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My brother is in 6th grade and this guy gets bored so easily. He goes to a day camp, but whenever he's not in a set activity, he watches TV, plays on his x-box and gba, and thats it. he's smart (mainly math), and even though he reads a lot when he has to (in school), he'd never read out of free will (he'd never choose reading over game boy).

what were you guys doing when you were young... i figure the stuff he's doing (the only stuff that entertains him) is complete waste of time.

By Pearl13 (Pearl13) on Sunday, July 04, 2004 - 11:33 am: Edit

I really believe physical activity is a big factor in self motivation. If that's what your looking for, try to find out what sport he prefers and join him in it, guide him or something. Sports and other physical activities like: Tae kwon do, yoga, etc, require focus and discipline which can help him see how he can spend his time more wisely. Also, let him see that he's living his life by doing something, and watching TV all the time means that your only watching other people's lives, but where's your own?

By Idiias (Idiias) on Sunday, July 04, 2004 - 12:02 pm: Edit

it's always like that. You were like that, I was like that. Life is like that. And on school nights you would come home late from band practice to have hours of homework and studying to do, while he would watch tv and eat dinner then go to sleep. Just accept that and realize that when you're young theres only so much you can do.

By Iplayoboe (Iplayoboe) on Sunday, July 04, 2004 - 12:31 pm: Edit

my little brother is in sixth grade also, and your description of your brother matches mine EXACTLY. He spent his whole first week of vacation wasting away in front of the TV. finally my mom kicked him out, and now he spends his whole day outside playing various shooting games with the neighbors. I would suggest that you "clean the room" and "make certain necessary cables disappear" unless of course the gaming systems are in his room... Then, since u are concerned about ur brother (which is awesome) you could try to tempt him outside to play with you. Play catch or kick a soccer ball, take him on a day trip or two to a pool or park or walking trail. My little brother loves to play in the stream at the walking trial, my parents walk the trail and he and I climb rocks and hunt for craw-daddies (yes, im a 17 year old girl....but i love my little bro) im sure that your little brother would love to play with you, little brothers love to be older.. and i bet you would even enjoy the little kid activity. maybe invent an outdoor long-running activity, (I used to play indians outdoors everyday when I was 11, and I play pirates with my 12 year old babysitting charges,) so you can play it with him and he can eventually use the time outdoors to meet neighbors and socialize outdoors with them, get them involved with the game and eventually releive you of your duty. Once you get him to enjoy being outdoors on his own, I bet youll have to drag him inside at night. good luck and have fun

By Hunter1985 (Hunter1985) on Sunday, July 04, 2004 - 01:13 pm: Edit

Let him have his summer, he's a 6th grader, there's not to many free summers left, what is it going to hurt? He'll have fun, just because he doesn't enjoy doing the same things you do doesn't make it a "complete waste of time". I personally find summer camps and structure during the summer a complete waste of time. He's a 6th grader, so he doesn't need to be obsessing over apps and college yet.

By Excusememixed (Excusememixed) on Sunday, July 04, 2004 - 01:15 pm: Edit

Hmm...I used to ride my bike alot..start water gun fights..play flag football..basketball..(Yes..I'm a girl..but Barbies never appealed to me..they're so lame.).

By Aim78 (Aim78) on Sunday, July 04, 2004 - 05:20 pm: Edit

If he's enjoying what he's doing, that's good. And he probably is, because at that age you aren't to concerned about wasting your youth. I get annoyed when I'm not doing anything useful (like now) because in 10 years, I won't have the energy I have today. Live your own life, let your brother follow your example indirectly.

By Magoo (Magoo) on Sunday, July 04, 2004 - 06:23 pm: Edit

well, there is a creek by my house, my friends and i used to go there all the time and play in our tree forts there were about 4 on this 1/2 mile stretch of open land...some belonged to some kids some belonged to others, so there was a bit of tribal warfare between us...lol

also i used to go camping, with family, though most of the time we ended up renting a cambin in The Sea Ranch and just hung out there (the sea ranch is this resort community about 40 minutes north of San Francisco...beautiful beaches, golf course, hills, vineyards and a decent tennis court...)...when we were there we would BBQ, hike, fish, play tennis swim etc.

i used to love going to the beach where i would build sand castles (always wanted to be an architect) and then we would go to GLASS BEACH...its this place where a ship sank carrying a lot of glass bottles which broke and then washed ashore after being softened into round pebbles...we would take some home they were so beautiful.

also i would play lots of videogames in the afternoon eat a lot and stay up late watching movies


ohhh...the good ole days

By Alisone05 (Alisone05) on Sunday, July 04, 2004 - 07:12 pm: Edit

yeah, sounds exactly like me and my little bro...he just sits and plays his gameboy or w/e... my parents NEVER bought those video games for me bc they said i'd probably just sit and play it, which is sooo true, but i guess they're losing it with their last kid. i worry about him because he doesnt seem to get into sports because he is not particularly athletic, so i worry about his health and his self image, since hes about to start middle school. soo...what i try to do is just hang out with him...just take him with me when i go on errands and stuff, take him to the beach or the pool when i go with my friends, and play with him outside and stuff. he really does like hanging out w/ his cool older sister.

By Wrathofgod64 (Wrathofgod64) on Sunday, July 04, 2004 - 07:17 pm: Edit

when i was in 6th grade

I went to CTY, but i'd rather have done wat ur bro did

By Cheershopgrl (Cheershopgrl) on Sunday, July 04, 2004 - 08:05 pm: Edit

Have him memorize 50 vocabulary words every day and read books such as Pride and Prejudice, Great Expectations and Grapes of Wrath for his summer reading list.


I'm kidding. Just let him have fun. To avoid getting fat over x-box take him swimming or do a sport. He won't need to worry about college until he gets to high school.

By Gidget (Gidget) on Monday, July 05, 2004 - 01:07 pm: Edit

I spent the summer at a cottage with my grandparents and cousins, their was no tv and not a lot of electricity and our Batteries went "missing" so we had to play outside, soon when we had to come inside we would complain. I thinka sport would be good, kids need to have interaction and watching TV doesn't do that and they need exercise, my little cousin sounds just liek that so I couldn't stand her doing nothing but sitting all summer. I took her on "feild trips" swimming and to the art gallery and all kinds of places just to get her moving. My freinds (around 21-23) took our siblings and cousins out together. Now she hangs outside sakteboarding with the my freinds siblings and the TV hasn't been on for a while.

By Sraid7777 (Sraid7777) on Monday, July 05, 2004 - 03:12 pm: Edit

learning

By Songbird88 (Songbird88) on Saturday, August 28, 2004 - 05:28 pm: Edit

When I was a kid, I was on the Greenbelt Municipal Swim Team from 6-14 and did swim meets all summer. I did Johns Hopkins CTY at 13, but its pretty boring (my parents made me). Oh yeah, Florida every summer of course (my dad's family lives there)