Do you make your dc "work" during the holidays?

[Sunhasgothishaton]

My eldest has a presentation to prepare for September, a maths workbook to complete, and a D&T project to complete.

My youngest has got to do 30 mins (2 instruments) music practice, 15 mins theory work and 15 mins general reading to do - 5 out of 7 days.

I appear to be the only one of my RL friends who's children do work during the holidays.

Please tell me that yours do too so that I can tell my kids they aren't the only ones in the world who have to work.

Mine will be doing an hour a day.

Absolutely not! We might do the reading challenge at the library and DD will no doubt write a fair few princess stories and letters to the tooth fairy but that's about it... we'll be too busy hanging out in the park, visiting friends, maybe a few daytrips to the zoo or museums as well as the usual mooching in our pyjamas doing nothing much.... Can't wait

Mine don't.

my younger 2 (10 and 8 years) I try and encourage them to read in the holidays. My 10 year old is a little behind so i will also give him some catch up work but this will be no more than an hour a week. My 13 year old wont want to do anything.

Will do Reading Challenge.
Maybe some postcards.

nothing specific
she'll read loads, but nothing improving - Rainbow Magic type stuff
we'll do a few crafty bits as well.

My DD has just finished Y6 so i think relaxation is in order though she will probably do some music practice.

DS has to put together a scrap book so we'll probably wait until the last week of the holidays and then panic!

I'll try to read with them as much as I can. Music practice sporadically.

Every day the dcs do music practice and reading before bed. I'll let them slack off a bit with the music if they want but ds1 will want to practise. Ds2 will probably do some number puzzles. Other than that they'll be mostly poking mud with sticks and jumping on the trampoline.

I will encourage reading to me most days (DD just turned 6 and is still learning). I've got a few workbook type things as she enjoys them, and a handwriting-lined book. She also really wants to use the Squeebles spelling test app so I might put some words on there. But they'll be things I can suggest if she's bored rather than scheduled activities IYSWIM.

I have a few craft projects in mind that will tie in with stuff she's learnt this term, but they are really fun things that she would need no encouragement to do. She was very excited when I bought her a scrapbook too.

I can't wait for the holidays :) I wouldn't force her to do anything, and previous holidays have involved no work at all, but this year (just finishing yr1) she has become SO enthusiastic about learning - her teacher really is wonderful and the topics have been very inspiring - that I am looking forward to building on it/keeping the enthusiasm going IYSWIM - and it's something special for us to do together as I am often too unwell to do anything more physical. I'm sure she will mostly be running/scooting/cycling outside though!

Both mine will read daily and write postcards, scrap books etc...

To be fair both my kids are odd because they like doing work.

DD does not like numeracy very much so to be fair we won't do that apart from playing board games, counting money etc...

Yes. Mine doesn't have any homework but we will do some reading, maths and writing practice (he's six).

All 3 of mine will keep up their almost daily music practice, as that really does slip if you don't keep at it.

They all enjoy reading and will be signing up for the Summer Reading Challenge at the library.

They often keep a journal during the holidays and stick interesting things in, but that is of their own doing and not something that I give them to do.

The boys are interested in archaeology/paleontology so there will be lots of museum visits etc - do they count?

And if they want to do some maths they can work out how I'm going to afford all of the activities they want to do over the summer without selling a kidney

I'd like to get DD1 to do a reasonable amount. But I'll try to do it as learning through play so she doesn't feel like she's working too hard. She's already excited about the reading challenge.

Can't see the problem with spending 15mins a day some days doing a bit if school type stuff to keep things ticking over. That still leaves maybe 13 hours to do other things.

Dc is planning on writing his autobiography in the holidays- no idea where this came from as I've never even mentioned the concept . Give his young age, I presume it won't be very long...

Reading- ds is a good but reluctant reader. Someone asked us about the reading challenge at the library the other day though, I asked ds If he wanted to do it and he said yes! So we signed up. We'll see how he gets on!

Numeracy - we will do bits and bobs in the car or before bed but we do anyway - ds likes it!

Writing - this is what ds really needs to practice but he doesn't like doing it. I need to get creative or employ some bribery ;)
I won't make him do much though unless he wants to, really. He's still only little and we will be doing lots of fun things and seeing family, as well as just chilling out! He needs the break.

Summer reading challenge from the library.
10 mins a day of Komodo maths on the computer.
10 mins of music practice.

There is normally some sort of holiday project from school e.g. Make a scrapbook.

I reckon half an hour a day, not including the reading. He reads for fun and has done 2 books for the library challenge since Saturday. I'm having 6 weeks off the reading scheme books and the reading diary!

That leaves plenty of time for play, poking mud with sticks, Gromit hunting and other non-improving activities.

As a teacher, I say let your kids enjoy their holidays. I want them back at the end of the holidays well rested, well exercised, relaxed, and keen to get back in to learning.

The only things I encourage are to continue reading, and to try and squeeze in some interesting visits - zoo, museum, etc - where you can.

We used to read everyday together for about 10 mins. DD would read to DS (4.5 years between them) and we spent lots of time walking in the woods with auntie and her dog, picnics, on the beach, playing games, in the park. There was always a school project to be done (!) so we would decide what it was going to be at the beginning of the holidays and over the break, collect stuff and gradually stick it in and add writing.

Mine's only 5 so we won't be doing anything specific. I'll probably read to her everyday as we do this anyway and I might get a few books from the library that she can have a go at reading too.

My DD isn't at this stage yet but I think music practice is different from other school work and does need to be kept up most days.

OP - are the projects your DCs are doing stuff set by school or stuff you've invented for them to do?

Mine will read (I couldn't stop him if I tried!) and play on mathletics sometimes but as he is completely exhausted at the moment I won't be pushing him to do anything - we plan to keep a diary over the holiday but more for fun than anything.

Midnite an hour a day won't stop any child from going back well rested.

I ask mine to do reading or some work every day regardless of holidays. I posted a similar thread about this a while ago and got quite a bit of flaming for expecting my child to do extra work!

dd (Y9 in sept) will read and probably go on some websites too for learning.

dt1 has issues with his handwriting and presentation which is affecting his work across the curriculum, so to help him we are encouraging him to keep a daily diary in his best writing. He is quiet enjoying that for now, I'm hoping it continues. He also has violin practice. I've found him a few extra pieces to learn, and he really wants to master happy birthday! He is quite happy to practice if I sit with him but not so much on his own, so I have to find the time to do that.

dt2 and ds1 will probably just do reading. ds1 is a real bookworm so doesn't really need encouraging, dt2 is academically above average, so nothing we particularly need to work on, but he does want to do the library challenge.