How much enrichment is too much?

[JoLuRu]

DS7 is in public school first grade. I signed him up for cub scouts and a once a week after school sport that runs for one hour a week trying a new sport each week, no extra practices or games.

 

DD4 is doing home preK. I signed her up for gymnastics and we're doing a library story/art program once a week.

 

I'd like to sign both up for swim lessons as well, but DH says it's too much. Since none of the activities (except cub scouts) require any practice outside of the class, I think it's a fine amount of activities, and I want to give them a chance to experience a wide variety of activities to see what they love. Plus, swimming is an important life skill and they just sleep better when they've gotten enough exercise! No day would have more than one activity.

 

They still get lots of free play every day (at least an hour on the playground and more than that in toys and imaginative play at home.)

 

Am I overloading them, or does this seem like a reasonable amount of structured activity?

[kewb]

If you think your kids can handle it then sign them up. Swimming is a life skill and one I insisted my children learn at a young age. Of course, this can turn around and bite you in the behind when they both want to be on the swim team and your life revolves around that like mine does.

[2_girls_mommy]

Doesn't sound like too much, going by what you have said: They get lots of free play at other times and there are no other games or practices for the sports. I like the sound of his sports thing, just introducing him to different things.

 

And swimming is an important life skill that more than likely is not covered in school.

 

As long as school work is getting done, he is getting his free play, you can afford the activities, and he is not too tired or cranky then I wouldn't have a problem.

 

But I have always been an on the go homeschooler. We are involved in many activities as well. My kids and I like it that way. We are still home to do our school work for the majority of each day. But then we are out of the house in planned activities often in the afternoons, evenings, and weekends. They get free time on weekends and one night a week and on school vacation times.

[itsheresomewhere]

It depends on your kids and you. If you can handle it, go for it. My kids are in several things and they like it. Can you try it and see how it works for your family? Maybe reevaluate after a month or so.

[Ellie]

DS7 is in public school first grade. I signed him up for cub scouts and a once a week after school sport that runs for one hour a week trying a new sport each week, no extra practices or games.

 

DD4 is doing home preK. I signed her up for gymnastics and we're doing a library story/art program once a week.

 

I'd like to sign both up for swim lessons as well, but DH says it's too much. Since none of the activities (except cub scouts) require any practice outside of the class, I think it's a fine amount of activities, and I want to give them a chance to experience a wide variety of activities to see what they love. Plus, swimming is an important life skill and they just sleep better when they've gotten enough exercise! No day would have more than one activity.

 

They still get lots of free play every day (at least an hour on the playground and more than that in toys and imaginative play at home.)

 

Am I overloading them, or does this seem like a reasonable amount of structured activity?

Out of the house every day: too muich.

 

Swimming lessons may be an important life skill...or not. I didn't have lessons and I think I've done quite well as an adult. :) I don't think either of my dds had lessons, either, but they also seem to be fine.

[JoLuRu]

Out of the house every day: too muich.

 

Swimming lessons may be an important life skill...or not. I didn't have lessons and I think I've done quite well as an adult. :) I don't think either of my dds had lessons, either, but they also seem to be fine.

 

To be clear, DS is in public school and out of the house every day for that. The extra stuff would be 3 afternoons a week. DD is out of the house for the park every day, but this would be 3 scheduled activities for her, too.

 

We live in an around water and for safety, swim lessons are necessary. They had swim lessons 2 years ago, but this summer playing in the water reinforced that they need more skill for safety! I'd drop something else to fit it, but I do think swimming is important.

[ChristineW]

I'd wait a month or two on swim lessons. My 1st grader is adjusting to a full school day and he's tired when he comes home. Our first scout meeting isn't until October to give the littlest ones a chance to adjust. After that, I think you'd be fine.

[Ellie]

To be clear, DS is in public school and out of the house every day for that. The extra stuff would be 3 afternoons a week. DD is out of the house for the park every day, but this would be 3 scheduled activities for her, too.

I understand that he is in school. :)

 

Three afternoons on a regular basis during the school would have been too much for my dd when she was in school. There were some children i her class who did it--one took ice skating lessons every day, including ice time before school started--but for *me,* yes, that would be way too much.

 

We live in and around water and for safety, swim lessons are necessary. They had swim lessons 2 years ago, but this summer playing in the water reinforced that they need more skill for safety! I'd drop something else to fit it, but I do think swimming is important.

Summer swimming classes are understandable; if y'all are into swim teams and stuff, well, we all have things that our children are interested in, and swim team could be yours. For us, year-round swim classes, especially when they are several days each week, would be too much.

 

You asked what we all thought was too much "enrichment." For us, every day out of the house for classes and whatnot would be too much. Every day at the park would have been too much for us, too, but we're not outdoorsy people, and we never lived close enough to walk, so that probably made the difference. I don't count going to the park as "enrichment," though. :)

[labst60]

Here - we have activities every nigh of the week. My DC are 7 and 5 (and 1, but no activities yet for her).

 

DD7 has an activity every night (Monday 1 hour dance, tues 2 hour dance, Wed 1 hour dance + 2.5 church program, thurs 1 hour dance, friday 1 hour chorus). DD5 has an activity 4 days each week (Monday 1 hour dance, Wed 2.5 hour program, thurs 1 hour dance, friday 1 hour chorus)

 

That being said - they know that if they chose PS, they would be down to 1-2 nights per week for activities b/c they'd have homework, less "free time' during the day and we'd have to have some family time (but since I get them all day, that's not a huge deal here).

 

So- we are all for activities here - but given that DS is in ps and that's already 35+ hours/week outside the home, I'd probably take the other's advice and at least hold off a month or so until school picks up and see if you/he still have the desire to add something else to your plate/routine at that point.

[Unicorn.]

I would sign them up for the lessons.

[Parrothead]

It depends on the child. At that age dd did several activities.

 

Now at almost 13 she has something every day of the week - jazz, ballet, tap, drama club, guitar, tai chi and girl's club.

[Dmmetler]

When my DD was in PS K, two nights a week out of the house was too much and led to a tired/cranky child the next day. Now that she's homeschooled, she has something every single afternoon/evening (mostly afternoon/very early evening because often those "first class after PS lets out" are less crowded, and it works well for us), and she seems to really NEED the structured physical movement on a regular basis because if she doesn't get it, even if she had a substantial amount of running around outside that day, she gets cranky. However, she does get a huge amount of unstructured time each day as well, simply because school doesn't take that long for a 7 yr old and her activities are really close to home, so an hour class takes us maybe an hour and 15 minutes away from home.

 

 

So, my answer is-it depends on your child. I know...not a lot of help!

[angela in ohio]

Your dh probably knows better than we do how much you and your dc can handle. And I would assume he is thinking of the budget, as well.

 

I would at least wait and see how things go with what you have signed up for before adding anything more.

 

If you want swimming, can you do it instead of gymnastics and the sports class?

[catz]

It depends on the child. At that age dd did several activities.

 

Now at almost 13 she has something every day of the week - jazz, ballet, tap, drama club, guitar, tai chi and girl's club.

 

:iagree: depends on the kid. For most homeschooled kids, I'd say no problem. It depends how much down time your kids need when they get home. Swimming is a mandatory and important skill here and we try to fit swim lessons into our schedule at least a couple sessions a year. My kids will never be on a swim team, but at least I can relax when they go to swim parties (we live in the land of 10,000 lakes and even more swimming pools).