Children - Age and Outside Commitments....

[lillygator]

with school starting back up next week, most outside activity programs are also beginning....I am just wondering how other people handle or view the time commitment to certain activities with their children.

DD is wanting to start something that runs 3x a week for an hour.

 

[Erin1700]

How old is she? My DD8 swims competitively and practices 4 to 5 days a week for 1 1/2 hours per day. This is all she does.

 

[lillygator]

she is 6 and it is swimming that she wants to do.

 

[Erin1700]

Is it for a team?? If not, and you dont want her going so many times a week, look for a program that does not meet so often. But if she is going to be on a team, you practice a lot.

 

[justhat]

My daughter is 5.5yo and swims twice a week for 45 minutes each, but if she joined their team (she's just in the developmental stroke clinic) then it would be 3 times a week for an hour each time, so I would sayit's probably pretty standard. In my kid's case, I want her swimming the same times as her brother for my own convenience so that's why we are sticking with the stroke clinic rather than the swim team, otherwise I'd let her join the team and go 3 times a week.

 

[lillygator]

Is it for a team?? If not, and you dont want her going so many times a week, look for a program that does not meet so often. But if she is going to be on a team, you practice a lot.

yes, it will be with a team. She will be 7 on Halloween and ages 7 practice M-Th....

 

[Darcy03231]

If its the only activity she does I don't see any problem with spending an hour 3x a week.

DD did dance and danced competitively. By the time she did the last year she had classes about 8 hours a week, competition classes about 3 hours a week and when they had a competition it was rehearsals anywhere from 2-4 hours a week, on top of the class time. Competitions took up several weekends a year. Dress Rehearsal/Recital took up another two weekends.

 

[luvmy2sams]

When our DD was 6 she was dancing twice a week for an hour each day. She also played soccer in the fall and spring, which meant one practice and game each week.

Those were the days! She's now 10 and is still dancing. This fall she'll have five one-hour classes during the week and two hours of company on Saturdays. I won't even comment on the rehearsal schedule when competitions (twice a year) or recital rehearsals begin.

It's the only thing she does, and we're all for it as long as her grades stay high and she's still enjoying it. That's our rule with both our kids. Fortunately, DS6 is only interested in sports, which is a smaller committment for us.

 

[minkydog]

Our rule was "one activity per child per week, plus youth group/church activities." I have three children, so that was about all I could manage. Now that DS23 isn't part of that picture and DS14 only participates in Special Olympics, which is only fall and spring, it frees up some time for DD16. She dances 9 hours a week--4 hours at school and 5 hours at the studio, which is walking distance from school. Her activities don't have a lot of impact on me, except for the two weeks leading up to recitals or plays.

 

[ohiomom28]

My son is 9 and he plays football. He is at practice 5 days a week for 2 hours each day. Games are on Saturday's. After school starts, it goes to 3 days a week and goes down to 1.5 hours a night. Whew..I can't wait! Its exhausting for me to run backa nd forth and I can't get anything done at home!

 

[ajk912]

My son is 9 and he plays football. He is at practice 5 days a week for 2 hours each day. Games are on Saturday's. After school starts, it goes to 3 days a week and goes down to 1.5 hours a night. Whew..I can't wait! Its exhausting for me to run backa nd forth and I can't get anything done at home!

Same here!! I hope they go to 1.5 hour practices when school starts. Practicing till 8pm is really late, especially when you have to get home, finish up whatever homework, shower, and wind down before bedtime. Finishing by 7:30 is ideal. My 9 year old would be fine to stay up till 9:30 or so, but I really don't like keeping my kindergartener out that late. Ideally, I would want her in BED by 8:30 at the LATEST- but that's just not happening for now.

BTW, she does cheerleading, 3 times a week now, will be one practice a week when school starts. Games on Saturdays.

 

[pooh4evr]

Well lets see- 1st grade DD has soccer tonight, 8 yr old has dance- tomorrow reverse it, Wednesday- both have piano, and PSR (Parish school religion classes) and every other week they both have Girl Scouts on Tuesday nights. Dance is supposed to start tonight anyway I am not sure if I want to go back! They like it but I hate driving everywhere all evening dropping off and picking up - I just hate that one of them is on their own while I am driving somewhere else.

 

[EthansMom]

DS8 was on Swim Team last winter... two practices a week (1.5 hrs each) and then meets roughly every other weekend (about 5 hours each). He won't be doing Swim Team this winter because he's got a teacher who assigns quite a bit of homework.

Some pros to Swim Team... DS8 got in great shape and has a lot of friends from Swim Team.

Some cons to Swim Team... Swim Team pools are often kept pretty cool and younger, thinner kids will get cold (recommend a thermal suit for practices); If your coach does a lot of endurance (laps) but doesn't spend a lot of time on individual technique then your child might actually become sloppier with her strokes; Those dang meets can take forever... when you include travel to/from, you're spending a full day at them.

Personally, we'll be taking this winter off for sure and may do Swim Team next summer with both kids. I'd like to put DS8 and DD5 on another (supposedly better) team next fall but will wait see what other commitments they have since DD5 is starting dance lessons (1 hour a week) in addition to the kids' swim lessons.

Oh... and I'm assuming your DD has already taken swim lessons and knows her strokes. If she can't already swim, Swim Team won't be a good fit for her.

 

[TiggerStac]

My almost 8 year old DS has football 4 nights per week 2 1/4 hours per night.

When school starts up it drops to 3 nights a week. Sundays are game days, I believe for 8 weeks. He has sunday school every other week, which I will probably have to home school him for a little bit.

In spring he plays baseball which is normally 1-2 practices per week and 1-2 games per week.

 

[SereneOne]

Our daughter will be participating in dance for an hour every week, one day a week and also Daisies every other week, for an hour sometimes a little longer. She will also be involved in Awana again this year, which is one a week for about two hours.

Everything is super close, so it is not much of a problem with time spent in the car. On Awana night, we do go out to eat to Chickfila or Moe's. We may add therapeutic horse riding on the weekend, however we are waiting to see how everything else pans out. Dance gets out at 4:30 and is about five minutes from our house, so she can go and play while I cook dinner and Daises is less than fifteen minutes so we are home by 5:30pm and it is only twice a month.

I think physical activites such as swimming are very important for children (heck, adults too). There are numerous studies that show children do better academically and self-esteem wise when they are involved in athletics. Our neighborhood has a swim team that practices quite a bit. My daughter is unable to participate due to health issues, however what ever she wants to do and can do, I plan on doing my best to support her in it.

 

[lillygator]

anyone have any good budget online swim sites for suits, goggles....etc....

 

[kidzmom3]

anyone have any good budget online swim sites for suits, goggles....etc....

you may want to find out what is required before you buy. all the competitive teams in my area have specific team suits, team warm ups, team practice wear etc......

 

[madge]

Our rule was "one activity per child per week, plus youth group/church activities." I have three children, so that was about all I could manage.

that's our rule, too .. same number of kids

 

[dreamer17555]

Cat is 7. She dances competively and also at a pre pro ballet school. She does 11 hours of dance a week. Its a lot but it works for her and our family.

-Becca

 

[mom2kazkids]

DD is 8 (starting 3rd grade in 2 weeks) and is a competative gymnast. She will be in the gym 11.5 hours a week once she goes back to school. Tues, Thurs and Fri nights.

DS is 9 (starting 4th grade) he will be in swim lessons one night a week and bowling on Saturday am.