OT- Are your kids signed up for too many activities?

[grlpwrd]

No, I don't think so.

We have 5 kids. Our 2yo and 4yo take one fun tumbling class and play most of the time. Our 16yo, 12yo, and 9yo are Girl Scouts and I have been their leader for the past 8 years. They each participate in one sport or extra activity after school, but nothing too overwhelming. I want them to play more and enjoy being a kid and I make sure to have lots of family time, too.

This is why our Girl Scout troop meets 2 to 3 times per month with an option event or activity, such as community service, 2 or 3 times per month. I realize the girls already have busy schedules as it is.

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

We learned this lesson the hard way! About two years ago my oldest ds was in soccer, football, and tennis all at the same time and I about went nuts! He had something every day, even Saturdays and Sundays. His grades never suffered but I felt sorry for him because he never had a day to come home from school and rest, play, and be a kid. Now I have come to my senses and the boys are only allowed 2 things at a time TOTAL. (not 2 things each because then that ends up being 4 things) This fall they did flag football (different teams but on the same night) and baseball (they were on the same team). Which I am happy to report end this week! I'm not going to put them in anything else until after the holidays. In January basketball will start up. Then in the spring they'll play baseball again. Personally I really wouldn't care if they even played sports at all. It blows my mind how many 1st grade moms have their boys in 3-4 sports this fall. It's sad.

 

[Matt'sMom]

OK, coming from the perspective of someone who has worked in the admissions offices of a major university...

we always liked to see that a perspective student had a 'well rounded' background and history of participation in activities such as team sports, the arts and community service. So, while I think it is important to limit a child's activities to those in which they can happily participate without having a negative impact on their schoolwork & quality 'family time'... I would also try to insure that you allow them to participate in a balanced variety of activities.

My DS is currently involved in school band (plays trumpet, and will soon be adding the bugle), soccer (both fall and springtime local leagues, so he goes most of the year), and boy scouts (community service organization that also teaches many additional, valuable lessons). Over the summer break, he participates in a week long 'Zoo Camp', and also usually fits in several day camps... such as an archeology camp (where they work side by side with professionals in the field). As he progresses into HS, I am certain he may choose to add some additional, less time intensive, club type activities. But he has made the above three his 'major committments', in what we feel is a well balanced approach.

 

[cl1067]

Interesting topic as my husband and I were just discussing this same topic last night. We have three DDs ages 11, 6, and 1. Here is what they do.

DD age 11: Plays flute at school which is 20 minutes of practice time per night and four performances throught the year. Is in Choir for school...only extra outside of school is two performances throughout the year. She has dance on Mondays from 4-4:30 and 6:45-9:15 and on Thursdays from 7:30-9:30. She does dance competitively, so she will have 5 regional (little to no travel) and one national competition this year. Next week voice/piano lessons will be starting up, but her piano teacher is flexible and will work around her schedule.

DD age 6: Girl Scouts 2X per month on Monday nights and then 1 extra activity per month, Dance on Tuesdays from 5:15 to 5:45 and on Thursdays from 3:45 to 4:45...she also dances competitively, but competitions dates are the same as her sister, so it doesn't take any additional family time away.

DD age 1: watching her sisters

I don't think they have too much right now...I'm a little concerned for our oldest...she wants to try out for the spring musical in February...they are doing the wizard of oz and if she makes it (she did last year) she will have practice each day after school and then on Saturdays too...but I guess we will cross that bridge when we come to it.

 

[momto2inKC]

I don't think mine do too much. DD8 does Brownies (2 times a month), school choir (1 day a week after school), dance (2 times a week). She is the type of child that HAS to keep herself busy or we all pay for it LOL She thrives on having to be here and there.
Now my DS10 doesn't do anything at the moment. He's planning on playing soccer once it starts in March. He does do Intramural program every morning at school (an hour of sports games).

 

[adoptionmomma4]

I have 4 children so while I do not think any one of my kids is "over scheduled" I do think I am

We are a home school family so we do have a little more time during the school day for extras. My 3 older children all take piano once a week on the same day back to back. They also all take 2 classes at our local home school group once a week at the same time. The need to be away from one another for a while and learn from someone other than me. They are all also enrolled in swimming one day a week during the fall and winter sessions at our local Y.

My oldest DD is a gymnast and competitive cheerleader. Her season goes year round. She practices Wednesday and Friday for 3.5 hours each day. She also tumbles 1 hour a week and has 2 hours of private gymnastic lessons. Her competitions are on Saturdays and some on both Saturday and Sunday from September- April.

My oldest DS plays football, basketball and baseball. His teams always practice 1.5 hours twice a week and have games on Saturday.

My youngest DS plays soccer in the fall and spring. He practices 1 hour twice a week with games on Saturdays. He also takes gymnastics at an olympic gym that has boys classes (unlike DD's gym). He is there one night per week.

My youngest DD is 2.5 and she just started her first tumbling class (besides mommy and me). She goes once a week for an hour and is at the same gym as DD on one of the same nights.

We are always in the car and on the go. It is just the way things are at this season in our lives. I tell DH all the time I will not know what to do when the kids are grown. I won't have anywhere to go I like having them busy and into activities. We do limit them to one evening activity per season each. So far all of the nights work out and I can get everyone to and from each thing. DD does stay at the gym without me some nights. I just started dropping her off this year after 5 years at this gym. I have a hard time letting them go.

Anyway- to answer the OP. We do tell them no sometimes. If we can fit it in and still have some down time we will at least try it for a season. My older DS wants to try karate and we did have to tell him no for now. We will try it if he is willing to opt out of basketball or baseball. Maybe your DD can make a choice between something she is in currently, if one commitment ends before the new activity starts. Good luck. Finding the right balance for a family is so hard.

 

[Dazer22]

Someone made a very good point when they mentioned that you have to consider the families total number of activities on the calendar since it affects all family members. I mentioned that ,on average, my kids are involved in two activities each, so that means four activities for me.

My child may have a balance of activities that is perfect for her (2- we learned this through experience) , however feel the impact when she is dragged around to her siblings activities when my husband is working. So yes--take the total number of activities into account.

Another good point is to give your child the balance that is right for them. I have one child that could handle more than 2 activities and another that would probably function better with 1 activity, along with the demands of school. I also know that I can only handle so many activities for my own balance and happiness. It can be troublesome if you try to keep up with someone else's schedule.

For my situation of adding the extra activity for my daughter ( bringing the total to 3 ); we are going to try it out for one session ( 6 weeks) and make a decision from there. If it is too much we will do what is right for us.

Optimum balance has always been tricky.

 

[Becky2005]

All depends on the kid! Someone looking on the outside in, would think my DD is overscheduled but she *loves* the activities and the older & older she gets, the less & less it requires of me actually going anywhere (tends to do the stuff right after-school, so it's just a matter of me picking her up later vs. driving to & from classes, etc...) plus she changes focus. Last year she was doing both violin & choir. She choose to drop the violin this year, so now we have just choir. She does cheerleading via the park district and she has already expressed that she won't be continuing after this season.

Her schedule is:

Gymnastics 2x week for 3 hours (one happens to be on Saturday this time around) -- she competes on that. It's through the park district and WAY more low-key than some clubs. This is her last year on the team as it only goes through 8th grade. Next year she will be on the High School team.

Cheerleading via park district -- 1x week and 4 competitions, this goes until May.

She will also try out for the Cheerleading squad at school next week. That will go from end of Oct. - Dec. if she makes it (she did last year, so I'm assuming she will this year too).

She does choir which is a class in school with 3 concerts. She also tried out for a special choir that meets early in the morning 1x week and will do community service performances (hospitals, nursing homes, etc...) It's fairly new this year so I don't know how many performances it will do. They started it late last year and only did 1 performance.

When the Musical gets here, she will try out for that & more than likely get a part (she did last year) -- THAT one is crazy weeks start.

She's a Girl Scout but a Juliette as there is no troop for her, so no meetings, just being an aide at the daycamp in the summer & any events we may choose to go to. Along with she volunteers at the local Animal Shelter (again this is whenever we can go, they just request 4 hours/month). She is in Foreign Language Club too.

A lot of these things will change when she gets into High School and will probably plug into a lot more clubs available, the sports will just be after-school practices so it's not as if I have to drive her to the school -- she will just stay late.

My 10 year old on the other hand would fall over with exhaustion if he tried to keep up his sister's schedule. So, he does a LOT less. He had been in Karate for a while but has chosen to drop that. He is just learning the French Horn now & doing Cub Scouts. Those are his only 2 activities.

My 7 year old is a mix. He does Karate, Cub Scouts & basketball. The basketball is only for a few short weeks and once that is over, he doesn't add anything to it.

My 4 year old just goes along for the ride.

It works for our family. It may be overwhelming for another family, etc...