Parents I Need Suggestions For My Fearless Diver

[Shelovesthebars]

Summer is right around the corner. I have an eleven year old son and a 4 year old daughter who are pretty much fearless when compared to other kids. My 4 year old is containable because she is small and can be still be entertained on regular playground equiptment. However, my 11 year old son is a nationally ranked diver and he loves to take things to the extremes. Just to let you know he loves to platform dive and has absolutely no fear which at times can make his coaches nervous. We have done a pretty good job in the past of keeping him entertained over the summer but noticed last summer that he needs more than the playground/swimming pool option that our family loves. We have a playground in town that is specifically designed for older kids but he just climbs on the roofs of the various areas. Most parents think he is nuts when he does this but we have been fortunate a couple of times with gymnasts and their parents showing up and the gymnasts doing the same. The parents of the gymnasts say that other parents just don't get it.
We have signed my son up for 2 weeks of camp where they do extreme above ground rope courses and lots of other physical stuff. I also am going to sign him up for rock climbing lessons. He will also dive 3 days a week during the summer. Anyone have any other suggestions? Maybe I will sign him up for a recreational gymnastics class or a tumbling class. He wants to try ariel skiing but that will have to wait untill next winter.

p.s. The only injury he has ever received was a broken arm in his gymnastics class when he was 3 years old. We do insist if he is doing anything that he does it safely.

 

[greyhoundrescue]

Wow, your family sounds a lot like mine. Do you have a trampoline program nearby? I find that it really clicks for my swimming/diving obsessed boys.

My kids are total daredevils as well. Open gym is quite the boon for us.

This summer they are going to their first swimming/diving camp for a week and I'm trying to convince them to let me sign them up for a session of gymnastics sleep away camp. Failing that, they will be doing the day camp at our local gym with their sisters (too young for sleep away camp) and swimming three afternoons a week. It's going to be a crazy summer, but hopefully it will keep them happy and contained.

 

[Bobby]

Do you have laser skirmish near by?? That's an activity that a wildly active boy can run himself ragged on with little actual risk.

 

[emorymom]

The older boys and young men at the skate park have always seemed nice.

Around here there is a tree climbing club, and you can take lessons and learn to climb properly with the safety equipment.

 

[Shelovesthebars]

I love the tree climbing club! I will have to check into that. Laser tag is also fun. We do have a trampoline and tumbling program close so I will check that out for him too. Thanks for all the suggestions.