I've mentioned a few times about my daughter not feeling like doing much lately. It's more than the weather. It's her age. 12 is a rough age for kids.
At 12 years old, kids have mostly outgrown playground equipment. (Personally, I think most of that is not the age but the limited design of the equipment.) Yet they are not yet old enough for many other things. Mentally, they are developing abstract thought and social needs and skills which were not there before.
I am glad she has interests in art, science and reading. Most of the time it is the kids with no interests that get into (and become) trouble. Those are also the ones who are most likely to be having underage sex, using drugs and drinking. No amount of force can stop it but if you get them interested in something to occupy their minds and their time, the problems become much fewer. (It also gives you something to threaten them with! lol!)
I'll be completely honest. Boredom is a huge problem for me here. There is very little to do here! Even if you have interests in hiking, climbing, bicycling, etc, you cannot do much of that for half the year. Even in season, how much of that are you going to do in a week? You can only go walk through Old Town or the Biopark so many time before you are bored to f'ing tears! So, the only other options involve taking your clothes off and/or ingesting some form of chemicals.
As far as activities go, New Mexico is known for two things. Artists and fighters. The artists engage in art here to keep from going insane. The fighters get into fighting because they probably don't have many brain cells to lose in the first place.
Want to engage in a hobby here? Depending on what it is, you better be ready to spend a lot of money. Pottery? If you work for a living, you'll wind up buying a pottery wheel and a kiln. Why? Because the pottery supply places close at 5:30 and are only open for about 4 hours on weekends. Closed Sundays, of course. A pottery wheel and kiln will easily set you back $1000. That's before considering a safe place to put the kiln, specialized wiring, the cost of electricity to run it and supplies. Unless you're rather well off, the only way it's worth the investment is if you are doing it as an occupation. Tip: If you're going to do pottery as an occupation, don't do it where 5-10 percent of the population is doing it as an occupation.
Woodwork? I'm trying to get there. It's less common here than pottery. But still takes money, time and space for equipment, tools and supplies. I still have a few major pieces to buy before I can do any really good work. Until then, it will all look pretty rudimentary. Because it is.
Volunteer work? Only for limited schedules and if you are willing to make a commitment to a set schedule for a long time.
I do have an advantage. I have a large yard, so can keep a huge garden. I also have a large old house that needs lots of work. Keeps me occupied but not much chance for socialization.
Things like this are a concern anywhere. But the less there is to do in a given place, the greater the concern for young people as they grow older. The best thing I can do with my daughter is keep introducing her to different interests. Art, nature, science, building, politics...
At 12 years old, kids have mostly outgrown playground equipment. (Personally, I think most of that is not the age but the limited design of the equipment.) Yet they are not yet old enough for many other things. Mentally, they are developing abstract thought and social needs and skills which were not there before.
I am glad she has interests in art, science and reading. Most of the time it is the kids with no interests that get into (and become) trouble. Those are also the ones who are most likely to be having underage sex, using drugs and drinking. No amount of force can stop it but if you get them interested in something to occupy their minds and their time, the problems become much fewer. (It also gives you something to threaten them with! lol!)
I'll be completely honest. Boredom is a huge problem for me here. There is very little to do here! Even if you have interests in hiking, climbing, bicycling, etc, you cannot do much of that for half the year. Even in season, how much of that are you going to do in a week? You can only go walk through Old Town or the Biopark so many time before you are bored to f'ing tears! So, the only other options involve taking your clothes off and/or ingesting some form of chemicals.
As far as activities go, New Mexico is known for two things. Artists and fighters. The artists engage in art here to keep from going insane. The fighters get into fighting because they probably don't have many brain cells to lose in the first place.
Want to engage in a hobby here? Depending on what it is, you better be ready to spend a lot of money. Pottery? If you work for a living, you'll wind up buying a pottery wheel and a kiln. Why? Because the pottery supply places close at 5:30 and are only open for about 4 hours on weekends. Closed Sundays, of course. A pottery wheel and kiln will easily set you back $1000. That's before considering a safe place to put the kiln, specialized wiring, the cost of electricity to run it and supplies. Unless you're rather well off, the only way it's worth the investment is if you are doing it as an occupation. Tip: If you're going to do pottery as an occupation, don't do it where 5-10 percent of the population is doing it as an occupation.
Woodwork? I'm trying to get there. It's less common here than pottery. But still takes money, time and space for equipment, tools and supplies. I still have a few major pieces to buy before I can do any really good work. Until then, it will all look pretty rudimentary. Because it is.
Volunteer work? Only for limited schedules and if you are willing to make a commitment to a set schedule for a long time.
I do have an advantage. I have a large yard, so can keep a huge garden. I also have a large old house that needs lots of work. Keeps me occupied but not much chance for socialization.
Things like this are a concern anywhere. But the less there is to do in a given place, the greater the concern for young people as they grow older. The best thing I can do with my daughter is keep introducing her to different interests. Art, nature, science, building, politics...
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