Extracurriculars

[MiniGirl]

Hi everyone.... with a new school year getting started, I was getting the extracurricular activites lined up for our dds. In the past, we haven't don't much (1 activity each). This year, however, we are homeschooling, so I'm wanting to get them in a few extra things. I also don't want to go broke doing them though.

So, what are some activities your kids are in, and I know it isn't polite to ask about $$$, but we're among friends here, so about how much do you spend, if you don't mind my asking.

Here's what I'm thinking for my girls.....

Oldest dd (9 -- grade 4)
Swim team 3X/wk
Drama group 1X/wk
Bowling 1X/wk
Beach Club 1X/wk

Then whatever else come up.

Youngest dd (7 -- grade 2)
Gymnastics 1X/wk
Drama group 1X/wk
Bowling 1X/wk
Beach Club 1X/wk
Brownies -- Again, we haven't signed up, but she expressed an interest in this.

This is much more than we would normally do, but I definitely want to have each dd in some sort of physical activity, and the others I think are just great for socializing and making friends. We don't have a ton of kids in the neighborhood, so I think the other activites are important.

All this will come out to about $200/month. I'm curious.... is this about the average? I know several families who spend a lot less and others who must spend a lot more. (I'm just speculating based on the number of children in the family and the amount of activities each child is involved in.

We may also eventually add in music lessons of some sort.

 

[ireland_nicole]

Hi everyone.... with a new school year getting started, I was getting the extracurricular activites lined up for our dds. In the past, we haven't don't much (1 activity each). This year, however, we are homeschooling, so I'm wanting to get them in a few extra things. I also don't want to go broke doing them though.

So, what are some activities your kids are in, and I know it isn't polite to ask about $$$, but we're among friends here, so about how much do you spend, if you don't mind my asking.

Here's what I'm thinking for my girls.....

Oldest dd (9 -- grade 4)
Swim team 3X/wk
Drama group 1X/wk
Bowling 1X/wk
Beach Club 1X/wk

Then whatever else come up.

Youngest dd (7 -- grade 2)
Gymnastics 1X/wk
Drama group 1X/wk
Bowling 1X/wk
Beach Club 1X/wk
Brownies -- Again, we haven't signed up, but she expressed an interest in this.

This is much more than we would normally do, but I definitely want to have each dd in some sort of physical activity, and the others I think are just great for socializing and making friends. We don't have a ton of kids in the neighborhood, so I think the other activites are important.

All this will come out to about $200/month. I'm curious.... is this about the average? I know several families who spend a lot less and others who must spend a lot more. (I'm just speculating based on the number of children in the family and the amount of activities each child is involved in.

We may also eventually add in music lessons of some sort.

I think if you can get all that for 200/month you're doing great! I had each of the kids in one thing each (DD in Dance 2.5 hrs. / wk; $150) and (DD in TKD 1hr/wk $75)

 

[MiniGirl]

I think if you can get all that for 200/month you're doing great! I had each of the kids in one thing each (DD in Dance 2.5 hrs. / wk; $150) and (DD in TKD 1hr/wk $75)

Well, fortunately, the beach is free, and the bowling and drama groups give homeschoolers a discount because they are scheduled at an off time when most children can't attend. Otherwise it'd be much more.

 

[ireland_nicole]

I'd try it, and if it was just too much for them maybe be willing to renegotiate the time commitment. Sounds like it will be a good year, though

 

[taitai]

I think it is a manageable schedule...especially for home schooled kids whose days are a tad more flexible. I am amazed that you can do it all for $200/month and think that is terrific. Good for you.

 

[MomTo4+more]

That sounds like a great deal! My children would love doing all of those activities. We have done plenty in the past. Maybe once baby girl doesn't need therapy 12 hours a week, we can add extracurriculars back in. For this year it will just be homeschool group and Awana. You must have found really good deals to get all of that for just $200 a month! Have a fun year!

 

[Colleen27]

All this will come out to about $200/month. I'm curious.... is this about the average? I know several families who spend a lot less and others who must spend a lot more. (I'm just speculating based on the number of children in the family and the amount of activities each child is involved in.

For us, it really depends on the year. Last year was a cheapie, because DD decided to take a year off of dance and DS's guitar teacher moved and I hadn't found him a new one. This school year, I'm not getting off so easily

We have:
DS11 football - $185 for a 4 month fall season
DD7 soccer - $75 for a 4 month fall season
DS11 guitar - $600 for weekly lessons, all school year
DD7 dance - $670 including costumes & fees, all school year
DS11 baseball - $110 for 3 month spring season
DD7 softball - $70 for 3 month spring season
DD7 Brownies - $150ish for the entire school year
DD7 4H gardeners - free

So that's about $155/month on average, with the actual money going out in chunks at registration times. The guitar, dance & scout dues are paid monthly over the 10 months of the school year, but the rest are one time expenses. And of course, none of this includes dance shoes, cleats, guitar strings, gloves, bats, balls, etc.

 

[Erica09M]

My oldest is only 4 years old, but she will be playing soccer this fall and possibly a gymnastics class once a week. I really would like to get her some music lessons, but we'll see. Soccer was $80 for the season, plus shoes, shorts, socks, and shin guards. Gymnastics is $40 per month (classes are 1 hr per week).

We do a lot of other activities that aren't sports or lessons, like going to the library once a week, the musuem, aquarium, the park, and other community events that get my children plenty of socialization.

We're considering homeschooling next year (she'll start kindergarten) because I'm already worried that she's going to be bored in public school. She's starting to read on her own, can do some beginning math, amongst some other things... and we still have a year before "kindergarten" even starts. I don't want her to be bored and misbehave because she's sitting there with nothing to do. I also don't want her to feel uncomfortable in a class if she happens to be ahead of other students and then not try as hard because she doesn't want to do things with her friends. I hope that makes sense. So, we might just homeschool for a few years and then re-evaluate.

 

[Goofy'slady]

We're putting our 4yr old who will be entering Pre-K this fall into dance. The class is only 45mins once a week but due to her age I think it's enough for now. The cost of that class was 190 and that's not including the dance outfits and shoes.

Our oldest dd (11) hasn't decided what she'll do this year. She's starting 6th grade this year at a magnet school where the curriculum will be more challenging so I think we'll wait and see how she juggles all the class work without adding to her full plate.

T.

 

[princessmom29]

My DD5 is five almost 6 and going into K, and we are doing:
Dance (3 hrs per week) at $92/month plus about $400 for the year for costumes and recital fee

Cheer (3-4 hrs per week) $150 for the 3 moth season. This includes uniform, warmup suit, shoes, socks, poms,and a cheer bag.

This is the first year for cheer so we will see how it goes and decide from there if we want to do it next year. We are adding a couple of dance classes as well, so it is going to be a big year for us.

 

[kalc12345]

We are also home schoolers My daugther takes riding lessons (horse) and I pay $30 a week for that. Then we are part of a home school group that does field trips and get togethers and that sort of thing. She is also involved in a lot of activities at our Church.

 

[adoptionmomma4]

Extra curricular activities are stressing me big time this year. I think as homeschoolers we feel like we need to give our children every opportunity, but in actuality it is not necessary to keep them busy every day. It has taken me a long time to get to this point of understanding and I am still not living it I am trying to reevaluate now and make some changes to our very hectic schedule.

I have 4 children and they are all in activities year round. I want to add music lessons, but I just don't think I can squeeze one more thing into our schedule. Here is what we do:

DD 11 (almost 12)
Competitive cheer: Mon., Tues., Thurs. and Friday (13 hours/week) with competitions on the weekends September-May.
Cost about 300/month June- November then falls to $150 plus uniform and assorted fees like travel and camps separate.

DS 10
Football: Mon.-Thurs. 5:30-7:30
Wrestling: not sure of time commitment yet this season.
Boys Scouts: Thursdays 7-8:30
Cost: around $700/year

DS 8
Gymnastics: Mon./Fri. 1 hour each
Boy Scouts: Thursday 7-8:30
Cost: $160/11 weeks. He was asked to join the competitive team this fall and I am sure the cost will be way too much. But he is passionate about and really wants to join. He will not compete until next year.

DD 4
Competitive cheer: Mon./Sat 2.5 hours/week.
Cost: $95/ month with the same extra fees as my older DD. Honestly the only reason Katie is doing this is because we are always there with Leanne. I would have waited until she was 7 to start her but she really wanted to join.

We also have a homeschool co-op, which meets Monday mornings. We try to take field trips as well. However, we are way to busy. I have been thinking about giving up some or all of our activities. All of these activities are stealing our family time. We have little time after our schoolwork is finished to just talk, play and spend together. Of course I think activities are great and kids need exercise and time to socialize with other kids. But over scheduling causes stress on them as well as DH and I who have to taxi to and from all of these activities. If I had it to do again with younger children I would not start activities so young. I would also pick one thing and stick with it.

Is this your first year homeschooling? Are you using a full curriculum? You may find that the time commitment of the school day with an activity 4 nights a week is too much. You have to remember there are also things like doctor visits, cooking, cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping that will need to be done. I would suggest letting your DD’s pick one or two of the activities they want to do the most and starting there. You can always re-evaluate later and add things if they are bored. I know it is the pot calling the kettle black I wish I could take my own advice. This is something I am really struggling with right now. Good luck with your school year and whatever you decided about activities.

 

[bentleygirl22]

Hi everyone.... with a new school year getting started, I was getting the extracurricular activites lined up for our dds. In the past, we haven't don't much (1 activity each). This year, however, we are homeschooling, so I'm wanting to get them in a few extra things. I also don't want to go broke doing them though.

So, what are some activities your kids are in, and I know it isn't polite to ask about $$$, but we're among friends here, so about how much do you spend, if you don't mind my asking.

Here's what I'm thinking for my girls.....

Oldest dd (9 -- grade 4)
Swim team 3X/wk
Drama group 1X/wk
Bowling 1X/wk
Beach Club 1X/wk

Then whatever else come up.

Youngest dd (7 -- grade 2)
Gymnastics 1X/wk
Drama group 1X/wk
Bowling 1X/wk
Beach Club 1X/wk
Brownies -- Again, we haven't signed up, but she expressed an interest in this.

This is much more than we would normally do, but I definitely want to have each dd in some sort of physical activity, and the others I think are just great for socializing and making friends. We don't have a ton of kids in the neighborhood, so I think the other activites are important.

All this will come out to about $200/month. I'm curious.... is this about the average? I know several families who spend a lot less and others who must spend a lot more. (I'm just speculating based on the number of children in the family and the amount of activities each child is involved in.

We may also eventually add in music lessons of some sort.

Sounds great

For us for Fall ...

My Son James is 8yrs old
he's doing ..
Fall Baseball $65.
Homeschool Bowling League $107.50

My Little girl Alexis is 7 yrs old
she's doing
Cheerleading $225.00
HomeSchool Bowling League $ 107.50


Plus the kids are in 2 homeschool co-op groups which will keep the kids busy too
Thats all we are signed up for so far...

 

[bentleygirl22]

BTW its great to see other homeschool familys

 

[MiniGirl]

Thanks everyone for your input. I have always said that I didn't want to over schedule my kids, and we have always been signed up for much, much less than many, if not most, other children we know. Now, though, it is important that they get involved in things, but I still don't want to over do things.

We also have a homeschool co-op, which meets Monday mornings. We try to take field trips as well. However, we are way to busy. I have been thinking about giving up some or all of our activities. All of these activities are stealing our family time. We have little time after our schoolwork is finished to just talk, play and spend together. Of course I think activities are great and kids need exercise and time to socialize with other kids. But over scheduling causes stress on them as well as DH and I who have to taxi to and from all of these activities. If I had it to do again with younger children I would not start activities so young. I would also pick one thing and stick with it.

Is this your first year homeschooling? Are you using a full curriculum? You may find that the time commitment of the school day with an activity 4 nights a week is too much. You have to remember there are also things like doctor visits, cooking, cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping that will need to be done. I would suggest letting your DD’s pick one or two of the activities they want to do the most and starting there. You can always re-evaluate later and add things if they are bored. I know it is the pot calling the kettle black I wish I could take my own advice. This is something I am really struggling with right now. Good luck with your school year and whatever you decided about activities.

This is actually our 2nd year, but my first year w/both girls. My youngest was in public school last year. We are using MFW -- Exploring Countries and Cultures. I did Adventures last year, and we had plenty of time and didn't do much because I didn't want my youngest to feel left out. I know we'll work it all out and fall into some sort of routine and tweak our schedule as the year progresses. I want them to be in some sort of physical activity and well, I'm not counting bowling for that. so we are definitely keeping the swimming (for my oldest) and gymnastics (for my youngest). I also think they would pick drama. I like that this is something they both will do at the same time -- giving me a free hour or so. The bowling and beach are very casual and easy to skip if we just can't get it all done.

We are also in a local hs group and they have get togethers and field trips. Again though, these are things that we can do if we have extra time. We will definitely take time to step back and re-evaluate if what we are doing is working. I have a rough schedule mapped out, but know our reality may end up looking very little like that schedule as we find what works for us and tweak it accordingly.

Thanks again everyone for you insight.