Answers: Summer Break

NOW THAT SCHOOL IS OUT THROUGHOUT THE CORRIDOR, HOW ARE YOU KEEPING YOUR KIDS OCCUPIED THIS SUMMER?

FROM OUR INBOX

Now that our children are in their teens, we've given them much more control in planning their summer activities. Happy to report this has worked very well!

Not only has some of the planning pressure been taken off their parents, but the children are much more invested in the summer activities they choose. Both teens - one boy, one girl - surprised us by choosing both a physical activity and an educational activity.

The worst part of the arrangement was waiting for their individual summer decisions to be final before we could sit down with a calendar to plan the group vacation.

James W.

Marion

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Summer is a time for kids to explore and break out of the more rigid requirements of education. They can dig deeper into the subjects that most interest them, and it often requires very little oversight by parents. Creating an insect collection, practicing photography with an old digital camera and learning to knit are some the activities our kids have done.

Sarah S.

Marion

FROM FACEBOOK

' Jeannie B.: Oak Hill Jackson Neighborhood Association and HD Youth Center have free activities and food all summer long. Ages 5-17, Monday-Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Contact Dawn Stephens at (319) 389-3296 for more information.

' Misty C.: Marion Public Library has free lunch and lots of great programs and activites. Swimming, library and other reading programs, outside time, science station programs, Kirkwood camps, basketball camps, and Linn Mar camps.

' John P.: Camp.

' Richard L.: Swimming, Cole Library at Cornell, visiting farms and reading programs.