Summer Without Activities? What About Karate and Piano?

What does your daughter want to do?

If you belong to a pool club, do they have lessons or a swim team? She can also earn some money there as a mothers helper. Big bucks for kids there!

Absolutely continue the piano and karate. Those are life skills that will serve her well her entire life. I know what you mean about running around from expensive camp to expensive camp. I usually try to find a camp that has super flexible hours and send my kids maybe 3 or 4 days just for something different. Other than that, we're like you, we join the local pool and spend our afternoons lounging poolside, unless we're traveling. Like yours, my kids continue piano during the summer. My son does guitar lessons and karate. The girls do weekly tennis lessons. These are things that I want them to learn for LIFE, so we don't take a summer break. I also set aside an hour per child in the AM to do some academic stuff (usually those workbooks you can buy in the bookstore) to review what they did the past year so the don't forget anything going into their new grade. We've done this for the last few summers and it's worked out great. Summer is relaxing and we all start the new school year fresh and ready to go.

Some people will sign up for a summer schedule for lessons on things they will be returning to in the fall. Some just take off all summer and then just review a lot once they start up again. It depends on if she finds the activities enjoyable. When we moved the first summer I didn't sign my son up for anything that summer. He ended up being very bored (and spent WAY too much time watching tv on the couch). After that I always make sure he's signed up for a day camp where he gets some exercise and has some fun while I'm working (I work from home).

My kids also do those things. My daughter takes both piano and karate. My son just the karate. I usually slack off a little during the summer if she is 'religious' about not missing lessons during the school year with the piano. But I don't let her stop completely... she will regress in skills. She won't forget if she has been doing it awhile, but she will regress. My daughter is finishing her 3rd year (going into 5th grade after the summer) and so I know she won't forget what to do. Sometimes she actually does better in the summer when she has more time to practice at her own leisure rather than within the time limits that occur with school hours. As for karate, the school they attend does not like the kids to take breaks. It is a year round activity, and they say so when you sign up/sign the contract. Like other lifetime skills, they will lose some of what they know and regress, if they skip lessons. For older kids, they can lose some of their physical abilities (strength, flexibility)... like if you stopped working out all summer, then started back at the gym in the fall... you'd need some catch up time to recondition your body. Not as much, because they are kids... but it does matter.

Discuss your thoughts with the instructors of these activities and get their "take" on it. Allowing kids to START anytime throughout the year is totally different than taking the summer off once you are already involved in it.

I would continue the karate and piano. Both of those are good for her to be involved in and have lifelong benefits.

Our daughter trained over 6 straight years in karate and achieved her black belt. It was important to her and she was adamant about never missing a lesson.

She continues to train in violin. We had no idea she was talented musically until a 6th grade required course introduced her to the violin. She is in the orchestra at high school level now and loving it.

She also continues to private train in cheer during the summer to stay on top of her game and in shape. It helps her.

We are members of a very nice country club and she goes to the pool there to socialize with friends and have fun.

Good luck!