It’s been summer for almost a week. Have the kids said “we’re bored” yet? One advisor tells parents to resist the urge to simply sign their children up for two or three sports for the summer and call it good enough. Eastern Iowa social worker Teri Hughes-Paulline says being on -one- summer sports team is good for a kid. She says it gives families a chance to do things together and to relax at the park and to build confidence in their skills and meet other kids. She says though, if kids are on more than one team, then families are always running back and forth and stress goes up. Hughes-Paulline, who works in a Davenport psychologist’s office, says summer softball can give families a chance to relax at the park together while kids get a sense of belonging, build skills and meet other kids. But she says if kids are on two or three teams, and there’s more than one child in the family, stress levels go up tremendously as families are always on the run. Hughes-Paulline says parents should -not- overload their kids with all kinds of summer activities. She says kids need a chance to just “be kids,” hang out in the backyard or have a lemonade stand. She says some of the fondest memories are just hanging out and not running and rushing all over. Hughes-Paulline says Iowa parents, in whatever size of community, might consider getting their kids active in a volunteer effort. She says any town has people that’re are in need. Hughes-Paulline says summer activities don’t have to be expensive. “Kids can play games, build a tent, run through the sprinkler, ride bikes, skate, or create a masterpiece on the driveway with chalk.”
