Overscheduled..... already?

[KBecks]

Looking at our fall schedule I am surprised to find we are busy, busy busy. Having balance is important to me, and I'm concerned we may ALREADY be filling up our plates too much (Alek is nearly 3 and John is 1).

I can't believe I am running into this already. We are set up for the following activities for the fall:

-- Library storytime (1 morning a week)
-- Alek's "school" class (1 morning a week)
-- Playdate and Playgroup day (both on the same day)
-- Mommy's work day (1 day a week)

That leaves one morning free, and I want to go to the gym at least 2x a week, and I'd prefer to go 3-4 times a week, but that's just not looking realistic. I also have to work in times to run errands and grocery shop, etc. I also want the boys to have time at home. I think we can work that in the afternoons.

In addition, since Alek will soon be three, he is all of a sudden now eligible for many more types of toddler enrichment programs. We are doing a few Saturday Zoo classes, and there are more programs available at the Art museum and children's museum, and I'm sure tons of other places that offer things for 3 year olds. I have been thinking about music and dance lessons and sports on the horizon, but I hate to think of adding even more to the schedule.

While I love getting out of the house, I am concerned that we will be running around too much this fall and winter. I'm not sure what to do, since we enjoy our activities. We will need to evaluate and prioritize.

I just can't believe we're already facing this. I feel like I've been blindsided by the issue. Any advice?

[kristenk]

I don't have an advice, but you're not the only one dealing with this. I'm having a hard time deciding what's "overscheduled" for us. I really like having things scheduled on the calendar and there are tons of fun activities out there, so that makes it a challenge for me!

Right now, DD has school 2 days a week (one is morning only, one she stays until 2:45) and ballet for less than an hour one afternoon. Those are the activities she has when I'm not with her.

She also has playgroup once a week (but never a set time), Music Together one evening and I'm looking into a Mommy & Me Arts or Spanish class. Those are the things we do together.

I try to workout when she's in school, but that just give me two workouts a week. DH and DD go out to breakfast on Saturday mornings and I can go to the gym then, so I can get a third workout in. I need to work more exercise into my schedule, but I'm not really sure how to do that.

[purpleeyes]

My opinion? If you're worried, you're probably overscheduled. ;-)

Would it be possible to limit/eliminate activities or enrichment programs that are similar or the same stuff he is doing in school? I.e., he's probably getting storytime, singing, rhyming, etc. at school, so maybe library storytime isn't as necessary? Then you could hit the library on your own time, just to look for books. That's our plan, now that preschool has started, we've stopped storytime. In addition, the 'extra' stuff that I love to do through our parks and rec program-we're only going to do the weekend 'family' events stuff like visit the fire station open house and the halloween events, etc. rather then stuff during the week.

Of course, I could be totally wrong about your school, but ours is doing all that stuff-art, music, etc., that I don't worry about doing those things outside of school.

Just my thoughts...


Beth

[Gena]

No advice, but I know the feeling. Here is my 3-year-old’s schedule:

--Preschool: 4 mornings a week
--Autism playgroup: 1 morning a week
--Speech therapy: 1 afternoon a week
--Occupational therapy: 1 afternoon a week (same day as speech)
--Movement therapy: 1 afternoon a week
--Swim class: 2 evenings a week

Additionally I need to do at least 15 hours a week of ABA therapy at home with him.

I wish the swim class was only once a week, but they don’t offer that option. I don’t want to drop swimming because DS loves it and it greatly helps with his motor issues. But I’ve had to forgo the library storytime and a couple of parks & recs programs that looked really great.

Meanwhile my house is a mess and dinner is always running late and Hubby wants to know why I don’t get anything done all day.

[emilyf]

That doesn't sound particularly overscheduled to me-especially if he is only in school 1 day a week. I like to keep fairly busy though. I'm assuming the library is drop in, so you could always just play it by ear that day and only go if you feel like it. If we don't have plans I find that I get sucked into house work or wasting time and the kids start begging for movies.
Emily mom of Charlie born 11/02 and Zoe born 9/05