My sister (who has successfully raised three amazing children to the ages of 29, 27, and almost 20) and I had a discussion the other day about my kid's schedules. We were reminiscing about the hours spent outside riding our bikes in the neighborhood and playing kick-the-can after dark. I was lamenting the fact that I love taking my kids to all their various activities but that it also feels like I am in the car all day long, frantically running them from one activity to another. My mother was never frantic and she was never running us from one activity to the other. She simply kicked us out of the house for the day. Here is the issue: I do not feel comfortable allowing my 5 and 6 year old to ride bikes through the neighborhood all day. And so the over-scheduling dilemma. I always said I wouldn't be the type of mom to overbook my kids. Never say never, right?
Initially we started signing up for organized activities because it is hard to keep two very active boys busy, while keeping your sanity and house in tact. Activities outside the home gave the boys and I something to do. And thank goodness for all those hours spent at The Little Gym and at Gymnastics and Swim Lessons because I met some of my closest friends in those very place and those activities helped keep me sane!
Today our activities are more about getting in daily physical activity that is so crucial in a world where kids spend more and more time inside (either because it isn't safe for them to be outside and/or their parents are neurotic freaks like Todd and I). My goal is for the kids to have an hour of organized physical activity once/day while in school. This takes the form of Swim Team twice/week, Tennis twice/week, Soccer twice/week and lots of biking and hiking and playing on the weekends. The schedule will change - soccer season will end and ski season will begin - but the goal is the same: to be outside, burning energy, clearing our heads and getting our heart rate up.
I was happy to read the article below and re-evaluate our schedule. Are the boys overbooked? Not at all. If anything, I am frantic because I am responsible for getting them where they need to be and making sure they have the appropriate equipment when they get there (and I am a type A, control freak). Do my boys get some "down time" to play and use their imagination? Absolutely! Some of our best playtime happens in the two hours before we head out to school in the morning. We still have time to get home after our "physical-activity-of-the-day", eat dinner as a family, do homework, play for a bit, read books and get to bed. And I am proud to say that the boys still sleep 11 hours/night.
My take home message? I am doing exactly what I know is best for the boys. I am teaching them to make physical activity a part of their everyday lives. I am teaching them skills and lessons that will last a lifetime through the sports they engage in. I just need to learn how to relax and enjoy it all!
ARE WE OVER-SCHEDULING OUR CHILDREN?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laura-vanderkam/the-notsooverscheduled-ch_b_700257.html
In Health (both physical and emotional),
Yo
