Summer fun

July 27th, 2009

It is that time of year again that the parents dread and the children love – it’s the summer holidays.

For some, it becomes a juggling exercise as they try to balance work with childcare and the weekly rota for mum, dad and the other relatives lending a hand needs planned with military precision.

For others, the challenge is keeping their children occupied with ‘Mum, I am bored!’ becoming the all-too-familiar battle cry.

As someone who grew up in a time when there were no such things as Playstations and DVDs, it amazes me how quickly kids can get fed up.

But when they have seen all the films and played all their games, it falls on poor mum and dad to dream up ways of entertaining them.

On a serious point, there is debate going on within education circles about the length of the summer holidays and the pressure it puts on hard-working families who need to re-organise their lives for those seven weeks.

And a day at bowling or the cinema can be pretty costly after you have factored in the popcorn, the juice and all the other demands.

Fortunately, there are an increasing number of welcome activities out there, some which are relatively inexpensive, such as free swimming for youngsters at the Waterfront and Gourock pool.

For those aspiring Andy Murray wannabes, it may be worth checking out the sports camps organised by Tennis Inverclyde.

Another way to keep them fit is the play schemes for eight to 12 year olds, held at various schools and community centres across Inverclyde, for as little as £2 per session.

And for the outdoors types, the Wemyss Bay Woodland Association is organising a series of woodland walks and activity sessions, costing just a £1.

The summer holidays can be tough for all parents no matter what their circumstance.

But with a bit of careful planning, there is plenty of fresh-air and exercise out there to wear out all that youthful enthusiasm for the next few weeks and give mums and dads a bit of well-earned respite.