What to do in the summer after GCSE

[bandicoote]

DS school had a visit from National Citzen Scheme - it sounds great to me but unfortunately not to DS, mainly I think because his friends aren't doing it, he thinks 4 weeks is too long and probably because it isn't cool.

He has visions of a long summer holiday hanging about with his cool friends. Based on last summer's performance it will actually be haning around at home, spending the whole day trying to arrange to meet up but failing to do so, eating all the food in the house, leaving mess everywhere - gah!

So has anyone got any constructive advice about what I might "persuade" him to do based on actual experience. Particularly interested to hear from people with DS's.

I've got some ideas e.g. get him to volunteer at various charity shops/ local community cafe, try the place he did his work experience to see if could do some time there, get a job but these are not easy to find when you are 16.

My ds managed to get a Saturday job that he still has.

First few weeks he just chilled, went to Explorer/Scouts camp, family holiday and seeing his mates.

Sixth form came round quickly.

I saw the title and came on to say NCS ...

He’s (presumably) worked bloody hard for his GCSE and will be again next year for collage etc. This could be one of his last chances to hang around been a carefree teenager, let him do what he wants. Learning to plan his own activities is also a life skill (which based on your description of last year he has not mastered), maybe this summer he will make it out the house.

I came on to say NCS too.
My 2 older ones have done it. Was fab.
They know quite a few who didn't really want to go / were apprehensive, but were surprised how much they enjoyed it.

Other things my dc have done are Explorer Scouts camps (of course, you need to be an Explorer ), and working.
As long as he's not an end of Aug birthday, he will be 16 and able to work. Earlier you apply the better though, for seasonal things.
One did a lifeguard course (so did the training / exams, then was able to work the rest of the Summer).

Thanks for suggestions - unfortunately he is not a good swimmer or a Scout so neither of those is going to work. He plays a lot of other sport so have helped out in the past at summer holiday sport camps but obvs these don't start until school hols proper.

I'm going to look into another type of sport coaching course to see if he could get started on that.

Organising his life his not high on his list of priorities - he thinks he'd be happy to just veg in front of Xbox all summer long. But in my experience that just makes him grunty and grumpy.

We sent DD to Spain for 3 weeks to improve her Spanish prior to 6th form. (She also did a 1 week drama workshop and a family holiday. No way would I have coped with her under my feet for 3 months.)

Is there something subject related but fun he could go to for a week or 6?

But otherwise if there are things he can do once schools have broken up, 3 or 4 weeks after GCSEs to decompress (plus prom and 6th form taster days?) is probably fine.

Teen - love the idea of something for 6 weeks!

His subjects are likely to be maths/ economics related - unless you are Stephen Hawking I'm guessing that a week's maths course in the summer is probably not much fun.

I'd like to find something not too expensive - which is why it's such a pain he doesn't want to do NCS. Might try to find out of any of his less cool friends are doing it.

I have this morning spoken to the people who run coaching courses for one of his sports - there will be some so that's something at least although they are all at weekends - when we might be on family weekends away.

I have two DS's.
They both worked very hard for GCSEs and I was happy to let them chill. It's nice to get a family holiday in before schools break up as well.

Neither would do NCS as it has a terrible reputation around here. In fact a few years later one of their friends got a summer job working for NCS (in another region) and suffice to say it was badly run and seemed to attract badly behaved difficult teens.

NoWay - family holiday before school holidays sound bliss but sadly not possible for us for a few years due to younger siblings at school still.

Francis - the idea of a daily task is good but have you actually managed to get a teenager to do this? I'd be a bit apprehensive about leaving DS in charge of a Flymo with no adult supervision and while he is always full of good intentions the actual execution of these is a bit patchy. I'd love the idea of coming home to a delicious meal cooked by DS but the reality might be the kitchen looking like a nuclear wasteland and a couple of plates of beans on toast.

My DD had a well earned rest inbetween going away twice with friends and twice with us. She moved away for sixth form so we had a lot of shopping to do as well. She's quite self motivated though, so saw a lot of friends, read a lot, played her musical instruments, went out running as well as preparing herself for the coming year.

bandicoote I've never made mine do a regular list of chores, for a number of reasons. However I do make sure they know how to do them so that they can do some when asked. Certainly a 16 year old should be more than capable of cutting grass. If necessary have him do it under supervision the first time. Same goes for cleaning the bathroom or making basic meals.
I think leaving lists of jobs only causes resentment but having them do a bit doesn't hurt.

Our local leisure centres often have discounted gym / swimming membership for the summer holidays.
Maybe offer to pay for train fare to the seaside / city for a day.

I'm still in the "let them chill for the summer" camp though.

Honestly? I'd let him have the summer he wants. There are years and years ahead of him in which he'll be busy at work. Why shouldn't he just chill out now, whilst he still can?

I can't imagine my Ds would want to do much other than lounge around when the time comes.

Dd is taking GCSE's next year but she goes to vocational school so after her exams are finished she'll be in school full time dancing until mid July.

I posted similar a while ago and I have enrolled DD into NCS. She was very keen on doing it and for £50 I’m quite happy for her to do it. Otherwise she was going to do something a lot more pricey, but she wasn't that keen and seemed v non-committal. When I presented NCS to her she was much more interested. So that’s for July and we’ll go on family holiday in August and be back for results day on the 23rd!