Overscheduling

[FreshTressa]

How can you tell if your family is 'overscheduled'. I read so many people warning about this, but I don't know how much is too much.

How many activities a week do you have for your kids?

DS has wrestling 2x a week, rock climbing 1x a week and DD has gymnastics 4x a week and rock climbing 1. this means we are gone every afternoon after school.

I mostly think it is a good thing, cuz they would probably just be at home playing nintendo or watching TV anyway.

I really miss 'the good old days' when you could send your kids out to play and do kid things

 

[KathyFP]

I have some of the same concerns.

DD (5) goes to gymnastics 2x, ballet, spanish, swimming and drama 1x and girl scouts 1/mo.

She then goes to see about one play a month and one show a month.

Then you add Sunday school (which is really Sat evenings).

DH has a hard time keeping up with her schedule.

 

[house_of_princesses]

I've decided that 'overscheduled' is when I have to be in three places at the same time. Now, two places at the same time is just a tight schedule. In order not to overschedule, I check my calendar about 3/4's of the way through the day, only to discover I should have been two different places three hours ago. Then I get happy because I've just freed up more time! Of course I find something productive to do with that time, like come here to the DIS! Laundry, diapers, karate, whatever...it can wait until I schedule that in!

 

[dmslush]

My daughter is only allowed two extra activities a week. I think anything more than that would be too much between chores, homework, and family time.

 

[CEDmom]

Every kid is different. Some thrive on activity and others need a lot of down time. Our DD 4 is definitely in the later category. We tried soccer this fall at it was a complete failure so we eventually stopped. She loves to dance & tumble around the house but has no interest in any kind of lessons. Right now DD goes to pre-k 3 days a week and just enjoys being home with Mommy the other days. There will come a day when she'll be off with her friends so for now we're enjoying all the family time we can get.

BTW I think if a child has a complete meltdown when told it's time to go to an activity than you've overscheduled .

 

[Piglet]

My DD is 7 and is like CEDmom's DD. She is just not interested in activities after school. We tried some things last year, but gave up because she kept not wanting to go. She is in a youth group that meets once per month and she really enjoys that.

I worried that she didn't want to do anything, but now I enjoy not having to rush around every afternoon. She loves doing her homework and really enjoys her time alone. I think if the kids grades are good, they want to participate and you don't mind running them everywhere, just do what you feel they can handle.

Melinda

 

[disykat]

My 8 and 11 year old go to school and church stuff and that's it. I do teach them piano lessons at home as well. One year my oldest son took art lessons and this next Spring my younger child wants to be on a baseball team. Other than an occasional foray into something they're really into at the moment, they're just not interested in constant activity. In general my kids play with the neighbors, the dog, and each other for entertainment. DH and I both enjoy the fact that we get to spend our family time doing a variety of things rather than keeping up with a set schedule of activities!