by Julia Beirut

Created on: June 07, 2008   Last Updated: June 12, 2008

Families with two working parents are the norm in America now. Rising gas, food, and college costs are making it more of a necessity than ever for both parents to work. As summer approaches many parents are in a quandary about how to take care of the children during the break from school. There are a myriad of solutions available; parents must just often reach out for help and explore resources available in their community.

Grandparents and other relatives are often willing to watch your children on summer days while you are at work. By the end of the summer the Grandparents may be quite delighted to see your kids head back to school! However, as a change of pace in their lives, they just may be delighted to step in and help you for the summer.

Other relatives may want your kids to visit during the summer so all the cousins in the family have bonding time. Perhaps your children could stay with a relative in a different part of the country so they would have an exciting adventure for part or all of the summer.

Sometimes relatives might want to pay for your children to attend camp for part of the summer. They could do this treat as a birthday or holiday present or as a reward for good grades during the school year. There are many specialized camps for sports, music, languages, learning about nature, and academic instruction. Some relatives may want to give your children the treat of time at a camp that specializes in a hobby they enjoy.

Your local town may offer a day camp experience for children. I attended day camp and I loved it. We had crafts galore. I was always excited and proud of my craft projects. I was fascinated by the spin wheel paint class, the pot holder loom class, and the wide variety of crafts we were allowed to choose from. I was less delighted with the sports activities; overall day camp was a glorious experience for me. I loved being outside and hanging out with friends.

If your finances allow it, your children may enjoy going away to summer camp for the entire summer. Summer camps help children develop confidence and make new friends. They often allow children to have new experiences in a different part of the country. Some summer camps specialize in areas such as language or sports instruction so your children may arrive home from summer camp with new skills and knowledge.

You may also want to share summer duties with other parents. If each parent uses a week of vacation you may be able to cover the summer by having whoever is on vacation that

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