how late do your kids practice

[Schmeck]

PB's Wednesday practice is until 8:30, but her gym is 30 minutes away, so we generally get home around 9:00. Her bedtime is usually 8:00- 8:30 on other nights. She usually sleeps in the car (she's 6). She's been hinting at wanting to quit gymnastics for ice skating, and I've been purposely deaf to that for the moment.

We did the gymnastics-ice skating swap. We had one quiet month! She went from practicing gymnastics 20+ hours a week (6 days) to skating 3 days a week, but then it built to the crazy level again. The gym was only 10 minutes away, as was one rink. But when she made a nationally ranked team (synchro) then we had to go to 3 rinks for that, all 45+ minutes away. The good thing about skating is that it is usually only for 1-2 hours at a time. The rink is so cold though, and travel time can be harsh.

 

[MELSMICE]

There are only so many fields for so many teams!

In all fairness, though, nobody is required to participate in travel soccer (or insert whatever sport you child is in). You do have the option of not having her participate, or volunteer to get involved with the scheduling.

Agree with these 2 comments.

There is only so much time and space available. My dance classes at my studio go from 4:00 - 9:00/9:30 every evening. I can't start earlier because of school and even though I think 9:00/9:30 is late, what are my options, with the exception of canceling a class that kids want to take? The classes are full. On Saturdays we run from 8:45 - 4:30.

My kids (now young adults) were involved in many activities when they were younger. My first choice wasn't to pick them up at 10 p.m. on a freezing night in the dead of winter or to head out to a basketball game at 5 a.m. on the day I could sleep in, but that's what parents do if their kids enjoy something and want to continue it.

I'm not saying those times aren't late for young kids. I get that by the time you get home, have something to eat, shower, finish homework and wind down it can be very late, but I don't think it's horrible. Everyone learns to adapt.

Also, juggling practice times, late practices, long practices, dance classes and other activities taught my girls major time management skills!

 

[design_mom]

DS12 plays ice hockey, soccer and basketball. His weekly ice hockey practice lasts until 8:45pm on a school night. He does fine with it. He has practiced as early as 6am and as late as 11pm, but those are not regular (and the 11pm practices have always been Fridays/Saturdays. If they were school nights, I would have issues.) Basketball practice goes till 8:30, and soccer practice goes till it gets dark. I think the latest they've practiced is about 8:15.

DD8 dances, and one of her weekly classes goes till 7:45. I think the latest classes go till 10 but they are mostly the more advanced classes. There are still some pretty young kids in some of those though. I would have to seriously think about it before I signed her up for anything that went past 8 or 8:30.

 

[almburr]

My kids are only in School sports,no clubs around here. For the start of the year the first week is 2 a days 5:30am to 7:30 (class starts at 8:15) then 4:30-6:30pm (school ends at 4:15)

Wednesday night practice has to be done by 6pm for church groups. We do enough traveling to get to a game. 2hrs to get there and 2hrs to get back. sometimes they don't get home until 1am. This has happened on school nights with Tuesday games. The kids are a little sluggish on Wednesdays at school.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

There are only so many fields/gyms/rinks available on a given night. Schedule practice to early and parents complain it interferes with dinner. Too late and it interferes with bedtime. So that leaves 2-3 prime hours to get everyone scheduled in, and that isn't possible. So either someone has to be unhappy with the schedule, or we all pay more taxes and fees to pay for more venues to be built, which would also make people unhappy.

Yes, coaches and admins should use common sense and schedule older children later. But it comes down to the parent knowing their kid well enough to say that the late practice is to detrimental to their child's well being AND telling the child no they can't participate.

 

[caitlinsmom]

DD12 has indoor softball practice Sundays and Wednesdays from 6-8pm. Sundays are not bad because my husband and I alternate who takes her and who stays home with the 7 yr old. Wed nights are tough because not only do I normally drive another girl (who's parents both work), I have to bring my 7 yr old with me since hubby travels for work. Practice is 40 minutes from home and never ends on time so it's usually after 9 when we get home and he doesn't end up in bed until close to 10.

It will only get worse when practice moves outside and it stays light out later but she loves it so we deal with it. Once tournament season starts it will be all softball all the time

 

[scrapquitler]

DD has dance until 9:15 one night and until 8:45 another night. She is 16 and her schedule has been like that for the last 3 years.

The across the street boy played hockey, and when he was in middle school I know that he had hockey at 4:30am


I think that people need to remember that most of the coaches/leaders for these after school activities are people with jobs, and they are volunteering when they can, and when tone is available at the field/rink/gym.