Advice from parents of older children - how do I most of summer holidays with my little boys?

[AreYouAGod]

This summer my boys will be 7 and 9. I’m very aware of how every year flies by quicker than the last.
For parents of older boys, what do you wish you had done more of when they were this age? What are your most treasured memories?
What things will they refuse to do with me when they get older but do willingly now??
I just don’t want to look back with any regrets.

The title should say ‘how do I make the most of summer with my little boys?’

Legoland was always good fun for us all. Footgolf with or crazy golf with friends followed by picnics was a good treat and not too pricey. I generally found days where we were active and outside for a good chunk of time were the best. Downtime at home was then appreciated by all.

Teens are great to hang out with too when they allow it - I enjoy shopping with mine, cinema or mostly short drives out doing practical stuff or just for a random jolly. I get they mostly want to hang out with friends so I welcome them into our homes too.

Camping with other families do they had friends, was great fun. Slip and slide mats in the garden in the summer. The thing I miss most though, is watching them play for their sports team. I was there every Saturday. They loved it and so did I!

Camping in the garden was always a popular one

I gave them a lot of choices and they got to choose so it felt like they had control of how they spent their time. Before the holidays we would have a brainstorm and write everything down from board games to putting a tent up in the back garden, making ice lollies from smoothies and yoghurt, eating cake and freshly picked strawberries, water games in the garden. You don't have to go out all the time, there are so many ideas for back garden stuff. Pinterest is incredible for stuff like this.

Take things outside, massive tub of lego. play sand in an Ikea tub to make sandcastles with (don't live near a beach) nerf guns or water guns and targets. Picnics in the garden too on a blanket feel fun as well. We still do a "carpet" picnic for the boat race every year, cheering Cambridge on.

As a parent of two young adult sons, no, they did not abandon Dh and I so the whole 9 is bordering on not wanting to spend time with you hasn't happened yet. We came back from holiday with them recently, they still want to do that with us, they eat meals with us every day, watch tv shows and films, chat to us. It doesn't have to stop.

My kids are now aged between 20 and 30 and they visit and do stuff with us together with their partners. But rightly kids go through a temporary stage in their teens and preteens when they grow away from their parents a bit for a while to allow them to develop independence and a sense of self. It is healthy and normal and as such you shouldn't be fighting it. They need to be allowed to hang out with their friends without you being up in their business or needing to do stuff with them all the time.

Camping. Mine are 22 and 20 now, we’ve travelled abroad with them all over but some of our fondest memories are of camping in the UK.

I like you