Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion What are you doing for the summer?

DS6 has made all kinds of plans as to what he wants to learn this summer. His list includes Algebra, Mandarin Chinese, the Violin and computer programming. Personally I was considering a much more relaxed summer. I have a little remedial stuff to do with a couple of my kids but wasn't really planning on an academic summer.

My question is this. What are the chances of convincing him? Am I wasting my time trying to slow him down?

Shari, My summer plans include a trip to NM to check out your school district and attend my lil sis' wedding in ABQ. After that I plan on spending the summer outdoors and DS6 and DD2 can enjoy nature and do journaling with plants, insects and nature. I too want to just relax. From the sounds of your DS6, I don't think he is going to slow down for you.

hkc...I pm'ed you

During Summer my DD8 (almost 9) decides what programs, if any, she wants to do. This year she has chosen a 3 wk CTY course on Lego Robotics and an art camp. She also wants to take guitar lessons. We do spend a week at Lake Arrowhead which is pretty relaxing just before school starts again.

I just wish she would be happy staying by the pool all summer....

Hehe. Relaxed summer? Who are you fooling!!!!

Shari, I have to add, I wish my DS6 would plan his summer out like yours has done. Unfortunately he is a little too much like me and waits to see what each day will bring. I like to refer to it as "Living in the Now" but others might call it "Inability to execute planning". *shrugs* There are just too many variables with planning.

I have a hired a nanny for the summer and I really hope DS6 will have fun with his two younger siblings. Our goals for him are to learn to ride a 2 wheel bike and learn to swim. He is excited for both.

re: learning to ride a two wheeler.

I am a big fan of balance bikes. (Or some other way for kids to practice balance and not use training wheels.)

My DSalmost5 has had a balance bike for 2 years. We are about to get him a regular bike with pedals. From the way he zoots, turns, and stops on the balance bike I am sure he will have no problem with the transition.

"Living in the now" is what I am still trying to learn to do and I find it really hard. I used to love to plan things and now there is no plan. There is no way to plan.

It is hard for us to make plans of any kind because my mother is in the last stage of her illness and we are on call at all times to help my dad if he needs help. He does everything on his own, everything that you would have to do for a baby. Lots of people have told him that he should put her in a nursing home but he just can't do it because he knows she would be miserable. He feels he is doing the right thing and I think he is too, but it is really hard to do the right thing.

I would like for my twice exceptional son to get over his fear of being in deep water and really learn to swim before it is too late. There is still a chance that he will have to wear a brace for scoliosis. The doctor will take more X-rays in a few months to see if it is progressing. I would like to have him swimming well enough that we could go out on our jet ski without worrying. The YMCA is trying to find someone with a lot of patience to give him private lessons. I would also love to be able to take him to a water park and if he crosses over to Boy Scouts he will need to be able to swim.

Since he has motor dyspraxia I can't really enroll him in any team sports or activities that most kids think are fun. He would much rather work on academic things than physical skills.

So I guess my son will continue to do computer and video games for fun.

www.Cogito.org has a really really comprehensive list of summer programs. my oldest S has done 3 summer programs through talent searches and I was looking for something different--there were research opportunities, scholarship programs, all kinds of things. I could have spent weeks looking through, but think I found one that sounds perfect for him. The down side is without talent search, we have to do application, recommendations, transcripts, essays. But he's willing to do it.

two other kids are doing talent search institutes plus some day camps

I'd like to do the hiking/journaling & day trips too with the kids. time seems to fly in summer (can't imagine the year round school schedule). should start looking at colleges with oldest DS, too.