LAST WORD
What to Do When
Summer Boredom Hits
BY KATHRYN STREETER
Even if you’ve
successfully penciled in
camps and
a trip to visit
grandparents, there will still
be slow days,
hot days and
blah days, when
boredom rules
the house like
a tyrant and
brings out the
worst in the kids
— and you.

Surprise your kids by asking them to co-host
an afternoon tea, inviting one of your girlfriends
you’ve struggled to schedule time with to be the
guest of honor. Conduct a reenactment based
on proper etiquette to prepare the kids for the
occasion. The catch being, the kids will adore this
idea because it involves cookies or cucumber fin-
ger sandwiches, if you’re going to be doctrinaire
about it! With the snack angle established, your
kids will greet your friend at the door, help serve
tea, eat and talk cordially like real grown-ups for
a pre-established amount of time before they’re
allowed to dart off to their rooms or a nearby
stash of toys, depending on your children’s ages.

advance, ask, “What country far away would
you visit if you could snap your fingers?” Using
food to “travel” there, help them find this
country on a map and conduct simple online
searches to isolate one or more dishes which
are doable for the family meal, such as all-
recipes.com’s collection of easy Indian fare.

Whether Moroccan, Filipino or Indian ingredi-
ents are on your grocery list, do what you can
to assemble all required ingredients for your
unforgettable dinner. Luckily for us, the D.C
area has tons of ethnic grocery stores to get
what you need.

Surprise your kids by taking them bowl-
ing! Go to one of many AMF locations, or visit
TripAdvisor to hear what people say about the
many bells and whistles independent bowling
alleys offer. Another great bowling (plus great
food!) spot is Pinstripes, with locations in
Northern Bethesda and Georgetown. Alterna-
tively, strap on roller skates and beat the heat
while bebopping to ‘80s tunes (or whatever
theme you encounter). The kids will be mesmer-
ized by the shimmering light displays and learn a
new skill without once feeling like they’re exer-
cising. A quick search will pull up over a dozen
rinks, but consult Yelp’s “Top 10” listing, if you
prefer. July averages high, humid temps, so when
the pool is old news, head out the door for some
climate-controlled, spirited movement.

Surprise your kids by asking them to explore
the internet. Yes, you read that correctly. With
the computer monitor in a public area of your
home, let your child loose to explore areas of
interest. It’s not too unlike the old days, when
having a set of Encyclopedia Britannica within
easy reach for even the littlest family mem-
bers was common. Does your kid have a weird
obsession with turtles? Do they love World War
2 history? Harry Potter trivia and the subject of
wizardry? Fast cars or popular backpacks? Let
them learn as much as they can about subjects
they’re wild about. Then, allow them to upload
their information around the dinner table.

Surprise your kids with pizza delivery at
a new park. If the humidity and heat are man-
ageable, take the kids to a new playground,
easily discovered by using your handy Play-
ground Buddy app. The “new” playground
equipment and different layout will serve
to elicit the oohs and ahhs that confirm
you’re the best parent ever. To top off the
excitement, in stealth, order Domino’s pizza
and have it magically delivered to the play-
ground, taking advantage of the company’s
new unconventional delivery initiative which
uses 150,000 outdoor hotspots. Find a shady
spot, whip out a blanket and ta-da, you’ll have
the best table — and probably the happiest
kids — at the park. ■
Surprise your kids by asking them to help
plan an ethnic dinner meal. Starting a week in
Kathryn Streeter is a D.C.-based mom
and blogger.

46 WashingtonFAMILY JULY 2019
ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
W hoever first penned the phrase, “the
lazy days of summer” surely never
had kids. Parents with young chil-
dren are especially apt to be scratching their
heads or on the couch in a fetal position, won-
dering how to manage the open, unconstructed
stretch of time called summer. Even if you’ve
successfully penciled in camps and a trip to
visit grandparents, there will still be slow days,
hot days and blah days, when boredom rules the
house like a tyrant and brings out the worst in
the kids — and you.

Nat King Cole’s song “Those Lazy, Crazy, Hazy
Days of Summer” ends with, “You’ll wish that
summer could always be here.” If that phrase
rings ridiculous, here are five freshly-hatched
ideas to think about implementing this summer
to create enriching, memorable moments.