy and they've done art camp together from 9-12 one week. We usually take a couple of family vacations in summer, but that's out for this summer due to finances and changes in my Mom's job, etc. We had a huge Disney vacation last year and then a weeklong beach resort trip so they haven't been deprived. I wanted to go visit friends in Kentucky this Easter break, but the gas would be over $300 which we can't spare at the moment. We live 40 minutes from the beach so we'll probably go there some.

[Rhayne]

I don't have children either but from the time I was 9 til i was 17 I spent every summer at my grandparents house. Now I know this isn't an option for everyone, just letting ya know what I did. I would get to their house about a week after school let out and get home about a week before it started back up. My grandmother enrolled me and my cousins (4 of us spent summers with my grandparents) in soccer and other sports, we went to church youth group, played outside, went to the park, pool, playgrounds, another park that had pool w/waterslide, paddleboats, mini zoo, and playground. Even on days we went nowhere we had fun just staying inside playing games.

[QM]

... I spent every summer at my grandparents house...

That's a good idea, Rhayne! I forgot about shipping her and possibly DD2 off to the grandparents house for a few days. I wouldn't do all summer because I would miss them too much, but a few days sounds like a very good plan!

[Neeley]

DD (age 16) will be spending most of the week at the beach. My grandparents live on the beach in Panama City Beach. My grandmother is having surgery and grandfather just had surgery. DD and my mom will be going down to offer lots of help and have a little fun when they can.

DS (age 14) will spend his week going to the batting cages, practicing baseball, and going to the gym to lift weights. He will probably hit the bowling ally a couple of times and go to the movies with his friends.

The rest of the time they will just be hanging out, being lazy, doing nothing constructive or productive. Which is A-OK with me. They both have extremely tight schedules with school, sports and everything else I don't mind if they have a week here and there to be teens.

[WV_mom_of2]

I am another one who thinks breaks are for fun. We don't get a March break but will get the week after Easter off. We are going to the zoo one day, possibly driving down the night before and staying at a hotel with an indoor pool.

During the summer I encourage my kids to read but other than that we are pretty unstructured. I work in a park/campground and they are allowed to go to work with me any time. They can fish, swim for free at the pool, picnic, etc. They do this a few times a month. Other than that they hang out at home and just enjoy being free. We do things on my/dh's days off like going camping, fishing, etc. They also go to my parent's house a couple of weekends.

[jennordhavn]

Right now we are on one income and my DH stays home with our 3 1/2 year old and takes care of our 10 1/2 year old before/after school. During long breaks (winter, spring, summer) I try to sign the older one up for some activities as she gets bored at home all day, plus if my DH has both kids for two or three days in a row, he starts to get overwhelmed (men! LOL). However, we live in the Bay Area, CA and all the camps are super expensive. Even the stuff through the city is over our budget and yet we make too much to qualify for the scholarships.

Our little one needs structure bad! I want to sign her up for preschool, 2 or 3 mornings a week at least, but I just can't afford it. During Winter I found a winter preschool camp in a nearby city that was just two mornings for only $35! She LOVED it. I have been searching for similar programs for spring/summer but have yet to find anything.

I do have backup care at work (I get 20 visits per year and pay only $15), so when my older DD is out of school, I usually sign both kids up for that. They like to take BART and go into SF with me. I go eat lunch with them, or take them to McDonalds, so it's fun for them.

For my older DD, I have applied for two summer programs with financial aid. The first is called Great Books and it's a one week residential camp at Stanford. It's $2k+ so she won't be able to go unless we get a full scholarship. I also turned in a scholarship app for California Shakespeare Theater which is a local 2 week theater camp from 9-3 (it's about 20-25 mins. away) and that is $500 I believe. I also found a cheap summer program in a nearby city that is only $8/day for 11-4! But it's only for 6-11 years old. Most of the camps in our area are $200-400/wk.

Last summer I took them to daycare some days (the daycare where my 10 yo started as a baby), but this year I just can't afford to do it on a regular basis. If my DH gets a job, we will have to sign the kids up for some type of full day camps or daycare. Most of the camps are not full day so if we're both working full time, they are out (plus they cost too much anyways!).

Wow, I just wrote a book............LOL.

[mauimagic]

All of our children need the unstructured time of a fun summer - spent with friends and relatives - what wonderful bonding times. Personally I think that our children have missed out on so much - remember riding your bike everyday of summer - all day. The freedom and fun of it all - and truthfully the great and not so great experiences!!

Please let us know what you decide!!

[2ndGenGranola]

Another vote for unstructured time. Stress illnesses are up in kids. They need some time to just drop. Mine cannot wait to just sit in the sunroom and play leggos.