When school ends, many parents worry about their children. The long, lovely days of sun in summer bring empty hours for students who spent their days in classes and are now at loose ends for over two months. Parents rack their brains to think of constructive ways to occupy those long hours and provide constructive activities for their children.

Instead of spending the summer as couch potatoes in front of the television set, parents look for physical and mental stimulation for kids of all ages, and safe ways for children to pass the time. This dilemma is compounded when parents are working and child care costs mount almost exponentially.

We are fortunate here that the Park and Recreation District offers a wide variety of sports opportunities and lessons of all kinds. Yet there is a cost, reasonable as it may be, for every enrollment and every activity and there are those for whom the costs are significant.

Consider the following situations (with all names changed to protect the confidentiality of our neighbors):

– A mother and her teenage daughter Amy are struggling to adjust to the sudden desertion of husband and father. Amy falls behind in her academic school work, and the school counselor recommends tutoring during the summer. What is her mother to do, when the main source of income for the family left them so abruptly?

– As she is searching for employment and trying to make ends meet, the fees for tutoring, even at the reduced rate of $30 per hour, are simply not available. Where will she find $480 so that Amy can catch up on her academics, feel more confident and enjoy school once again?

– What are the options for a single, divorced, working father who has custody of his 11-year-old son, Eric, for the summer months? He doesn’t want Eric to be lonely and would like him to be able to enjoy the company of other children in a structured, supervised setting.

While the father is grateful to the Park District for a one-week baseball camp scholarship, he needs further support with the cost of Eric’s summer day camp at $125 per week.

– Then there is the case of a single mother and her two daughters, Laurie, 8, and Kate, 10, who escaped from an abusive husband/father and are receiving counseling. In addition to working part-time as a waitress, the mother attends college classes, which works well during the school year.

Imagine how much this mother dreads the end of the school year, since there is no way that she can afford a child care program. Her solution?

She thinks about leaving Laurie in the care of her 10-year-old sister, relying on a neighbor to periodically check on the girls. Is this the only option for this family?

At Helpline House, these situations are not unusual. If you wish to help, checks may be made out to Helpline House, or use our Donate Now button on our website www.helplinehouse.org.

——–

In their own words…

What brought neighbors to Helpline House last month:

* No employment, resources gone.

* Power was shut off today; no money to pay to turn back on.

* Can’t pay for my asthma meds.

* Emergency housing for veteran.

* Help with transportation to medical appointments in Seattle.

* Home care for parents.

* Son had major surgery, drained savings.

* Need rental assistance.

* Live in van, unemployed, need dry, warm place with kitchen and bathroom.

Garnet Logan is a member of Helpline House Board of Directors.