Beat Boredom by Doing Good Deeds

The best remedy I know for a funk is to do something for someone else. So if you are hanging out with the grandkids this summer, and those mid-summer blahs strike, consider channeling their considerable energy into a project to benefit someone else. Why not do something for a senior citizen? Here are some ideas suitable for grandchildren of different ages:

• Preschoolers can make their own greeting cards and deliver them to neighbors, a church group or a senior citizen center. The kids can make their own cards from scratch, recycle old greeting cards or use printables.
• School-age kids are old enough to help make a batch of favorite cookies to share or to create and deliver small bouquets.
• Tweens and teens can help out older neighbors by watering lawns, pulling weeds or sweeping sidewalks. They can read to those whose vision is impaired or even write letters for them.

This post is part of the All About Parenting Blog Carnival for July, hosted by Jennifer O'Donnell, the About.com Guide to Parenting Tweens. Visit the Blog Carnival for more great ideas about beating mid-summer madness.