How many parents out get tired of .........

[lcmtam86]

How many parents out get tired of .........running your kids all over the place?

I don't know about any of you but I am about ready to tell my DD that enough is enough already..............Mon is dance....Tues is cheer practice and then dance for 2 classes.................Weds is cheer practice...............thurs DS has soccer...........Fri DD has cheer practice and DS wants to go to the dance.........Sat is Cheer practice.............and I am working full time and have to find time to cook, clean and food shop........and before you know it is Monday again...........Our last football game was Sunday so at least that part is over.........and we have 1 more soccer game so that is finally almost over.................

I just get so darn tired of it after a while and start getting crabby.........

Anyways thanks for letting me vent............
Tammie

 

[Katie]

I do feel your pain....but consider the alternative...your kids could be big couch potatos!!!

Sounds like they are well adjusted good kids! and I am sure you helped them by running them all around!

I know it gets to be alot.....but hey..aren't they worth it

(as I get ready to go sign up my youngest for yet another sport.....wrestling)

 

[imgoingtodisney]

gotta admit - DD is getting chauffered around more than other kids
but the end result may be a trip to DISNEY WORLD !!

 

[Cindy B]

That is why we limit activities. One activity per season.. right now they are both doing nothing.

If its too much for you, maybe its time to simplify.

 

[snoopy]

Cindy, I think we are twins. You and I seem to have a lot of the same philosophies. My kids are allowed one activity per season as well.

 

[Lars624]

lcmtam86 - I know exactly how you feel! I just walked in the door after p/u DD at cheer practice. DS plays ice hockey & his games are all over the area.
It seems like I'm always the Mom who ends up driving the other kids home too. Just this afternoon DD went to a friends house after school and she need to be p/u by 5 to get to cheer by 5:30. When I got there another girl got in the van & said that her mom had told her to ride with me because I was already on the way so she didn't have to come. Normally this would be fine because the girl lives by us, but I wasn't going home! had to take her home and then got to cheer practice! I'm thinking about putting a meter in the van

 

[Buckalew]

I'm with CindyB. We limit to one activity at a time. I don't know how you all who do something every afternoon do it! With homework (DD is in 2nd) and 1 day a week tennis lessons and my working...well, I was tired. We are at a break but starting in Dec. We will do Upward Basketball for 1 hour on a week night and then games on Saturday.

My sister goes like a maniac with 4 kids. It is unbelievable. I'd probably have a nervous breakdown. LOL I think the pressure to have kids in so many activities is really big.
I cut hair for aliving and sometimes can't find a day of the week to even give these busy kids a haircut!!

Slow down is my vote. Life is short.

 

[lcmtam86]

"That is why we limit activities. One activity per season.. right now they are both doing nothing. "

DS (almost 14)plays soccer in the spring and fall and plays baseball in the spring............could be his last year in the town sports as he will be in high school next year

DD(11.5) has cheering from Aug 1 - last weekend in October........however last year and this year her squad placed in the state competition and are moving on to the regionals Nov 24th and if they place 1st or 2nd there they move on to Nationals which are held the second week in December at WDW.....
And....when cheering is over she just has dance......but we just need to get over this whole cheering thing before we can RELAX...

"If its too much for you, maybe its time to simplify."

I guess I am just tired and maybe need to take a mental health day to slow down a bit.....

 

[Lars624]

My kids are limited to only doing one activity per season........they each do one activity that takes 3-4 nights a week. Cheer & hockey are big commitments....we wouldn't even try for more than one activity a season.

 

[Cindy B]

Buck--

I have a SIL that has all three of her kids in so many things it isn't even funny.

DD-ballet, soccer, and something else

Ds#1- soccer, and somehting else

DD32 marching band, some other band, (special thing), and something else...


See how it all blends together.

I work as well, so it drives me nuts. Whats wrong with kids being home playing? Or having friends over? Do they all need to be experts in every activity over the sun?

My son may do a lunchtime mentoring activity at school, but that is during lunchtime at school.

 

[Talking Hands]

Payback comes. My husband and daughters chauffered me all summer with my broken leg including 3 trips to WDW. What goes around comes around.

 

[Katie]

As I can see both sides of the coins..my kids are very active and still maintain very good grades.

MY DS(8)-plays soccer,wrestling,baseball,basketball, and travel baseball. He also is in Boy Scouts(which he actually wants to quit..but we are pushing him to stay!) He wants to play travel soccer in the spring.

MY DD(10)-cheerleading,soccer, baseball,volleyball, and girl scouts

MY DS(16)-varsity soccer, varsity track-plus he has a part time job!
( and NO car as of yet...maybe Christmas.


not to mention all the birthday parties, sleepovers, and other social things they do! We very very rarely have a empty night.....and they very very rarely watch TV.

Sunday, we went crazy..and slept in and watched TV most of the day...boy..actually that was nice

 

[Serena]

YES!

 

[MerryPoppins]

I cart mine all over the place, too.

As long as my kids make good grades they are allowed to be involved. I think it's good for them. They'd sit around and play video games or watch tv if they didn't have after school activities.

DD 11 has dance 3 afternoons a week, piano one afternoon a week, Spanish Club once a week, and will be back in Girl Scouts as soon as we can find a new troop.

DS 15 has Boy Scouts every other week (plus a Troop meeting and a leadership meeting every month and any camping involved), USA Club (a local community service club), his high school sporting events (he doesn't play, but he loves to go to the games), and dances.

Both are active in our church youth group, so they have those activities as well.

I just couldn't tell them they could only choose one activity. I can't imagine what they'd be give up. I complain sometimes, but it doesn't bother me enough to make me want them to quit. If it ever gets where they don't have time for homework it'll be another story, but for now just call me their taxi service.

 

[Mskanga]

CindyB and Snoopy...can we make that triplets?? I refuse to sign up my kids to more than one activity for the season, first because I don't like the running around in bad weather in the winter and second because it would stress me out to the limit, not to mention depending on what they do it costs a fortune.
One thing I'm very grateful for is Intramurals in school, they are after school activities free of charge and the kids get to stay in school an 1.5 hours longer one day a week to do what they choose, my DD has chosen environmental club and dance club, all I have to do is pick her up from school at 5. My kindergartener may start karate soon but for right now we are still working on adjusting to doing homework and the daily routine.

 

[DVC-Don]

We limit acitivities also. They both do Karate year round. That is one night and one Sat morning class per week. My daughter takes dance lessons during the school year one night a week.

 

[aprincessmom]

DD only does one activity at a time. She once told another mom at gymnastics that "I can only do one thing at a time...mommy can't handle more than that" which is what I told her.

Truth is, while it would be hard on mommy, I think it would be harder on her. She'd miss out on being a kid, just having time to hang out, play with friends, read, or do nothing. So much time is structured, it's a good to have time where nothing is expected but anything is possible.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Well put it this way everytime I try to complain my friend with 5 kids laughs at me!!!
She is the Girl Scout Leader, has kids in year round soccer...sometimes playing 2 teams at once per kid for 2 of them. Dance for 3 of the girls.
Her dh is a coach. Plus she is going to school this year. Now she makes my head spin.

 

[shortbun]

I only have one child. I'm concerned that
as he gets older-his activities will get in the
way of HIS quality of life not mine. I've
discussed this with my friends with older
kids and they feel their kids stay out of
trouble being involved AND that college
entrance boards require kids to be very
involved and well rounded for entry.
Apparently, learning to relax and having
down time does not contribute to getting
into a good college. Anyone care to discuss
this relevant to this thread?

 

[aprincessmom]

I've discussed this with my friends with older kids and they feel their kids stay out of trouble being involved AND that college entrance boards require kids to be very involved and well rounded for entry.

I do believe that is true for older children. But I think there is a difference in being involved and well-rounded or being overscheduled. In high school I participated in many activities...my parents encouraged it and outside of weekend babysitting jobs we were not allowed to work during the school year so it wouldn't interfer with our chance to take part in extracurriculars. And those activities provided both fun and learning experiences valuable to me as I moved on to college.

I just don't see the value or need for a 6 year old to be involved in 5-7 different after school and weekend activities. To me it's just overscheduling.

One of DD's classroom friends is in dance school, girl scouts, CCD, karate, soccer, and swimming. The kid never has a chance to just be a kid. And DD wants desperately to have her come over and play but there's no time for her to do that because of all the lessons and activities. When I explained this to DD she said "Don't her parents know we're kids...we're supposed to be playing not going to school all the time?"