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egoldber
02-13-2004, 05:24 PM
So I just finished a book, called "The Overscheduled Child: How to Avoid the Hyper Parenting Trap" and its made me take a look at my schedule. In general, I really try not to overdo things and think I'm pretty easy going. But we DO have an actitvity every single day. Here's our schedule:

Monday: speech pathologist does a home visit 11:00 - 11:45
Tuesday: preschool from 9 - 1
Wednesday: Park&Rec class from 11-11:45
Thursday: preschool 9 - 1
Friday: playgroup from 10:30 - ??

Honestly, I am more worried about next fall, since DD will move to 3 days a week of preschool. I like being able to take a class with her, but I don't know where I'd fit that in if she's still seeing the speech pathologist.

I don't FEEL rushed, but I'm wondering what others do?

raynjen
02-14-2004, 03:55 AM
I think that you are doing just fine. As long as you don't find yourself frantically rushing your DD from one activity to another you are doing great. I know the worry though - if you aren't doing enough, if you are doing too much, etc. I think as long as you (or more importantly, your daughter) don't feel stressed then you are okay.

I think this is something that we need to worry about more later on when we have to work scouting, chorus, soccer, and karate around their art appreciation class (and all this is "after school").

I know, for me, it is important to have at least one scheduled activity a day so that we get up and get motivated. Otherwise it becomes too easy to sit in your PJ's all day (and after all, isn't that what Saturdays are for?)

We have the following schedule:

Monday - nursery school 9:00 - 1:00
Tuesday - gymnastics (mommy & me) 10:15 - 11:00
Wednesday - nursery school 9:00 - 1:00
Thursday - errands and lunch with Daddy
Friday - nursery school 9:00 - 1:00

Hope that helps!

Jen in Okinawa
Mom to Noelle (10/25/01)

AngelaS
02-14-2004, 07:47 AM
Here's our schedule:

1st Monday of the month--playtime with her friends at church while Mommy's at Bible study.

Every Sunday-- play time with her friends at church while I'm in church and Sunday school

That's it.... :D

We hit the library about twice a month and occasionally get together with another friend to play or just hang out.

I like to keep my schedule VERY open and personally, I am such a homebody, that if I have plans to leave the house more than 2X a week, *I* feel overscheduled! LOL I love to be home and spend time on the living room floor, playing and reading books, so that's what we do. :D

AngelaS
02-14-2004, 07:47 AM
oops, double post

Karenn
02-14-2004, 01:03 PM
Don't forget Saturday and Sunday! I know it's the weekend, but it can be down time for you and her. Plus I think it depends a lot on the person. In general, I tend to socialize less than some people I know, so I think our schedule is less full as a reflection of that. My friends who are "social butterflies" have schedules that are a bit more packed but their kids don't seem to suffer.

This is our current schedule:

Monday (Every other): MOPS 9-11:30
Tuesday: Grandma Visits 9-1:30
Friday: Toddler Class 11:30-1
Sunday: Sunday School 9-12:00 (I know it might seem strange to count this, but it wipes him out more than any other activity we have all week!)

I'm thinking about adding a Library visit on Thursdays or a swiming class- but you're right, it's so hard to know where the line is for over-scheduling vs. not getting out enough.

christic
02-14-2004, 06:39 PM
Well, I don't think your schedule looks too hectic, especially since you're at home for the speech pathologist and its a single short class.

My situation is different since I work 3 days a week. My daughter is at a small daycare 2 days and home with her dad 1 day. Because I only have two days during the week home with her I decided that 1 of those would be completely unscheduled. We have a playgroup one morning and then for a while we took a class on the other morning but it ended up feeling like too much for us.

sarasprings
02-15-2004, 03:17 PM
We, too, do something everyday:

M: library playgroup AND Waldorf playgroup
T: children's museum
W: Barnes and Noble storytime (our neighbor reads the story)
R: library playgroup/day at friends' house (we're gone from 9:00-4:30)
F: neighborhood friends come over

During the fall, I wanted something everyday for wintertime, but now that it's winter, I actually feel like we are okay at home. I think it's because now that DS is 21 months, we spend time doing house things like laundry, making pretzels, making breakfast, etc.

I do skip Wed if we are too busy. Friday is pretty relaxing because we stay at home.

It's a hard call, because DS likes getting out and seems to love the different things we're doing, but some weeks, I feel like it is too much.

MelissaTC
02-15-2004, 03:54 PM
Here is our schedule:

Monday - free day. I usually take him on errands or we meet up with friends...he used to have My Gym on Mondays...

Tuesday - preschool from 9-1

Wednesday - playdate day

Thursday - preschool from 9-1

Friday - playgroup from 10-12

If the weather is decent, I will take him outside to play or we go to the park. I am considering signing up for either a music class or an art class through the town. I miss our Mommy & Me day...we used to go to My Gym on Mondays and then have lunch out. It was also a fun time for me and I love having the alone time with him.

Jeanmick
02-16-2004, 12:51 AM
Here's our schedule:

Monday: Preschool from 10:00-11:30
Tuesday: Gymnastics/Dance from 10:00-11:00
Wednesday: Library story time from 10:00-10:30 (DD goes with my mother)
Thursday: nothing scheduled
Friday: nothing scheduled

Thursday and Fridays are usually reserved for errands-type activites, chores or get-together with friends, that kind of thing.

I'll echo the other posters. I don't think you've overscheduled. There's nothing wrong with having something to do everyday as long as you've built-in time "down" time for both you and your DD, which I'm sure you have.

COElizabeth
02-16-2004, 01:55 AM
We have only a music class on Monday evening, 5:15-5:45, and DH takes James to that if he gets off work in time. I truly think we need more activities! We do sometimes meet friends at the Children's Museum, zoo, etc., but the music class is the only regularly scheduled activity.

Elizabeth, Mom to James, 9-20-02

egoldber
02-16-2004, 02:03 PM
Thanks all! It was interesting to see what others do. I sort of like having somehting to do once a day to get us out of the house and get me motivated to shower before noon, LOL! :) I try to run most shopping/errands while she's in preschool since it is SOOOO much easier. I can do 5 errands in the time it takes me to do two with a toddler in tow.

But I sometimes wish we had more open time. Like right now we can't go to a library storytime during the week because we don't have an open day.

But the book WAS mainly written for parents of older childrem. They cited typical schedules like:

up at 6:00
swim team practice: 7:00 - 7:45
school: 8:30 - 3:00
art class: 5:15 - 7:00
homework: 8:30 - 11

And I know a LOT of people whose lives are like this!

redhookmom
02-17-2004, 12:08 AM
I'll admit I recently fell into this trap.

My DS's schedule was:

Monday: preschool and gymnastics
Tuesday: nothing
Wednesday: preschool
Thursday: playgroup and kindermusik
Friday: preschool
Saturday: Swimming
Sunday: nothing

Plus weekly visits to both grandparents, an uncle and an aunt.

Well, swimming ended and we dropped gymnastics. I didn't notice that it was to much before but he is happier now. He really was doing to much and not enjoying it. Now he looks forward to the activities where as before I had to talk him into leaving the house each time.

This is such an easy trap to fall into. It is hard to pick and choose what to participate in. Especially when my choices are different then his!

sarasprings
02-17-2004, 09:51 AM
I'll add, too, that for us, we only directly pay for 2 things a week, which makes it easier to drop things. Plus, each activitiy, except spending one whole day at a friend's house, is local and less than 1 1/2 hours long.

Also for us (this is not a criticism of anyone!!), DS doesn't watch TV during the day, and I feel like the time that he would spend watching is time at home playing -- sort of extra time for us.

It is easy to get caught up in stuff, but if we are watching our children and they are enjoying it, I think it's fine.

Melanie
02-17-2004, 01:17 PM
That book is on my list!

I am trying to find a happy balance with Ds. I grew up with nothing to do and now if I have more than one thing in a day I get stressed, meanwhile I have a friend who generally has like 4 commitments a day or she's not happy.

Right now we just have one 'scheduled' thing (one was cancelled) and I try to stay flexible with others. Soon we will have two scheduled activities again. We also go to the Chiropractor weekly, but the day varies. At one time I think we had 3 and it felt like too much for us. I like having at-home days as much as I like out-of-home days, but too many in either direction and I'm irritable. =)

toomanystrollers
02-17-2004, 11:29 PM
Between running Tess to preschool 3x a week and swim lessons once a week, I have no time to do anything with her brother :( I am looking into a drop-in "gymoree-ish" class for him that's right down the street from Tess's school. And poor Neve, I miss all those baby playdates and breastfeeding support groups that I could enjoy with Tess. Can't bring the older two along for fear of baby trampling!

Melanie
02-18-2004, 12:15 AM
Pam, have you seen this? Your post just reminded me of it:

Your Clothes

1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN confirms your pregnancy.
2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.
3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.


Preparing for birth

1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.
2nd baby: You don't bother practicing because you remember that last time, breathing didn't do a thing.
3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your 8th month.


The Layette

1st baby: You pre-wash newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them, & fold them neatly in the baby's little bureau
2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean & discard only the ones with the darkest stains.
3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?


Worries

1st baby: At the first sign of distress-a whimper, a frown-you pick up the baby.
2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your firstborn.
3rd baby: You teach your 3-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing.


Pacifier

1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you can go home and wash and boil it.
2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with some juice from the baby's bottle.
3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.


Diapering

1st baby: You change your baby's diapers every hour, whether they need it or not.
2nd baby: You change their diaper every 2 to 3 hours, if needed.
3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to complain about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.


Activities

1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, and Baby Story Hour.
2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.
3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaner.


Going Out

1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter,you call home 5 times.
2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.
3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.


At Home

1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.
2nd baby: You spend a bit of everyday watching to be sure your older child isn't squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.
3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children.


Swallowing Coins

1st child: When first child swallows a coin, you rush the child to the hospital and demand x-ray
2nd child: When 2nd child swallows a coin, you carefully watch for coin to pass.
3rd child: When 3rd child swallows a coin you deduct it from his allowance!!

toomanystrollers
02-18-2004, 09:37 PM
Melanie,
Yes, my gf emailed it to me!!! I need to have it printed and framed for my kitchen.

It's so true :)