Sarah CB Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I usually try to limit things but we're having a hectic spring and it could get even more hectic. The kids are all having fun and looking forward to their activities - part of me wants to lock the door and stay at home, the other part says that it's only a few months before the end of the school year and it couldn't hurt to add in a few things temporarily. The part of me that hibernated all winter is beginning to wake up and look around a bit and I have this strange urge to just let them do whatever they want to do - provided it all stops in June ;). Am I nuts? Do I need a dose of reality or should we throw caution to the wind and just get out and about a lot in the spring? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 If there's an end in sight, I'm okay with crazy busy for a while. Our kids are all in karate year round. That is their only activity for a good part of the year (well, except piano, but they walk to that, so it doesn't feel like an activity like the others do, yk?). Anyway, during teh spring we go NUTS with baseball. Two kids are on travel teams plus their Little League teams. Then, there's the tournament team after that. The little guy does a second season of Little League then. This is all on top of karate and piano. It is absolutely crazy. But, the kids love it. And, as long as there's an end in sight, I'm okay. Now, ask me come mid-June when three different boys have to be at three different fields in three different cities AT THE SAME TIME if I still like it!! I bet you'll get a very different answer! LOL (But, again, there's an end in sight at that point, so it's do-able!) Good luck finding a balance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruthie Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 It depends, how many activities would it mean? For us, I like the kids to remain busy, they are much more productive that way. So I let them do as they want as long as their studies don't suffer. Ruthie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 OK, I did this one full school with dd. ds never asks to do much, I think he had scouts and tkd then. dd had brownies, field hockey, two lacross teams, club swimming, art lessons, and guitar. dd typically needs a lot of activity, but this was too much--even for her. She started wanted time at home. She was not more than 8 at the time, because she was almost 9 when she quit club swimming. I can't afford to fund such an experience. dd doesn't want to do so much. Now, she is busy a lot, but it seems more manageable because her only sport is ballet. While she attends five classes a week they are in the same place and she is old enough that I can pull up in front the studio and let her run in on her own. Her classes get out late (some after 8) so dh picks her up on his way from work. As a result, this does not cut into my time with my ds's. She still does scouts and some church activities, but it's not the extreme of the one year. I'm glad I let her do that. I think it was good for her to try all that stuff and find her own limits (I sure found mine). Even if I could afford it, I'd never do it. again. I did it for 9 months. You are talking about 3 months, I think that's doable. You will be relieved when it's over. You will need to plan meals on the weekend and do your cooking in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajjkt Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 ummmm .... my mum's argument when I was little for only allowing two nights a week of activities was 'what will you do when your x age if you do it all before you reach the age of x'. She still tries that argument with me, but now I get to decide for myself that one lifetime isn't enough to do everything. So, my poor kids are allowed to do whatever activity they want. 2 * art lessons (one grandma, one with a local group), dance, drama, swimming lessons, tennis lessons, chess club and gymnastics. I justify it that they are participating in organized activities that they might be exposed to briefly at a school, but this way they can go more in depth. THey love them all, don't get tired, and always want to do more (I won't up it from here) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 I have a kind of inner gauge....I know when I step over my limit. If I had an enthusiasm for letting the kids do what they want for a while, I would trust that. If I had a gut feeling that it would just about kill me, I would trust that, too :). But I have a mild chronic fatigue and just need to know my own limits. Just one bad nights sleep, or two late nights in a row, can make me a right off for school the next day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 For us, I like the kids to remain busy, they are much more productive that way. That's my kids, too. It seems like, when they are busy with "extras," they are happier and get more done with their studies than if I try and hold them back. You know that old saying about how, if you want something done, you should ask a busy person? I never understood it until I saw my daughter in action. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 We have six children, so our rule has always been one outside activity each. Now that we have two grown, and one 15 year old who just wants to hang out with his friends in his spare time, we only have three involved in structured activities. You would think that one activity each would be manageable - except, my 11 year old dd who has taken dance since she was 3 has now been accepted into our city ballet and jazz companies. Thats three nights a week and some travel on weekends. Our youngest daughter who is 9 found she is a talented gymnast. She is on a competitive team, which means 4 nights a week plus many weekends for meets. Our 10 year old son does Tae Kwon Do three nights a week. So I am running like a crazy person. I definitely have fantasies about scrapping it all and staying at home. It would make life so much easier, but then I see how much they love what they do and the pride they get from their success and run anyway. It is a sacrifice I'm willing to make, even though it means cooking dinner at lunchtime and sometimes having to rush school to get somewhere. The bottom line is that it IS a sacrifice to run your kids around like that and you have to be willing to do that (and be able to keep your sanity). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Not only am I constitutionally unable to deal with that much out of the house time but I also think that focusing on one activity and learning and doing it well it more productive in the long run than doing many things to a lesser extent. It isn't that I don't love the idea of having (ok, being able to afford) lets say, an art class, a sport, and an interest based activity, I have just found it better for us to focus on one thing at a time. Having said that, my older one does sewing, piano, and babysits once a week but I only have to take her to one of those things. And it was difficult getting her to learn to manage her time well and still be able to get to both all her schoolwork and all her chores. Some days it still is. But I believe that to be valuable too, (no matter how long it takes)! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 I would like to give my kids free reign, but their ages and our location make it impossible. I can't drop a 6 year old off on one side of "town", then drop a 5 year old 30 miles away before picking a 10 year old up 15 minutes late and 20 miles further, all with a toddler in the back seat. We do need to add more, but I'm dreading the schedule. I have one in piano and two in gymnastics. I'd like to get at least one into martial arts, one wants to try ice hockey, and both girls are hoping for music lessons. But, between 3 individual activities, 1 homeschool group and another being formed, and our Roots and Shoots group, it's already crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 I have done that, it meant running to 1-3 activities 7 days a week. I did it for 1 year then burned out completely, so they only got 1 activity each for a full year and come spring we are going back to doing a ton of stuff. I think if I have a partner taking on half the driving around etc it would be better, but I have decided that it is better to let the kids experience all that they have a desire for now, then have them give up on something before they even tried because we couldn't get to it this year kwim. The exception to this hockey and horse back riding, only do the cost of it. Right now they do music lessons, ds is in cadets, and dd is in sewing. Come srping the older 2 are in baseball, ds5 is in soccer, then in the fall swimming, gymnastics, drama, dance, art, basketball and fencing start, music lessons, cadets and possibly sewing continue. With 4 kids in activities it doesn't take long before the schedule is very very full. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DebonLI Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 and that is not going to happen...Debbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty in Pink Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 I try to consolidate as much as possible (an afternoon at co-op w/ classes for both my 5 and 10 yr olds, enrolling them in the same art class, gymnastics on the same day, one class following the other, etc). I don't do "seven days a week." I also try to spread things out over the different seasons. For example, we had an opportunity to participate in swim lessons w/ our HS group but our schedule is already full. The boys usually do swim in the summer anyway, so we skipped the HS swim lessons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moni Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 What is the purpose/goal of your having the children in the the activity, activities? First, I consider that. Has anyone given up and just let the kids do as many activities as they ask for Abdicating parental decisions to the children? :glare: No. ;) :) :D Again, first I consider goals/priorities, then I make decisions. :seeya: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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