How do high schoolers (9th) pass time during summer?

[pumpkin5]

I tried to balance it when my kids were this age usually a one week camp, a one week mission trip with our Church and we would have a one week family vacation the rest of the summer they could sleep, hang out at the pool with friends and I would expect them to do a few chores. I am also off during the summer and like to enjoy not having something scheduled all the time.

[Boston_Burbs]

I loved this summer growing up. My mom bought me a membership at the local muni and I played golf all summer. Road my bike and pool hopped at friends houses. Didn't have work to interfere with vacations. My mom was a teacher, so she could keep an eye on me when I was home, which wasn't often

Don't get me wrong, summer jobs are great, but looking back at it, I missed a lot of fun opportunities because I was taking everyones hours at the local supermarket who wanted to go to the beach. Everyone praised me, called me a good worker, but I probably should have spent more time going to the beach or golfing.

Plus I was a much better golfer then than I am now, its pretty depressing.


All this being said, even though I am only 27, it seems I grew up in a different world. I had both grandparents living in town, both my parents went to the high school in town. My dad was a small business owner. There was a bit of an underlying sense that you needed to keep you in line. I feel like some of that is lost now with people moving around.

There is certainly positives of leaving the home town and finding your own way. The amount of guilt and pressure put on my father over such stupid things/small town politics are laughable. But my heart kind of aches that my kids won't be able to ride their bikes to either of their grandparents house for an unplanned lunch, or just to say hi. I had so much fun not having to travel anywhere.