S/o of my post about kid activities

[Elizabeth86]

I am curious what your experience was with your own childhood and your opinion of it. What all were you involved in. Did you have a busy schedule or not? Do you wish it had been diffent? I will post later.

[JenneinCA]

My schedule was arrive at school at 7:45 so that my parents could get to work by 8:30 then stay at school in aftercare until 5:30 when my parents could pick me up after work. This was life until high school when I switched to a school that was close enough to home that I could walk. (Parochial school from kindergarten to eighth grade and then public school for high school.)

 

Activities were solely things that happened at school because there was no transportation to get anywhere.

[maize]

large family and frequent relocations limited activity involvement.

 

I would have really benefited from more opportunities. Instead I sat and read. A lot. It really wasn't very healthy.

[AimeeM]

When I was younger, my middle sister and I were involved in competitive gymnastics. All kids in the house (fosters included) were also involved in local soccer teams for the duration of their time in our family, lol. My parents coached for the local teams :P

 

We weren't overly busy, but then my middle sister made the classic soccer teams (I'm not sure what they are called elsewhere, but in my hometown that was the highly competitive travel soccer team) and things got busy. And expensive. We had to drop gymnastics, and since I didn't like soccer, and certainly wasn't good enough for the classic team, I ended up not participating in any activities -- there just wasn't enough time or money to be involved in anything other than the team my sister was on, or a team my parents were coaching, I guess.

 

To be fair, we were lower income and competitive gym is pricey. I strongly dislike the outdoors, so I was uninterested in outdoor activities and much preferred to stay in and read :P

 

 

 

[hjffkj]

I'm the youngest of 7. I didn't do any regular organized activities until middle school. In middle school I played basketball, soccer, and softball. After middle school I didn't do another regular organized activity until I started kung-fu as a junior in college. I'm still doing kung-fu.

 

I loves not having activities. I spent all my free time playing with my cousins and siblings. We'd either play outside at the many parks we lived near, in our huge yard, or walk around town. If we were inside we'd play videogames, computer games, make movies, play Legos, watch TV, etc. It was a wonderful childhood and I don't think being involved in regular activities would have made it better or worse.

[Ottakee]

We were rural and in a single parent low income home. I did piano lessons sporadically 2-5th grades or so. I played volleyball and was a cheerleader 6-8th grade but this was a very rural small school....think less than 20 kids in the 6-8th grades total. It was 2 practices a week after school max for like an hour so very low key.

 

I started working at 11 picking blueberries and babysitting a great deal and by 16 had a regular paid job at a nursing home.

 

We just didn't have the money for extras and they weren't a part of the culture of our community for the most part. We went to school and church and worked from age 11 or so. Everyone did

[LMD]

I did choir, which was one evening a week and various performances - including an international tour when I was 11.

I occasionally did youth group but I had to organise my own lift.

Oh I did calisthenics and for a little while when I was quite young <7 - I know that took a lot out of mum, sewing sequins on costumes! Definitely only one activity at a time.

I was comfortable with public transport by my teens and would have to get myself places from then on - I remember getting into an exclusive choir when I was 13/14 and having to walk/catch a train by myself early on Saturday mornings...

 

Dh had a few tries at activities, like airforce cadets and guitar lessons. One evening thing a week maximum, his parents were already very busy.

 

Having one activity or 2 maximum, and then not usually in elementary school, was normal for us.

 

Our kids do an instrument. We live a 30min drive minimum from almost any activity so I have to count the time and petrol costs.

We really really value our family at home time. Today (Saturday) we're all relaxedly doing house chores, my kids are currently having a water fight, dh is chopping wood. We checked on our seedlings and hung out laundry. It's peaceful and recharging. We don't have to rush off anywhere. We chafe at having a strictly imposed schedule. We prioritise this.

[heartlikealion]

When I was a kid the only things I remember was briefly being in track & field. My sisters were in and my dad was the high jump coach. I didn't stay with it long. I didn't think I was very good/fast lol. Later I was involved in basketball. My sisters did it first and I liked the sport and joined. There's a 4yr age gap between us all so it's not like we were going to the same games or even necessarily playing the same years.

 

I think one of my sisters did Girl Scouts at some point. My parents would not let us do multiple things. I am thinking it was a money thing but also maybe the hassle of driving.

 

I wasn't longing to be on another team or in another hobby, really. I mean, had there been a local place to do art or something I would have jumped on that but where we lived I don't think there was a whole lot. We used to have a skating rink so I went there socially sometimes on the weekend. Oh yeah and I did bowling league one summer. We had a local bowling alley.

[maize]

Gosh, no-one really needs paid activities.

Some kids definitely benefit though. One of my kids was in a pretty severe downward spiral mental health wise around ages 8-9 before becoming involved in an intensive extracurricular activity that I absolutely credit with changing their life.

 

We've each got to look at our own families and circumstances and kids and try to figure out how best to meet the needs we perceive.

[Arcadia]

I was out from dawn to dusk but we lived in the city where everything is either a short walk or a bus ride away. There were more than 10 major bus routes that stopped at the bus stops near my childhood home. My parents worked and I was a latchkey child. My parents would passed me the cash at night or in the morning for me to pay any outside instructors. During my time there was no rules about parents having to pick up their kids from gym, ballet, piano, swimming, etc. So I just got myself to the place and got myself home either by walking or taking the bus. I had daily allowance and petty cash given to me starting from preK so that I could buy whatever I needed from the school cafeteria and school bookshop. I was given extra money to pay for public transport too.

 

My brother is a homebody so he participated in the bare minimum of extracurriculars that his public school suggested. He would be happy with no activities at all.

 

ETA:

School activities were free as all the schools I went to have healthy endowment funds. Extracurriculars were affordable for my dual income parents. If extracurriculars were not affordable, I would have hang out at one of my uncles shop/factory every day.

 

My mom wasn’t interested in extracurriculars as a child so she hang out in her uncle’s cafe after school and be the cashier there.

Edited September 23, 2017 by Arcadia

[regentrude]

I played the violin from age 5 to 12 , did kayak racing from age 12 to 14, sang in choir, and probably did other things I can't remember.

My childhood was VERY different from the current childhood in the US. I walked and used public transit to get myself to school, to violin lessons, etc. All the kids did. Nobody was driven by parents. Parents did not attend the kids' extracurriculars - if you played a sport, YOU went to practice, but your mom didn't have to sit and watch. Kids' activities were kids' activities. It's still like that back home.

[Squiddles]

We lived in the country in the PNW, and while there were tons of opportunities in our community, we seriously did nothing... my mom homeschooled all four of us, we had a few best friends from church/homeschooling and we just hung out with them when we weren't at home.

 

I was bothered by it when I became a teen. I realized all the things other kids had been doing and wished my parents had signed us up for more stuff... I hated sports and was super shy and for some reason I thought it was my parents fault for keeping us home.

 

Turns out I actually do hate sports, I am an extreme introvert and would have been miserable in any activity... I did actually take piano lessons for several years but quit cause the recitals just about killed me with anxiety.

 

Now that I have four of my own kids... living in my childhood community, I know why my parents didn't sign us up for anything. They were poor!! Duh!

 

We are now in the same position, I feel extreme guilt for not putting my kids in the programs that they're interested in.. soccer, TaiKwonDo... etc... but we do not make enough money to pay for any of that [emoji17] my kids are incredibly happy and fulfilled regardless, and Im totally not impressed with the super busy and commited life that our friends have with older kids In sports etc

 

So really, I'm good with what we're doing 🤣

 

 

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[iamonlyone]

Elementary: Brownies, church children's choir, church solos (my idea), track club in 4th grade before we moved to another state, any of the parks and rec type classes we wanted to try—I remember trying ballet (didn't like it), gymnastics, and trampoline

 

Middle school: dance and gymnastics (once a week and one yearly recital), school track, voice lessons

 

High school: everything was associated with the school—track, tennis, cross country, choir, jazz choir, musicals...oh, I did community musicals in the summers too as well as youth choir at church that toured in the summers...and junior olympics in the summers (track)...and continued voice lessons

 

I guess we're following the same pattern with our kids: not many (or time-consuming) activities when young but letting them put in the time and more of our resources during high school ages.

 

I liked the balance of play and activities I had growing up.

[Elizabeth86]

Growing up I did the following things. Church on sundays and Wednesday night Missionettes. If you went to an Assemblies of God church you might be familiar with that program. I was on the academic team one year in high school and in marching band one year in high school. Thats all I ever did. My parents would have done anything for me, but I was never interested. After school I wanted nothing more than to be at home and having free play.

 

I dont regret the childhood I had. My niece was in gymnastics and she and I were crazy about the 96 olympic team. I wish I had signed up with her, but I was too shy. I think I would have been good at it, so sometime I wish I woukd have tried it. I considered volleyball once in high school because I liked to play for fun, but felt to nervous to actually be on the team. I guess Ive just always been a hermit by nature. When Im away from home, all I can think about is getting back home.

 

On a side note, I know a lot of people keep their kids busy to keep them out of trouble, but the athletes at my school were the party crowd. School nerds like me stayed out of trouble.

[Mommyof1]

Extra things outside of school? I remember Girl Scouts Brownies and some Juniors, I think. I kinda of remember being taken to the rec center for gymnastics,early grade school but i dont think that lasted long. Softball in later elementary for a year or two. Swim lessons at our school summer and of course community pool.

 

Mostly when we weren't in school we played outside with our friends or at home with the family.

Edited September 23, 2017 by Mommyof1

[marbel]

I was born in 1956.  I had zero activities outside of school.  Some of my friends took piano or ballet, but most didn't, so I think I had a pretty typical experience for people in my area.  We played or hung out after school, did homework, read, watched tv in the evenings.  

 

My sister did 4H.  I was too shy and wouldn't go.  

 

I'm still stunned sometimes when people tell me how many activities their kids are in.  Some, every night of the week.

 

My own kids did a couple years of soccer, some piano lessons, and Scouts (less than 2 years in Scouts for my girl; about 6 years for my boy).  As older teens, they did/do some volunteer work and paid jobs.

[marbel]

duplicate, sorry

 

Edited September 23, 2017 by marbel

[desertstrawberry5]

We did one to two activities per year (dance for me, sports for my brothers), and swim lessons. I was in the school play.

It was a good balance.We had fun experiences, exercise, and lots of free time.

[Bluegoat]

So I was born in the mid-70's, I started school in the early 80's.

 

Most kids who were middle class seemed to be involved in one or two things.  I wasn't very consistent when I was younger.

 

Almost every kid seemed to do swimming lessons - I guess people think it's important when you live on the ocean in a city with 23 lakes.  Most kids got all or most of the red cross pages - I think I did all but the highest level.

 

I tried soccer one summer when I was 6, that lasted about 10 min.  I liked the practices, but in a game another kid told me I was in the wrong part of the field since I was defence.  I realized I actually had no idea how soccer was played, and no one had explained it to me, so I refused to do any more - I guess I thought you just had to know, somehow - it never occurred to me to ask my mom.  Why the coaches didn't feel the need to enlighten the kids I don't know.

 

I did a few years of Girl Guides (scouting.)  It was ok, but I wasn't interested in carrying on.  

 

In jr high I did horseback riding.  I loved that and continued until it became difficult to carry on without more lessons than my parents could afford.

 

Probably the one thing that I really did most of the way through was art classes.  I guess I was in elementary school and I started taking a lesson with a lady who gave them out of her home.  Then for about 5 years at the local art college.  Then through jr high and high school with the mom of a friend of mine who taught kids classes privately. (My dd12 took a class with her when she was about 7 which was kind of a fun thing.)

 

One thing I've wondered about is why my mo didn't put us in music - her siblings had all had music lessons, and she loved them and thought they were important, so it seems like a weird oversight.  I played in the school band for a year, that was it for me.

 

My sister who is a bit younger than me had the same type of experience - activities maybe twice a week.

 

But my sister who is 12 years younger had a totally different experience.  She was in activities - dance - every night by the end of elementary, and that was normal for her friends.  My mom says raising her was completely different - no one let their kids out to play etc.

 

[Daria]

I did a variety of things.

 

Church involvement -- Sunday school/Youth group, acolyte, choir, ringing handbells. 

 

Music -- piano, with a break to try flute before I went back to piano

 

Girl Scouts

 

A few stints of sports that didn't stick -- rec soccer for a season or two, a couple summer of summer swim.

 

Debate -- only in high school

 

I also did a ton of babysitting, and summer camp counseling.

 

But my parents were clear that we chose with proximity and money in mind.  They didn't drive us all over creation, or pay what they couldn't afford.  Also, most of the activities we did were 1 day a week.  I enjoyed what I did, still had plenty of down time, and benefited from having a separate community at church, when things were rocky at school socially.

[lmrich]

I had the best childhood (before 12) where I could walk or bike ride to my activities. I took swim lessons and played softball in the summer. Did Girl Scouts and church stuff year-round (parents drove to church) and our school offered art club, etc during the winter. During the winter I took ice skating lessons which I walked to as well. 

 

We moved when I was 12, and we had to drive everywhere. I did theater and my parents drove us (sister and I) to rehearsals. My sister had voice lessons, we both did piano lessons and horseback riding lessons. Everything took so much longer because of the driving. 

[mytwomonkeys]

Great childhood. I was born in 1971, so cartoons were on Saturday morning only and a Disney Movie was on Sunday night and we had afterschool specials. So TV really wasn’t something I did a lot. No internet. No phones. Our first Atari was in middle school. I grew up with three sisters in a large suburb of Atlanta. Everyday we had a neighborhood group of kids that would hang out. In the summer we all went to the neighborhood pool all.day.long. My parents were pretty free range, so I was gone from dusk til dawn. For sports, I remember playing soccer, swim team, my favorite was ice skating. I took horse back riding lessons in middle school, and that was really fun. I was in band in middle school too & played the violin. In high school I was a cheerleader. I never felt overscheduled & all of my extracurricular activities were of my own pursuing.

 

ETA- and also babysitting. That was my cash flow. I did not get any allowance. My first real job was at Mcdonalds when I was 15 (the uniform traumatized me, lol)

Edited September 23, 2017 by mytwomonkeys

[Garga]

Church activities:

 

Church three times a week, every week.

 

For a couple of years I went to a youth group at my friend's church one night a week.

 

Dance activities:

 

When I was small, I took tap and ballet for about 2 years.

 

Music activities:

 

Started with the clarinet at band in school in 5th grade, with about a year of private lessons for that. I continued with the clarniet through 10th grade band at school and was in the marching band.

 

At about 11, I had piano lessons once a week for about 5 years.

 

Other activities:

 

Tried out Girl Scouts for a year.

Was in some sort of play (which I had forgotten about until this thread) once.

 

Work:

 

In 10th grade I got a regular babysitting job, watching a little girl after she got home from elementary school before her mom got home (high schoolers get out of school before elementary schoolers.)

 

Between 11th and 12th grade, I got a government job and in 12th grade, I went to school half a day and worked half a day as part of a school-work program.

 

 

I was never in more than one activity at a time, unless you count going to church 3 times a week through everything. It was enough for me. I've always been introverted, and wouldn't have wanted to do more. The other kids didn't like me, so I preferred being at home reading. I read A LOT.

Edited September 23, 2017 by Garga

[Zinnia]

I did a few, usually a year/season here or there. I played softball a few years, one year of Brownies, church choir several years, and always church on Sundays and Wednesdays. I did 4H heavily in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades.

 

My mom always felt bad that they couldn't afford piano and dance. I took both of those for a year in 12th grade through school.

 

I volunteered at the hoapital, 8+ hours a week from the time I was 14. When I was 16, I got hired there, and I worked 10-20 hours a week in my last 2 years of high school. I loved the hospital so much (I still miss that first whoosh of AC smell that you get when the doors open...such an awesome smell/feeling).

 

I would have loved more activities, and we were mostly limited by budget, which I understand as an adult.

 

I struggle with the balance for my kids. Part of it is having 4. Just soccer means 7 practices a week, with 4 games on Saturday. One wants to play academy, but the imbalance that would create has stopped us from doing it. But I try to sign my kids up for as much as we can handle. They are always begging for more, though, especially the oldest and youngest.

Edited September 23, 2017 by Zinnia

[Dmmetler]

I did church choir and other church activities, and then did various things through school like choir, band, forensics, and academic teams and clubs. Outside of school, I did something physical until high school-karate, dance, swimming, various rec sports. I took short classes at the parks and rec, mostly arts and crafts. Girl Scouts Brownies and Juniors. I was a smart kid who didn't get much out of school, so I think the outside classes, etc were to keep my brain busy.

 

In high school I'd really focused on music, and was taking college classes after school and applied lessons.

 

The big difference-almost all of this is stuff I could and did walk to. So mostly, I managed a busy schedule myself. DD doesn't have a single outside class or activity that is less than 5 miles away, and most are more like 15-20, except the clubs that I host on our back deck/in the living room.

[Kalmia]

I mostly played outside, helped in my neighbor's barn, or went hiking with my parents on the weekends. The only afterschool activity I was every involved in was Brownies. I remember exactly two things about it: one where the troop leader's chained doberman lunged at me and a macrame (it was the 70s) project we did. I made an owl which hung on my grandmother's porch until she died (and I am wondering if the reason I remembered it was because I saw it every year when we visited). I also kept my badge sash and thought the little embroidered patches were really pretty, yet have no memory of the activities we did to earn them. In contrast to this forgettable experience, remember tons of hikes, playing with the neighbor's ducks, chickens, goats, horses and donkeys, and a lot of time spent in the wood and fields. When I was in high school, my parents rented me a horse at the school stable and I took care of him and took riding lessons there. That was definitely a worthwhile experience that made me a better person. My sister also had riding lessons in high school as well as swim lessons at the Y on the weekends. Neither of us regret our mostly unscheduled childhoods.

[Insertcreativenamehere]

My extracurricular activities were similar to my kids' -- church on Wednesday (Awana or youth group) and Sunday, plus two or three sports seasons per year (soccer or basketball.)

 

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[wintermom]

I had a relatively busy childhood for activities; piano lessons, competitive swimming, Girl Guides and sofball. The family also went camping many weekends.

 

By high school things were crazy busy with sports, life-guarding/swim instructing, volunteer coaching, piano exams, and homework.  I get more accomplished when I'm busy, though.With an open day of nothing scheduled, I do almost nothing. It's nice to have those relaxing days every once in a while, but the busy schedule keeps my forward momentum going.  

[MistyMountain]

The only extra curricular I did was one session of swimming lessons at 6 in which I did not learn how to swim and one season of softball where I just sat in the grass and picked flowers and did not like it so I did not get signed up again. My parents just did not really have money in the budget for extra curricular activities. Softball was one of the most affordable ones out there at the time. I probably should have found something in middle school or high school and maybe the social thing would have been better but the ones from the school did not interest me or some did require money like the ski club.

Edited September 23, 2017 by MistyMountain

[TX Native]

I played Atari, watched sitcoms, wrote poetry my classmates and teachers liked, played tennis against a concrete wall (it blocked the interstate noise next to our house) and climbed trees. No organized extracurriculars. I came home to an empty house most days. My sister was 5 years older and was home some, but her school schedule was a bit different. We lived next door to my grandmother for a long while, somI did go out to the store with her quite a bit in the evenings. She shopped for groceries and household items every couple of days, and spent a lot of time comparing prices with the coupons she had. Oh, did have a few years of riding my bike around the neighborhood a lot and hanging out at classmates houses quite a bit. They had their moms home after school and would have preferred I not come hang around (I wasn't popular), but I think their moms made them be welcoming to me for good manners' sake.

 

I don't think it was so bad that I didn't do organized extracurriculars (money and transportation were limited), but I wish I had known there were more productive ways to use my spare time. I have had to fight being a couch potato throughout my grown up years, because watching TV and playing video games was most of my down time for so many of the early years.

[Barb_]

Mom was a SAHM when we were little. I did gymnastics one six week season. I did Girl Scouts once a week for four years but it was sort of lame. All we did was play kickball and do an occasional craft. My brother played a couple years of soccer. I always did the Christmas pageant or talent show. There were rehearsals after school. We didn't do any paid lessons or sports outside of what I mentioned. Elementary school was in the 70s. I took a few months of baton lessons through the local rec center in 1981 or 1982. Oh! I forgot I talked my mom into dance lessons in 6th grade even though it wasn't really in the budget. I was a little terrible at it haha. Later in 6th grade my mom went back to work, so we really didn't do anything at all after that.

 

We definitely weren't busy. Only one of us at a time ever had an activity and except for my brother's rec soccer activities were just once a week.

Edited September 23, 2017 by Barb_

[6packofun]

We didn't have a lot of money when I was growing up, but I was always in activities somehow.  It was never more than 2 at a time, I don't think, so it couldn't have been THAT stressful, but all the same there were times when I wished I could just NOT go to modern dance that I hadn't asked to take, you know?  LOL  I was mainly involved in sports.  Swim team, track, cross-country.  I also did gymnastics, ballet, modern dance and a couple other less active class type things occasionally, all before my parents divorced when I was 12.  After that, it was only sports I could get to easily with school, which was totally fine.  I started working at age 14 and I quit track when I was 16 because it got to be too much to do all of it.

 

The lack of activities we can provide for our kids is one of the major sadnesses/regrets of my life.  I still wouldn't have had them do as much as I did, but something is better than nothing most years.

[kiwik]

No activities. I was born in 1969 and grew up in a rural area. I had a bunch of cousins nearby and we built huts, looked for eels, played with pets, sewed etc with my grandmother, played cards, lego and board games. We had no TV. My next brother did cubs a while and the youngest kids who grew up in the 80's and 90's did a lot more. I would have liked to but after being told i wouldn't like Brownies when I asked to join I assumed the answer would be no so i didn't ask. At high school i had a widely unsuitable horse for a few years but no one helped me with it and when i joined pony club i had to do it all myself and work to pay for everything. Most of us did agrucultural work from 10 years old. My younger half siblings had a different exoerience but my stepmother had a toddler and a baby at the critical time of my life.

[SKL]

We were poor and lived in a big city.  We had no paid "activities," but I was very busy, because afternoons, weekends, and summers were free for me to do anything I could walk or bike or bus to.  I made use of the public pools (taught myself to swim), community gardens, play grounds, city zoo, libraries, ball fields, free arts classes at small shops, free summer programs around town, etc.  We had an old out-of-tune piano handed down from my grandma, and I taught myself to play and played all the time for fun.  I enjoyed reading, writing poetry, drawing, etc.  We invented clubs and threw cost-free parties.

 

We were "latch-key kids" and happy for the most part.  We were responsible for our own school work etc., no homework help or anything like that.  (We walked to and from school.)

 

I played the violin in elementary school (no outside lessons), and the trumpet and french horn at secondary school (self-taught).

 

I went out for softball in the 5th grade, but had a hard time because of having no equipment, shorts, transportation (other than my feet), or knowledge of the game.  I quit mid-season and the coach was good with that.  I got plenty of exercise playing in the neighborhood.

 

In 8th grade (public school), I was selected for the gifted program, which offered a summer program teaching many extras.  I rode my bike there (about 5 miles) so I could still get to my babysitting job in the afternoons.  I also had a paper route at that time.

 

We had chores every day once I was about 9.  As the oldest girl, I did a fair % of the housework and caring for my younger siblings.  Since I really enjoyed caring for the little ones, this didn't bug me.  (Well, some of the chores did, but not the child care.)

 

I graduated early and went to college at age 16.  I continued to live with my parents, do chores, help with the little ones, and work part-time up to age 18.  I also started doing volunteer work with kids at age 16.

 

What is my opinion of all that?  I think it worked well for me.  Sometimes I felt life was unfair, but that could have been hormones.  :p

 

I am sorry that my kids don't live in a situation where they can walk out the front door and do a lot of things on their own.  I have them in "activities" and "camps" because there isn't much for them to do and see around home, not many people to interact with outside of school.

 

ETA I should have mentioned religious stuff.  We went to a Lutheran elementary school and church to age 12.  I attended Sunday School and church each week and sang in the choir.  Then we moved, and decided we liked the Baptist church best, so we went to church there and Youth Club every Wednesday night.  Youth Club was probably the closest thing to an "activity" that I did.  I quit or aged out of that at 14 or 15.

Edited September 23, 2017 by SKL

[SKL]

Some kids definitely benefit though. One of my kids was in a pretty severe downward spiral mental health wise around ages 8-9 before becoming involved in an intensive extracurricular activity that I absolutely credit with changing their life.

 

We've each got to look at our own families and circumstances and kids and try to figure out how best to meet the needs we perceive.

 

Similar here.  :)

 

[Prairie~Phlox]

I grew up on a farm, was on 4-H & worked as a teen. My children also work as teens & are in very few activities. For the most part I don't think sports or music lessons pay the bills for most people later or necessarily make for better adults. Jmo though

[slackermom]

We were in Europe for half my childhood, and in the US for the other half, moving back and forth to various places, due to my father's military career. My mother worked part-time when she could. I have a brother, 2.5 years younger.

 

We did not do a lot of regular organized activities. I tried ballet around age 5 at the local rec center, and hated it, so I quit. I think we mostly hung out at the pool at the rec center. I started going to Girl Scouts in the DC area at ages 5-6, and continued that at a DoD elementary school I attended in Europe. My mom was a troop leader, my brother attended all the meetings. My mom's part-time job when I was in grades 2-5 was working at the little library next to the commissary, and I used to go there after school and read and do my homework. We did cross-country skiing and ice skating; I remember that my school had an outdoor rink. Our house bordered on a national park, and my brother and I spent a lot of time wandering around there, which we could do pretty freely as long as we stuck to the paths and did not cross certain bridges. Back in the US, I did track when I could starting in 6th grade. I stuck with running at a half dozen schools, adding cross-country running in 9th grade. I continued to spend a lot of time at libraries, which I could get to by public transportation or walking.

 

Eta: I think I might have been better at friendship stuff if I had more time with my friends outside of school. I know we sometimes hung out with other kids because they were my mom's friend's children, but they were not my friends. It was harder with all the moving.

Edited September 24, 2017 by slackermom