The Milwaukee Summer Rec Program

For six weeks this summer my kids attended an all day (8AM to 4PM) program offered at a nearby school through the Milwaukee Recreation Department.



 I acknowledged that it was a safe and convenient way to juggle both the demands of summer babysitting and the kids constant need to be doing *something*, but honestly? I thought the kids would hate it, and that every morning would require an argument before they walked out the door.

Not so.

They LOVED IT. The few times we picked them up late, they were angry that we didn't pick 'em up later.

Whodathunkit? Other than Lisa that is.



The kids took field trips to pools and a waterpark. The zoo. A Brewers game  (see the Facebook post below). They spent a day at Silverbrook Girl Scout Camp. Another day at Indian Mound Reservation Boy Scout camp. They had 4H meetings. They did projects. They made friends. For the first time ever they walked to and from school by their lonesome.

The two oldest even joined a softball team that went undefeated. Near the end of the session they got to play a game at Helafear Field, the little league park at the Brewers Miller Park, and while Lisa and I were both working my Dad made the early morning trip to watch them in action! Thanks Pop!

Here's their coach:

August 1st: The three oldest kids attended their first Brewers game of the year today with their Rec Division classes and were treated to a 13-4 win over the Astros. They enjoyed it and commented that there were " a lot" of home runs (4), plus they got

 to see a future HOF'er in Ryan Braun. Lauren was a little hurt she couldn't go w/out parental supervision, but there's always next year. Oh, and on Monday the Rec class had a Brewers day where the kids met Larry Hisle. 

So will we do it again next year? Well, it wasn't cheap -for four kids, and compared to any other program it was, but I'm talking soley in the context of our finances. Still, for the amount of fun they had, and all those experiences, it was certainly worth it. I'd be more than happy to have them enrolled again next summer :)