s/o: WOHPs when do your kids do their activities?

[AnnieW625]

Except for gymnastics that was from 6 to 7:30 one night a week DD1's activities have always been on Saturdays.

DD2 went to Gymboree a few times from 6:00 to 6:45 one night a week, but most of the time she went on Saturday. She started going to mom n me gymnastics from 6:15 to 7. Both times we weren't the only ones there and classes averaged about 5-6 kids.

DDs took swim lessons from either 5:30 to 6 or 6 to 6:30.

If your kids do activities at "normal" times during the week who takes them or is your job flexible to where you can take them yourself during the M-F 8-6 hrs. .

[twowhat?]

I'm kind of curious about this too. There is no way I see myself taking the girls to any sort of activity on weekday evenings. We plan to try to do ISR next summer, and I am bracing for 6 weeks of hell...

And once they start having homework I really can't imagine how this would work though I know plenty of people do it!

I think I will probably only look for classes that are (for example) on Saturday mornings. I work FT from home, which would seem to be "flexible" but because of the nature of my job, I am pretty tied to my desk during working hours, having to be available for phone calls, telecons, etc. and I typically have regular meetings scheduled throughout the week. I also travel pretty frequently and have been working lots of overtime (partly because it's a new job and I'm trying to make an impression, and partly because we are a bit understaffed). For ISR next summer we will definitely have to enlist help - there's no way I could do it myself.

eta: we don't currently have the girls in any activities outside of school because we can barely keep up with just day-to-day routine. But...I have promised them that they can pick one thing (gymnastics, ballet, etc) after they learn how to swim.

[stinkyfeet]

My kiddos are only 4 & 2, and I currently SAH. Despite that, we still enroll DS1 in parent-led toddler gymnastics class on Saturday am. I am just too tired after watching the kids all day, making dinner, clean up to drive him there during the weekdays. It is also nice bc DH is able to go to his class with him for some daddy and me alone time.

[pinay]

Since I teach, the only time I can fit in activities for DD1 is during the summer when I'm not working. Right now she's doing dance once a week but this week is her last session and I'm not enrolling her again because it's too early and I can't get her there on time once I'm back at work (was on maternity leave this semester). Her elementary school does offer a variety of activities on-site after the end of the school day, so I may end up enrolling her in something if she expresses an interest.

[KrisM]

We avoid weekends, if possible.

Right now, DS1 does Academic Games and it's after school. He takes TKD on Tues or Thurs evening as well.

DD does cheer/gymnastics on Friday nights.

DS2 is in preschool, but has gymnastics on Friday mornings.

ETA: Sorry. I missed the WOHM part in the title. I'm a SAHM.

[Pyrodjm]

Weekends activities are not and option for us. DD1 has dance class on Tuesdays at 5:30pm. I'm home everyday by 4 and tuesday is one of DH's day off.

[niccig]

I'm semi-work outside of home - it depends on my classes what I can take DS to.

DS does gymnastics on Saturdays.

For soccer this Fall, we had to get a babysitter to take him to practice.

He wants to do baseball and I'm going to ask for a team the practices on a day I can make it - and hopefully they will oblige us. Last season they changed the day part-way through the season and it was really difficult to make it to practice - but no other parents complained so people either have someone at home or flexible jobs.

I looked into basketball and one league says to write the days you can make for practice, the other league won't let you choose days, so that league is out.

DS's school has a few activities after school, eg. the music teacher teaches guitar. I think I"ll sign DS up as he can do it then go to aftercare on those days. Aftercare also has a few classes each week.

So my advice, is to find classes/practice that you can make, go on Saturdays or use school/after care activities.

As DS gets older class times/practices get later, as earlier times are for younger kids. The next division up for baseball for eg. starts at 6pm for practice, soccer is 5.30pm etc. Oh, I also know one dad that volunteered to be coach of both his boys soccer teams as the coach gets to decide the day/time.

ETA. I think the team sports are more difficult as you have to go with the practice you get and not all leagues will give you choice of days. I was talking with a couple of parents and they won't let their kids do team sports because it's too much time commitment. I won't do that, as DS really enjoys it, so we try to find a way to get him to the practice. I did try to steer him away from baseball as the league is totally disorganized, it didn't work. Now if DS didn't want to do a team sport, it would make it easier as I can always find a class time for other activities that work for us - lots of places that teach swimming, musical instrument etc.

[mom2binsd]

I'm lucky in that I'm able to schedule my work to fit our schedule, I"m done in time to take them to afterschool/evening activities.

I"m a single parent so I am the only one to take them.

We do hockey at 5:30 on Monday

Dance at 4 on Tues/Wed, then DD goes to swimming at 6:15

Swimming on Thurs at 6:15.

Hockey again on either Sat or Sunday, it varies.

They wouldn't be able to do most activities if we only did Sat. classes.

They are in 1st and 4th grade and neither has much homework and we have plenty of time to get it done. They go to bed at 9pm, don't have to get up till 7:45 as school starts at 8:45 and they have a short walk.

[abh5e8]

some of both. ballet is mondays from 4:30 - 5:15. dh takes dd and I meet them there, usually by 4:45.

swim lessons are 6:00 - 6:45, which i detest (but adore the lessons and teacher) but only tues/thurs for 4 weeks. we do 1 month in fall and 1 in spring. in summer, dh takes them during the week in the am's.

[egoldber]

My kids do their activities at after care. They go to a community center with tons of options for them, so it's not like they are deprived. :) The only exception is Girl Scouts, where the meeting time is set by the leader.

Dance, swimming, gymnastics, soccer, music lessons, classes of various types, etc. are all available. It's one of the main reasons we chose this particular after care.

Their classes tend to be early Monday afternoon (early release day here) or 4:30-5:30. Now that my oldest is over 8, a lot of her choices are 5:30 - 6:30.

[Mamabear4]

I'm trying to figure this out now. We haven't done anything yet but I really need to get DS1 (and likely DS2 as well) swim lessons in advance of this summer. I have no idea when I'm going to schedule them. I have the ability to work from home most (but not all) Fridays so I thought about trying to schedule for Fri afternoons. Weekends are so sacred for us - its basically the only time we have to do grocery shopping, clean the house, get laundry done, and for the kids to see DH. In the summers we let it go a bit because we go to the community pool all the time, but our house (and my sanity) suffers - it becomes a DIASTER!

I'll be watching this thread for ideas!

[hillview]

My kids do a few things after school at school (Chess, gymnastics, woodworking). Other activities are weekends. Exception has been when DS1 has say little league baseball practice on a weeknight -- this isn't easy for us -- usually its at 5 or 6 pm which throws a wrench into our routine.

[fivi2]

I woh, but I work 7-4. Kinder year we did gymnastics in the evening (5:30-6:30 ish, I think).

This year we do soccer - practice one weekday evening, games saturday morning.

They usually do homework in after school care. The go to chess club at school/after school during after care.

Girls scouts is Sunday afternoon for our troop. But I think I am going to try to convince them to quit next year. Their bff is in the troop, so it may be a tough sell!

[katerinasmom]

Between commuting and work I am out of the house by 6:15 am and don't return to pick up my kids from grandmas until 6:00-6:30. I'm also divorced. So it's just me most of the time.
My girls do Girl Scouts at school immediately after school on MOndays. The older one also does Chorus at school immediately after school on Tuesdays. There was a science club once a week for 6 weeks that I enrolled both of them in - again at school immediately after school. And last year the older one did Art Club at school immediately after school on Fridays. Another parent brings them home to grandma on the days they have afte school activities. If it is not after school at school, they pretty much can't go because no one can get them there and/or pick them up.
They are both enrolled in swim lessons on Sundays at 1:30. The older one is also on a swim team but practices are held only once a week at 8pm. It's about the only activity we can make. The younger one wants to do karate. I've told her as soon as she passes level 5 at swimming she can quit swimming if she wants and we can try karate.

[Meatball Mommie]

Some of both here - weeknights and weekends. I work until 3 pm, DH is usually home by 5:30. Our boys are 9 and 7 and both play hockey. DH is a coach for both of their teams, so he needs to be at all practices and games anyway. He purposely chose to coach so he would stay involved - otherwise he'd be at work :) Right now the only other activity is CCD for DS2 who is making his First Holy Communion in the Spring. Both boys swap hockey for lacrosse in the Spring, with a similar schedule setup. We've also done swimming lessons or skating lessons on our "off" day (yes, our one "off" day a week!)

Our schedule is usually:
Mon - 6:30 pm hockey practice (DH and DS1)
Tue - 6:30 pm hockey practice (DH and DS2)
Wed - 4:30 pm CCD (DS2) - and sometimes 6:30 pm hockey practice (DH and DS1)
Thur - nada
Fri - sometimes 6:30 pm hockey practice (DH and DS1)

Sat - early morning or late afternoon hockey game or practice for DS1 (whole family goes to game; only DH and DS1 go to a practice)
-10 am hockey game for DS2 (again, whole family usually goes)
-12 noon piano lessons (DS1, DS2 and me)

Sun - hockey game or practice for DS1 (again, whole family for game; just DH and DS1 for practice)

[wendibird22]

DD1 takes dance on Saturday morning. I work until 4:15pm and DH works till the same time but has to get DD1 from daycare and has the longer commute. He gets home at 5pm at the earliest. Both kids are in bed by 7:15pm. There's just no way we'd do weekday activities at this age/stage. I want my children to develop interests and be active but not at the expense of spending time with each other, eating a good dinner, doing homework, and getting a good night sleep. My kids are early to bed, early to rise kids and despite trying, we can't move bedtime any later. So, for now, any activity has to be on a Saturday. And frankly I don't think they are missing out on anything.