Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
It’s coming up to holiday time for lots of people (and I don’t just mean the teachers) and that means long school holidays with children with lots of time on their hands.
So I’m straining my brain to come up with some ingenious ideas to while away the hours for youngsters and their perspiring parents.
For a start, I’ve noticed that there’s a really good range of sticker and activity books for younger kids in the shops just now – so stock up for summer before they’re all gone.
My daughter Hannah can spend hours engrossed in these and although she needs me to sit with her to help, I’ve discovered that I can colour and direct, at the same time as reading my morning paper!
It’s also a good idea to stock up early on paper, pens, crayons, glue and all the necessary stuff for kids to be creative and make things (be it pictures, games, masks, costumes or whatever) on ‘rainy days’, for example, when it’s so muggy and hot you melt even thinking of going outside, and your sweat positively rains off you if you do.
Play dough, balloons, and even bubbles can also be good indoor fun.
Another idea for mums and dads; if you think your kids are getting bored with their toys and you don’t want to break the bank, try the occasional temporary toy swap with some friends, or borrow some from people who are going away.
Swimming is a must over summer because it’s about the only exercise that kids can do to get some ‘fresh air’ at this time of year.
If you don’t have access to a pool there are the hotels and resorts and water parks.
Computer games have their place during summer (especially if they’re educational), and as a last resort – even videos can get kids through the day.
And these too can also be swapped around friends to keep it from getting too expensive and/or boring.
But we all know that too much TV is bad so it’s got to be monitored (see pages 23, 24 & 25).
Days out can include such indoor fun as the bouncy castle/soft play areas at Toys R Us and Seef and Marina Malls, and other similar fun places such as Shakazula. And just a play day at someone-else’s house is usually enough to keep kids happy and amused
Keeping older kids occupied may not be as exhausting physically, yet is even more challenging.
So kids how about you take up my challenge to learn something new or just get better at something you already enjoy, whether it is ice-skating, bowling, playing indoor football or cricket, learning to cook or a new dance style, together with some of your friends. Or how about even making a model airplane or trying to sew / knit / crochet, or even start learning another language? All are interesting and worthwhile activities for young adults.
Parents, if none of the above motivates or amuses your older kids, perhaps you could see if they can come with you to work and help out with a little ‘work experience’. Or, if the thought of having your children at work with you all day is just too mind blowing, ask them what kind of work they might be interested in, and see if you can get them in the door someplace else.
And don’t forget there are plenty of volunteer organisations who could really use their help in so many different ways.
If you want to stop childrebn from being glued to the TV for the whole of summer make sure they have access to books they really enjoy, either from libraries or if you don’t have access to any, there is a pretty good range at the BSPCA for very reasonable prices. The holidays are a great time for kids to rediscover reading for fun.
Whatever you do, whether you stay here or go away, I hope all our students and teachers have a great summer.
Talking of teachers, on Thursday night I dj’d at the annual St. Christopher’s School teachers’ end-of-year party at the British Club and what a weird and wonderful night it turned out to be. After dinner we had a raffle during which I was ably assisted by the Head of Senior School, Nick Wilson.
Interestingly, the entrance ticket stated smart, casual dress. So I asked Nick “from where did you get that t-shirt that you’re wearing?” He said: “Ey up Kevin, it’s designer.”
Now I don’t know whether perhaps this particular designer normally designs buildings, aeroplanes, cars, landscape garden designs or whatever, but the t-shirt reminded me of something that Worzel Gummidge (a 1970s TV character who wore more patches on his clothes than you’d see during Pirates of the Caribbean) would wear under his jacket. Ha! Only joking Nick! It will probably be the new away football kit next year for Manchester United.
After the raffle, I proceeded to play music and get people up on the dance floor boogieing.
To say that the teachers had a varied taste in music would be a vast understatement.
As always when I play music I say “if anyone has any requests, come up and ask, if possible I’ll play them for you”.
Two people came up to me ,one after another, and each gave me their list … Both started with the usual “play some good music please”; then one list contained Shania Twain, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles and Elvis Presley.
The second list contained Radiohead, The Killers, Oasis, Coldplay and Greenday. At the same time the dance floor was full with people bopping about to Abba. Sigh! What to do?
During the course of the night I played just about every form of music you can think of in an attempt to keep everybody happy.
(Though it’s a good job the school principal Ed Goodwin wasn’t there; because I didn’t have any Beethoven with me).
As the night came to a close I started to slow things down (as a hint to the nine hardy individuals who where still hanging on) that I wanted to go home! Then onto the stage jumped Wakefield Jo asking to sing some Karaoke!
I sighed and gave her the microphone. Then she asked: “Have you got the backing music to Sade’s 'Your Love is King'?” I know I’m good, but really! In tired disbelief I said: “just sing it” – or words to that effect. And do you know what? She did and sounded great!
Also this week I was invited to the Energade Summer Series by Gulf Cellar’s marketing and events manager, Daniel Thain. It was at the Riffa Golf Club and we played together in a format new to me called Foursomes.
We played alternative shots with one ball and what a team we turned out to be; finishing with the highest score of everybody on the night - which in golf is, of course, bad. Better luck this week for us, I hope.
But a big congratulations to the winners; a husband and wife team consisting of Peter and Maureen Loubser.
A big thank you going out to everybody who entered last week’s Tele-Gulf Quiz. There were many great suggestions and the winner was Harikrishnan; whose slogan was: “Let the fingers do the walking, Kevin do the driving,
Let the fingers do the walking, Kevin do the talking”
Well done – a BD25 certificate is your prize.
Keep Happy
Krazy Kevin x
