Too many after school activities?

[Twoboos]

This whole full time public school on the bus thing is throwing me for a loop!! :)

DDs (grades K and 1) go to school from 8:30-3:30, including the bus ride. I am trying to figure out their other activities, what is too much for them. I know it will vary by family, but I have no basis for our family yet, lol!

Right now they are only signed up for Soccer til mod-Nov. Games are once week, and DD1 (1st grade) has practice once a week.

I am likely going to sign them up for religious ed (DD1 2x/month, DD2 I would have to home school on this b/c she is in Full day k, and K classes are during school hrs - YIKES for me!! :). Never done religious ed before, although I am a very lapsed Catholic.

Other options we are considering are Daisies/Brownies (never done before) and then a drama-type class 1x week for DD1 (offered at school, 8 weeks).

So, some weeks DD1 would have five things a week outside of school! OK, even just writing that I know it's too much. If anything we would pass on the drama group. But that's still 4 things some weeks.

If your kids are in full time school, what other activities are you doing?

[BabyMine]

M is in karate M,W,S and soccer F,S. We might add swimming later or next year. I base the activities on the individual child. M is very active and loves sports. TT isn't involved in any yet but I don't see him being able to handle what M can.

[niccig]

DS has soccer practice and then a game. We have gymnastics once a week, and I need to set up our piano class once a week. I then take him swimming, just the two of us playing around in the Y pool during free swim about once every 2 weeks.

Soccer is only until Nov. after that we might pick up something, we might not. I'll wait and see. I like us to have a few days of down time, just hanging out.

Every child is different. One friend's DDs have things every day and sometimes have 2 things on a day - for ME that's too much. I know there's so much for DS to try and learn, but it suits DS and me to not have too much in a week. As he gets older, we might do more, but for now it's a perfect amount.

[smilequeen]

I feel like DS1 is overbooked. HE is totally handling it/loving it. I am the one going nuts carting him around. I felt like I needed to keep him busy now though b/c after Christmas I am going to have to cut way back with the new baby.

He has Chinese on Monday, Swimming on Weds, Gymnastics on Thursday, Soccer on Friday, Hockey on Saturday. Yikes.

He's happy though...

[AnnieW625]

Right now DD1 is only in ballet once a week on Saturday mornings. She just finished swimming for the summer, but I hope to have both girls start again after Christmas in community lessons, and then not do swimming in the summer. We might venture into soccer next fall, but if DD1 is still in ballet and wants to do the Nutcracker, it's just another item to add to what would be an already full Saturday from Oct. to December.

[SunCB]

DS1 Soccer Sat mornings through fall 1 hr then Sat or Sun Basketball ball for winter (not sure how long but probably about 1 hr) though we have a few wks of down time between sports

DS1 & 2 Karate Monday 30 mins but 1 will be going up to the next level next month so it will be Monday and Wednesday 45 mins

I do ISR for swim lessons and DS2 & DD just started that back today so DS2 will probably only be in a wk bc his float was bad since I let him get away with bad habits since I usually had 3 at the pool alone but DD is learning the next section so she probably has 3-4 wks Monday through Friday for 10 mins each.

I have considered something else for DS2 but I have not really found much during the day where he can burn energy though I have not tried very hard. DD is getting to the age where classes will start to happen for her as I was thinking tumbling class where I would have to be involved.

I have thought about starting DS1 on an instrument but not really going to push it. I am sure we could do more but it takes $$$ to put 3 kids through all these activities and we are trying to save more for a house still.

[tny915]

DD's main activities are on the weekend b/c I can't shuttle DD around due to WOTH most of the week.

She has 1 hour of gymnastics on Saturday and a 30 minute swim class on Sunday.

Her school offers after-school enrichment classes. For the fall, we signed her up for piano and an art class. We've only signed up because the classes are at school. It would otherwise be impossible for us to shuttle her to an activity during the week.

[jenmcadams]

It's hard to wait, but I would truly wait and see how your kiddos handle full day public school. My DD has a lot on her plate now in 3rd grade, but she's easier to reason with now and understands her activity load and it's consequences (e.g. if you want to do X, you can't do Y or if you sign up for X, you'll be doing your HW in the car on the way there and back to preserve bedtime). She is just one of those kids who needs a lot of sleep. Her current schedule is:

Mon: Brownies (1-2x per month)
Tue: Private Piano (30 min, after school)
Wed: Children's Chorale (semi-pro, statewide choir) 1 hour; occasional performances
Soccer practice 90 min
Thu: Nothing :)
Fri: Soccer Practice 90 min
Sat: Soccer Games

My little guy is in K and actually could probably handle more (never gets tired), but he has two things each week which seems appropriate for a 5 year old:
Tue: Lego Robotics Club (after school for an hour)
Sun: Flag Football (45 min game + 45 min practice)

[SnuggleBuggles]

I think if you're asking, it's probably too much. :)

We take the first semester super light. Ds1 usually has 1-2 activities in the fall- soccer (2 hours/ week) and something else (gymnastics, tennis, karate...). This year it will be one after school club and Cub Scouts. If anything we keep it the same year round with just 1-2 activities but it depends on what crops up. His school offers some cool clubs for free.

Beth

[egoldber]

It's hard to wait, but I would truly wait and see how your kiddos handle full day public school.

:yeahthat: It is hugely draining for a lot of kids.

I think we are OK right now, but could easily teeter out of balance. Older DD always wants to do everything.

Right now she is signed up for....

Monday - piano lessons, but at after care where she will be anyway
Monday - social skills class
Tuesday - nothing
Wednesday - nothing
Thursday - Girl Scouts every other week
Friday - non-competitive swim team

I hate that Mondays are a double activity, but I think it could be OK. But most weeks she will only have things on Monday and Friday, so that is a good thing for us. And our weekends are free.

She came home Friday with a paper for the strings program at school. They are free lessons, done at school during the school, day, but we pay for instrument rental. She begged and begged, so now she is also signed up for the viola. Oops. :o The main thing will be finding the time for her to practice two instruments.

[alexsmommy]

I agree with everyone - it totally depends on the kid. DS1 prefers to be busy. In K I kept his activities to a minimum. Added more last year and this year he's begging for even more so:

Monday - Boy Scouts (talked him out of it last year - but he really wants to do it)
Tuesday- piano lessons
Wednesday - probably Mad Science
Thursday - open
Friday - open until Nov, then basketball
Saturday - soccer for now, basketball in Nov
Sunday - Mom collapses in heap day

He can walk to be piano until it gets dark too early, Boy Scouts I have lots of help with (wasn't going to be able to let him do it because they changed the mtng nights, but good friends with sons the same age have offered to cover me on on nights I can't do it), Friday it's all me, Saturday, combo men and hubby.

In K he didn't do anything until spring when I knew he could handle it.

[KrisM]

DS1 is in 1st grade.

He's in soccer until 10/23 and that's one practice and one game/week.

He'll start violin in October and that's twice a week, but at school and directly after school, so I just pick him up slightly later than he'd get home on the bus.

In November, he'll start TKD lessons and those are twice a week. This is assuming they work with the violin.

And, we're checking out Cub Scouts later this week.

I don't want him in so much taht it's every day, whether he does well with it or not. DD will be in kinder next year and then DS2 will eventually, too. I figure if I start too many now, they'll continue and then I'll not be able to continue things when all 3 are doing things.

[kerridean]

My 1st grader is limited to one activity per week total (dance). With all the homework and trying to achieve an early bedtime (required for her!) it is all we can handle. I value unstructured time.

[hillview]

DS1 is in k (well 3rd yr of Montessori) and he will be signed up for swimming 1x a week. DS2 is 3 and will get the same.

That is all we have planned.
/hillary

[hellokitty]

I'm struggling with this too. DS1 is my only child in full day school (first grade), and his bus comes at 8:15am and drops him off at 4pm (school lets out at 3:40, so he is one of the earlier drop offs). He has homework every day, plus he hasn't been eating ANY lunch (today, he ate ONE bite, I don't know what to do with him and he comes home and isn't even hungry?!?!). So, my concern when he comes home is to get homework done and make sure he has a good dinner. I feel like I have to over-feed him dinner, to make up for him have little to no lunch. His lunch time is 40 min, but he has no excuse except for the fact that he is the type to squander his time and goof off when he should be eating. His bedtime is 7:30pm, I feel like we do not have enough time after school to do much of ANYTHING! His first cub scout mtg is tomorrow evening, and it is 6:30, so this means bedtime will be pushed back Tues nights. I also just signed both older boys up for semi-private swim lessons together and that will be Friday evenings, BUT at least we don't have to be as hurried since it is not a school night. I am soooo glad we did not do any other sports. We did soccer two yrs ago and the schedule was frickin' ridiculous. I have no clue how ppl with more than one kid in the same sport manage. We do not have friends or family who can chaperone or drive our kids around like some ppl do. How can they have a homemade dinner with the family sitting down together if they have crazy after school activities schedules??? I feel it's important to have dinner together as a family as much as possible. Already, the schedule we have now is crazy enough. I know DS1 would love to take extra art classes too, but at this point, I just think it would be too nuts. The after school class I have to drive him to is at 4:30pm, we'd be rushed and stressed to get home, try to get dinner on the table, baths and homework done and then the kids would go to bed. It just seems kind of miserable right now, b/c I am feeling bad for DS1 that he has barely any free time.

[wendmatt]

Kids need some down time. So do you! Don't over do it for your DC or you'll be runnining ragged and they'll be exhausted.

[kristenk]

DD has a lot of stuff scheduled, but I don't think it's too much. She has swimming (30min), gymnastics (90min) and dance (90min) each week. She also has a scheduled playdate with MIL & FIL weekly. That means that we really just have one free afternoon at home. I was worried that would be too much, but it's not. It helps that her swimming lesson starts at 5pm, so she has some free time before. Actually, she has a little downtime at home before ballet, too.

I wish we had a little more free time available for playdates. That will change, though, b/c DD most likely won't be taking swimming in the spring.

[Corie]

My daughter is 8 yrs. old and she is in the 3rd grade.

She is in soccer. They practice 2x a week and then a game on Saturday.
She is also starting a Musical Theater class. This is 1x a week.
Plus, we are trying to find a Brownie troop for her.

Soccer will only last to the end of October. So we'll only be this
crazy busy for a couple months.


My son is 5 yrs. old and he is in kindergarten. It is only half-day.

He is in soccer. They practice 1x a week and then a game on Saturday.

[bubbaray]

DD#1 is in Grade 1

Monday: GEMS (girls group through our church); dictee (homework)
Thursday: swimming
Friday: piano
Saturday: ballet, jazz, tap
Sunday: downhill skiing (during ski season, November through April depending on snow)

Soccer will start in the spring, 2 weekday evenings per week. We are currently seeking a private German tutor (German school conflicts with dance).

It sounds like a lot, but its not as much as most kids here. Most other kids are also doing gymnastics, ice skating (figure or hockey) and some sort of martial arts. Many in our French Immersion school are also taking other language instruction (such as German school on Saturday mornings). I also know quite a few kids are in religious classes too.