Help, My 12 Yr Old Is Bored and I Don't Have Any Money

Hey A.,
Plant a small flower garden with her, or teach her how to bake, you could also read out loud with her.
L. B.

The previous ideas sound great!!! I thought maybe she could be a volunteer at a YMCA camp. This way she gets to swim and do all the arts and crafts stuff and be helpful to other children. A lot of girls in our area even have started their own Babysitter Club. You could also take all the stuff from the past year [pictures, tickets, drawings, reports card, etc] and start a scrap book. At 12 years old I'm not sure it really up to you to amuse your daughter, since they never think we know anything at that age, but good luck!!!

how about arts & crafts. You'll have to do it with her though.

I don't know what City you live in but many have free concerts during the day or evening- again depending where you are. Would be fun for both kids- pack a picnic and make an outing of it!

I say take the oppurtunity to bond with her. Cook with her, garden or scrapbook with her. There's lots of fun things to do. Also when I was younger than her one thing I enjoyed doing with the local library had a reading program during the summer. She's at that tween age where it's going to be harder to keep her attention so change things up.

try:
http://www.battleofthebooks.org/

Also I suggest getting her this book. It will enterain her and keep her occupied

Daring Book for Girls
The manual for everything that adventurous girls need to know: from female heroes in history to secret note-passing skills, science projects to friendship bracelets, the perfect cartwheel to the eternal mystery of what boys are thinking.

check out this link:

http://twp.waterford.mi.us/parksandrec/Summer/concert.htm

Also, Id suggest going for walks on the different trails in Oakland Co/Waterford and make up a cute little scavenger hunt or just to the park....Indian Springs in White Lk. is only $4.00 to get in and it has a "Spray Zone"....

HI,
I think boredom hits no matter what age. My coworker will tell her kids get a book if they are bored. We all have to learn how to cure our own boredom, now would probably be a good time to start for a 12 yr. old.
L.

Have your daughter bring a friend along. If going to the pool, bring a picnic with lots of snacks.

Not only will your daughter like the change, her friend will be interested in playing with your 19 month old.

Then you will have 2 playmates/babysitters for your little one. And a little free time for you.

I have a 12 year old and a 21 month old.

Sleepovers are great. No need for pizza. Just a regular home cooked meal, a movie (from the library), and some microwave popcorn.

Good luck.

Hi A.: The public librarys have a pass book that allow you to get free passes to serveral of the attactions in downtown Detroit. I don't know which ones exactly but it will most likely include the science center, the children Musume, the historical mesume.

The other option is the boys and girls club. I know theres one in Auburn Hills and Oxford. Waterford or pontiac may also have one. There is a cost of $20 for the membership, but it's good for all year. My six year old goddaughter is going and really likes it. My brothers and I also went as a child on some saturdays. There are alot of different activities for the children to do

Hi A.,
I can relate to you! I have 3 boys( 11 turning 12 in Sept., 7 and 2 1/2) and it can be challenging. Two years ago when the first complaint of "I'm bored " was voiced I decided to get the older ones more involved in household responsibilities and helping with the baby, now toddler! I'm not sure if your daughter already helps a great deal with your household responsibilities. I'm told girls tend to be more into that than boys. Anyway, my boys do dishes ( we have no dishwasher), vacuum, sweep, mop, feed the cat, clean the litterbox. They learned to sort, wash laundy, fold their own clothes and put them away..cut the lawn, help plant flowers, plant and weed our small vegetable garden(under protest!)all with more or less supervision as needed.etc. It took a lot of work and persistence( despite their resistance at times and still does) but the older they get the more it pays off. We try to get our chores out of the way, so we can all do something fun before we have to be back home for nap time. We go to the library once a week (they have free programs, or a movie they show there), visit a friend or relative with a pool on a hot day (we often schedule that ahead). We've done the free museum pass through the library someone else already suggested.
Next week our church does VBS (=Vacation Bible School)in the mornings ages 3-12yrs. We have been doing those for yrs. Now this year my oldest will be a helper in the science experiment lab station with me and he is exited to be part of the team teaching other kids!..check around your town. Those are a lot of fun, good and solid teaching, crafts, games, a great opportunity to make new friends and they are free. They may be in the morning or evening. some Churches also do kids Camps that are affordable and cool!
When my toddler takes his nap, we play board games, read books(get them from the library), watch a movie or DVD, we lately found books on cassett tapes at the library( if you still have such a boom box)..the boys love listening to them at home and inthe car instead of always reading. On hot days I send them outside to do squirt gun fights or get the sprinkler or slip and slide going ( we don't have a pool).
We try to invite friends over that seems to be the greatest, and do an occasional sleep over. I believe at that age they seem to want to hang out with friends rather than their younger siblings or mom( at least my son seems to). There has been times when other moms would take my oldest along to a nearby waterpark( after 4pm it's only $4.oo)or to the indoor pool for $2.00 at the nearby middle school during open swim.
Check here for free activities/events around the Metro area: www.freeattractions.com or www.guide2detreiot.com/events/calender.shtml
Hope this helps!
Have a Blessed summer and some great bonding time with your precious daughter Morgan!
Love, C. W.