When it comes to extra-curricular activities how much is too much? How many different classes, programs, sports, activities, etc. should one child be involved in? My son never played sports or was involved in any type of extra-curricular program until last year when he was six years old. He did karate for a few months and then did floor hockey for a month or two.
Now that he is homeschooled we have so much more time for outside activities. He attends a Spanish class once a week for an hour, he is on a basketball team, he goes to a couple different monthly classes at the library and museum, and he attends a weekly open gym at the park district. (What was that about homeschooled children not getting enough social interaction?)
My daughter is currently attending pre-school for an hour and a half two mornings a week. She will start Spanish class in January and I’d like to start her in tumbling this month. She also attends the open gym with her brother.
Each child has three weekly activities to attend outside of the home. Is this too much? Going from zero activities to six seems like quite a jump and I can tell that it has my husband pretty worried. I haven’t signed my daughter up for Spanish or tumbling yet, because of the fear that it will all be too much. I think I can handle it, but can they? Will our school work suffer because we are too busy rushing off to the next thing? Will we be able to enjoy family time at home with Dad in the evening or we will be to worn out from our day of running all over town (and sometimes into the next town over) going from activity to activity?
I really believe that starting my daughter in Spanish class now, while she is so young, is a good idea. However, I really want her to start tumbling now too. The sooner she starts the better she will be in both. How do I just pick one? Should I just pick one?
Do you set a limit to the number of extra-curricular activities your child participates in? Is less really more?
[tags]kids, children, parents, parenting, homeschooling, planning, scheduling, over-scheduling, relaxation, questions, activities[/tags]
Photo graciously provided by Today is a good day, through a Creative Commons license, some rights reserved
5 responses so far ↓
AmyL // Nov 2, 2007 at 2:37 pm
I think it depends on your personality and your kids’. We had all 4 boys in soccer and the older ones in Scouts for the past two months. Also, the older ones have a morning sign language class every other week. For me personally, it’s too much. Of course, if I could stay home and only leave every few days I’d be thrilled. I like to stay home. One of the 4yos is like that too. He cries every time we have to leave the house, poor guy. I totally understand. And it’s great to be done with soccer. I’m also cutting some of my activities, because there’s just too much going on.
But that’s my personal level of tolerance. My sister and her kids can’t stand being at home all day every day, and they love to go places. Lol. They come visit here and are all “let’s go!” and I’m like “Why?? It’s nice here!”
If it’s not stressing anyone out and you have the resources to do it, go ahead and do it. Can’t hurt to try things out and see what happens. And you can pull back if you find that you’re out of balance.
Dana // Nov 2, 2007 at 5:17 pm
I believe that less is more…but it doesn’t sound like your kids individually are overwhelmed with too many things. I think it could become a huge scheduling issue…I don’t know. We have four, but at the moment, the oldest goes to karate while everyone else plays in the gym. My younger ones are too little for organized anything.
I wonder what we’ll do when they are older, but we may just have them all do karate. : ) It would be more convenient.
STL Mom // Nov 2, 2007 at 6:50 pm
It sounds like you have a fun schedule with a balance of physical and intellectual activites. I say, just monitor everyone’s energy level and mood as you add a new activity. Give each schedule change at least a two week trial, and if it seems like the good outweighs the bad, keep it going. Overscheduling is a very personal thing. The problem is when one person feels overscheduled and someone else is bored!
And don’t worry that you need to start all your activities right now. Starting a second language or tumbling while young is helpful, but pre-school is very young. I never heard that someone couldn’t speak Spanish because they started at age 6 instead of 3 or 4.
Good luck. I’m constantly reassessing our activity level and worry if it seems like we’re doing too much or too little. So I’d say stop worrying, but that would be very hypocritical!
Whitney // Nov 4, 2007 at 4:30 am
Since you are honeschooling, whatever seems about right to you and is not driving you crazy is the right amount. I have a seventh grader and fourth grader in traditional school environments; the homework demands are tough and therefore, the number of afternoon/evening activities are curtailed by that alone.
It gets more complicated as kids get older to balance all of the demands- especially in tradtional school- I admire you for homeschooling and for teaching you kids in the process that home is not a work free zone; it will let them adapt in the new economy to a desk job or freelance job with ease.
Leslie // Nov 4, 2007 at 8:52 pm
Ditto on what AmyL said. It all depends on your kids and your family dynamic.
Julia is involved in a lot of activities right now and she loves it. She thrives on it. I’ve enjoyed giving her opportunities to try different things. And now and then, I’ve been suprised at what she enjoyed. The kid asks on almost a daily basis when T-ball starts again. I never dreamed she’d be so crazy about T-ball! I’m so glad we let her try it.
You’re a good mom, Karly. You’re really in tune with your kids. You’ll now if it gets to be too much.
Leave a Comment