This week we've been talking about our schedule for the fall. The girls just want to do everything – soccer, ballet, gymnastics, tae kwon do, piano, Girl Scouts… and I have a question:
HOW DO PEOPLE DO ALL OF THIS STUFF?
Is it just me?
Normally kids barely do anything and we barely have time for that. Last spring for one month, we did soccer, piano, gymnastics AND Girl Scouts and I just about died. It was ridiculous – we were out of the house every single weekday with soccer games on the weekend. (Not to mention the money? Holy cow, this stuff is expensive!)
As it is, they don't get off the bus until after 4:00 in the afternoon. Between homework and dinner and 8:00 bedtime… there's just not enough hours in the day. When will they play? When will they spend time with their poor little brother who misses them all day long? When will the go outside and just be kids?
I'm totally stressing about this. Does anyone have any tips for balancing all of this? How do you decide what activities your kids do?
About Melissa
We allow the kids one activity at a time, cut and dry. Not only do they need to have time to be kids, but you and Hubby need time to be at home getting those things done without staying up until midnight.
It isn’t an easy battle, but it works for us. That is the main reason Boo never did Girl Scouts, she wants to play sports to much and she can’t do both.
I am just now entering this realm of crazy amounts of activities, and my strong belief is that too much organized stuff is not a good thing for kids. Not to mention that we seriously do not have the money to do it all. So … I am hoping to limit activities to one or two. Maybe the kids could pick one or two favorites? And even if they complain, know that you are doing the best thing for them.
PS – when A. was in preschool, I have a very distinct memory of being in a group of moms who were talking about all the activities their kids were in (including VIRTUAL GOLF, whatever the heck that is …) then they turned to me and said “what is A in?” and I answered “ummm, preschool?” … that was a conversation stopper!! lol but doesn’t that count? she was only 4 for pete’s sake!
I probably shouldn’t offer my opinion since my kids are younger, BUT I’m attempting to just do one activity at a time for now, but that will change as I just have an almost 6 year old and nearly 4 year old. Lucky me, the 4 year old can do Kung Fu during his preschool session, so that helps. We’re sticking with ballet and kung fu for the girl, so just two afternoons a week. And that’s it. I just don’t want to spend a ton of money on extras, and I do want them to pick what they’re interested in…we just can’t do everything!
Ok, I’m probably the minority here, but I let my girls (granted, they are young) do one thing. We have school, and right now we’re doing gymnastics.
I am such a homebody, and I’m attempting to not over schedule my family as much as possible. We will see how long this last!
~emily
Amy – I felt the exact same way in preschool! I was like Tennis and yoga? REALLY?!? My kids didnt start activities until they were at least 4. They have their whole life to be busy – and such a short time to be kids and just run around and play!
I know, Beck – it can get to be so much once they all get older! I already feel so bad for my 2-year-old. Like all he does is sit in waiting rooms while his sisters take lessons! Poor kid!
thanks, emily. its good to hear that other people are leaning that way. there are so many REALLY overscheduled kids in our circle that i feel like such a bad mom sometimes because im not running them places every day.
when will they get to hang out and see their brother if they are in lessons every day. just in the car? i think thats more important than taking another lesson!
one activity that is it other wise no time for family time and God time and that is way more important than doing what seems like all the other kids and moms are doing. Looks like there are a lot more of us out there that are doing just one thing at a time anyway
so true haley. family devotions is the first thing that seems to slip when were super busy!
We’ve never been the family with a million different activities going on. This fall, however, is going to be interesting. Betty will continue with Girl Scouts, but she wants to add acting lessons. GS is kind of low-key (every other week), so I’m inclined to break my rule of one activity at a time. We just had the “one activity at a time” conversation tonight with Boo, who wants to do soccer and acting. Pick one … it looks like soccer might be winning out.
Please please please let me know if you figure it out…the kids are in Little Gym and we want to add ballet and tennis – but between family commitments, work and birthday parties – I don’t know how…
We’re the same as others…one activity at a time. Right now, the girls are doing gymnastics.
So far, we haven’t done any “structured” activities (sports, dance, etc.). As our girls get older, we’ll probably take things one-at-a-time. I want to be sure they have plenty of time to play – to relax – to go outdoors – to read – to just BE.
I am, however, interested in the Girl Scouts. What was your experience w/ the organization like?
We have the girls in one activity at a time, plus the older two attend our church’s mid-week evening program (like a Christian Girl Scouts, imo).
Our three year old has swimming lessons during the day while her sisters are in school, and she will be starting preschool in the fall.
With multiple kids, this is the only way I can stay somewhat sane. Especially since hubby has been playing church-league softball on top of it all!
We normally do one activity per child and try to combine them – last winter it was swimming for all of them. This year, I may trade off the carting around with another mom if I cant find a common interest for them all.
Like so many others we do one sport at a time and we allow our older girls to do Little Flowers (a kind of Catholic girl scouts) and our son will start Cub Scouts. We allow the clubs because they are only twice a month and offer some things sports don’t. I think parents feel pressured to let their kids play every sport every season so that they have a better chance of getting picked for the elite teams when older, or the high school teams, or whatever. But I firmly believe talent will out, so to speak, and so we do one sport per season, even if that means my kid only plays soccer once a year until he/she chooses to focus just on that. It is absolutely okay to play soccer one season and then tee ball the next and then go back to soccer or try something new!