9 year olds

[samkeddy]

Hi, just after a little advice, i care for 2 9year old boys just after school. I dont relly know what to do with them???? im not very experienced with the older kids, they really just watch tv or go on laptop or ps2 or in the garden, i feel patronising if i try to involve them in activities (but i dont normally do much activity wise after school as los been at it all day).

What does everyone else do?? plus there isnt much time as we get in at 4pm and by the time theyve had drink and snack its nearly 4.30pm then they go home between 5-5.30pm usually.

Also how do you supervise, the older boys often want to play outside but the younger ones are too tired at this time and i cant see my garden from indoors, iv been leaving my 4yo dd indoors on her own and sitting outside with my 2yo on my knee supervising

TIA xx

[JCrakers]

Im feeling the same at the moment. All my after schoolies are boys aged between 5 and 9yrs. Yesterday was the first day that they've been outside in the garden because it was a little warmer and dryer.
What usually happens when they go in the garden is they come back in covered in mud and they have their sch uniform on and no change of clothes.

Last night I had 5 boys who went outside but there isnt a lot to do. They wanted the shed opening but all the trikes/ride ons are for preschool adn if I let them use them it usually ends up with something broken. Also they empty the entire shed and i have to put them all away as they have to stack a certain way

Also the problem I have that im busy doing tea and I have the younger children who need supervision outside when I cant be there.
Any footballs end up over the fence. The noise is so loud that I worry about complaints from neighbours so after 20mins they come in, watch TV,wii etc.

They are not interested in crafts, ive tried. I find it really hard and probably in the future I will not do older children because of this. My house is quite large but not when its full of older boys who just want to run about.

Plus by 4pm all my energy is zapped and I dont want to be sorting crafts/activities out as I have done this all day.

[loocyloo]

my ds is 9. he likes to play on his ds or read. he plays alot of lego. he would watch tv, but i only allow cbeebies when LO are here!!!

he does however, generally love playing with the little ones ... they all go outside together and play football or whatever! inside, he plays games, does puzzles, reads books, dresses up ( and loves dressing the LO up! ). sometimes they all do some painting or playdough.

sometimes he has homework to do, or music practice! ( LO love it when he plays the trumpet and play the the piano with him! )

we don't have much time, as usually tea within 20-30 mins of getting home, then LO go home after tea.

however, ds has grown up with me minding, and so is used to thinking about LOs. when i minded lots of afterschoolers though, it was pretty much the same!

[julie w]

I have 2 nine year old boys too. I find that if they have 'nothing' to do, they end up falling out and I get stressed. As long as the garden is locked they should be fine to play out there without you watching. I got out a game of 'guess who' the other day and they spent ages with it. I think it was the novelty factor of finding something they havent played with for ages. One night I'll put out Lego, another will be WII night, another art and craft box. I dont plan what to make or do, because they like to get on with it themselves. A tv programme once a week is fine, but again I use it as a novelty factor or it would just be on in the background which stops them playing. This age is quite hard work I think, especially as they come out with things that are not appropriate in front of the little ones.

[samkeddy]

my ds is 9. he likes to play on his ds or read. he plays alot of lego. he would watch tv, but i only allow cbeebies when LO are here!!!

he does however, generally love playing with the little ones ... they all go outside together and play football or whatever! inside, he plays games, does puzzles, reads books, dresses up ( and loves dressing the LO up! ). sometimes they all do some painting or playdough.

sometimes he has homework to do, or music practice! ( LO love it when he plays the trumpet and play the the piano with him! )

we don't have much time, as usually tea within 20-30 mins of getting home, then LO go home after tea.

however, ds has grown up with me minding, and so is used to thinking about LOs. when i minded lots of afterschoolers though, it was pretty much the same!

That sounds really nice, think the problem i have at the moment is the 2 boys i have are the youngest in their families, they arnt used to lo's and seperate themselves from any here!! Ive minded older children in the past but they have all been siblings of my younger ones so have enjoyed 'playing' with the little ones and 'helped' with crafts and baking, but these boys arnt intrested. And i just feel tv, ps2 and laptop isnt enough??

[samkeddy]

id posted that reply before seeing yours julie but thankyou thats helpful, i do allow the tv all the time as thought after a day at school their probably ready to just relax but ill try having it off and see if that encourages them to get more involved with ALL the other things here to do!!
The garden is secure you really thing they'd be ok just checked on as opposed to constant supervision? With the door open i can still hear them even if i cant see them