My Nephew is bored.

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We have taken him to WEM , the zoo, the movies, imax, the space science center, the big art musem, the natural sceince musem which has an insect zoo, we have played frisbee, done minigolf, canoeing, had lunch in Chinatown, bought school clothes. He wants to be entertained. He is not allowed to go on the web and he thinks our music is boring. David is now taking him swimming but we have four days left! How do we entertain a kid

― anthony, Tuesday, 14 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

damn, internet porn's out...i dunno, kids today...you could try playing dead soldiers with him...someone pretends to be a soldier, walking aorund, looking for victims, whilst the other people play dead...first one to move is "it" and becomes the soldier...

― Geoff, Wednesday, 15 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ask him. If he wants to be entertained, then he should make some suggestions as well. Do you know any other kids? You could have a party.

― nathalie (nathalie), Wednesday, 15 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

We are an urban gay couple nat. We avoid children. We ask him whay he wants to do and he does not give any suggestions . We offer a huge number of ideas , nothing . When i was his age i curled up with a book at realtives and avoided everyone. I did not expect to be entertained.

― anthony, Wednesday, 15 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

So don't entertain him then. Give him a quiet day with a couple of books and a pencil. He'll soon get the idea.

― Pete, Wednesday, 15 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Anthony obviously the situation with your bored nephew is urgent and key but I've just tried to reply to your e-mail of a week ago (sorry, I = crap at e-mail) and your address isn't working: is this the case or is there some fiendishly clever spamblock to negotiate?

― Tom, Wednesday, 15 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Do you have a television set?

― Madchen, Wednesday, 15 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yes . David does not want him to watch TV. My email adress is above Tom. We will break down and rent some movies tonight.

― anthony, Wednesday, 15 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

WHy don't you let him post to ILE. That'll keep him busy.

― Pete, Wednesday, 15 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

You don't want him watching TV? I'm calling the social services...

― Andrew L, Wednesday, 15 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Usually letting kids jump on you entertains them for quite a long time. They also like hide and seek.

I'm bewildered. What does this kid do at home? He can't have parents who spend all of their time trying to keep him excited.

― Lyra, Wednesday, 15 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

DAVID does not want him to watch tv. He lives in the country. He is part of 4H and had acres of farm land . No TV and no Net , a religous nut for a mother though. I could not have fun on the farm but oh when i made it into the city. I want to give him 100 bucks and say go, heres the bus routes, explore. But again not allowed.

― anthony, Wednesday, 15 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

As one half of another urban gay couple, I had a similar problem with nephew/young cousin watching the other week. The other half let the young one go ahead and play video games because other half wanted to play video games too! What's wrong with kids today--can't we just give them a book (even Harry Potter!) and a stool in the corner? When I was their age...

― matthew, Wednesday, 15 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"We have taken him to WEM": this has komikal resonance for the Shropshire-born, as Wem = a funny little village which is the butt of all jokes county-wide (eg "wem, there the treacles mines are ha ha"). The radical writer William Hazlitt came from Wem.

Is he too old to enjoy helping you cook and bake etc, Anthony? If he likes it you could lay down jams and chutneys for years to come...

― mark s, Wednesday, 15 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Cooking is only down by women in his world. He thinks we are best friends.

― anthony, Thursday, 16 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

But why do you avoid children? Because you are gay?

― nathalie, Thursday, 16 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

It is not on purpose. It is just my circle of friends have a habit of being childless. i really find toddlers unpleasent though.

― anthony, Thursday, 16 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Cooking is only down by women in his world

Time to break down some stereotypes, no? I think cooking is a fab idea.

― Madchen, Thursday, 16 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

If i force him to cook or bake then it becomes a chore instead of something someone does for joy , no ?

― anthony, Thursday, 16 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Anthony, he is a child, when you are a child you are forced to do lots of things (e.g. go to school, eat broccoli, wash behind your ears). Cooking for children is fun and much better than most things he will have been forced to do. If children only ever did what they wanted they would make themselves sick eating sweets, little sods.

― Emma, Thursday, 16 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

But there is a differnce between restrictign and offering options and forcing .
ie you can have brussle sprouts or carrots but no cake until you fisnsih most of your dinner ?

― anthony, Thursday, 16 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

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