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You are here: Home / How Do You Do It / HDYDI: Kids’ Activities

HDYDI: Kids’ Activities

June 13, 2011 By Kathryn 4 Comments

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Unfortunately, I cannot bilocate.  That really would’ve been the answer to “doing it all” now wouldn’t it?  When we started the soccer season with Will, we just had John Paul in tow and I was pregnant with Anna-Laura. 

Easy peasy, lemon squeezey.

Now that everyone has an activity (yes, I include Luke’s weekly therapy visits as his!) it gets a little dicier.  Here’s a few things we’ve learned along the way.

HDYDI:  MANAGING KIDS’ ACTIVITIES

1.  Do your darndest to limit them to one activity per season.  I sometimes hear my friends talk about shuttling their kids to football, baseball, gymnastics practices, along with a piano lesson, religious education and Boy Scouts.  Personally, I think THAT IS NUTS.  Kids should be allowed to be kids.  Kids should be allowed to try new things, but I certainly don’t think they have to try it all in the same two-month span.

2.  It does get a little tricky when the kids are in an activity that meets year-round, say dance or music lessons.  In that case, we’ve made an exception for either the fall OR the spring (but not both) that they can have one additional activity.

3.  I think it’s worth reminding ourselves that if our kids don’t begin playing youth sports by age 4, you’re not going to derail a high school, college or pro career.  Shoot, most of our kids won’t make it to the pros.  Activities should be about two things:  1) having fun and 2) getting great exercise/learning a new skill.  That’s it.  Refrain from burning your kids out just because you want them ‘involved.’  If you’re in it so you can plaster how “awesome your family is” all over facebook or if you are so totally stressed out because your family calendar looks like a term paper attacked by a red pen, you might just be in over your head.

4.  Crazy as it sounds, ask your kids what they want to do.  I love piano and Scott loves basketball, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that our kids will, too.  They know they can’t do it all and by choosing their activities carefully we’re also teaching a few life skills:  problem solving, budgeting and time management.  Often times, it’s taken our kids days to decide which activity they love the most and that makes me very happy.  We hear very little whining, if any, about practices or meetings for their selected activity. They’re excited about doing it.  Plain and simple.

5.  A couple of years ago, when Luke hit the hospital crazy, we cancelled all spring activities.  That is a tradition that has stuck and it has allowed for some awesome family time.  We recognize that decision may not last many more springs as the kids get older, but we’re going to enjoy it while it does.  As the song goes…’let them be little, ’cause they’re only that way for a while.’  Amen.

6.  Set a budget.  That’s a must.  Activity fees keep getting more and more expensive.  We sometimes scan the fees before presenting the options to the kids.  It’s life.

7.  If you can swing it, try to coach or volunteer with an activity.  Your kids will definitely enjoy the extra time with you and you get an opportunity to see your kids in their natural habitat:  with their peers!  Scott has coached flag football and basketball and really grew as a dad and as a coach.  It made us both way more appreciative of the coaches who came before him.  Having me coach would be a train wreck, but I have volunteered in various capacities.  Shocking, I know.  It’s been great fun.

8.  Most importantly, forget about keeping up with the Jones’.  I know it sounds super cool to have your kids taking karate, rugby or flute lessons, but temper the temptation to take it to a whole other level.  Listen to your kids and help them discover their gifts and talents.  Childhood should be fun.  And, sometimes that just means kicking around the soccer ball in the backyard or playing a neighborhood staple like hide ‘n go seek.

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Filed Under: How Do You Do It Tagged With: how do you do it, kids activities

Comments

  1. The Ball's Blog says

    June 13, 2011 at 1:10 pm

    Oh, Kathryn, I love your HDYDI's! I love the one about keeping up with the Jones' and plastering "how wonderful your family is on Facebook." As much as I love social media for keeping up with my friends, it sometimes throws life right in your face. Thanks for the HDYDIts! And HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

    Reply
  2. Verdina Louisa says

    June 13, 2011 at 11:28 pm

    AMEN!

    Reply
  3. Cathy Ciarella says

    June 14, 2011 at 3:36 am

    I have been following your blog since Luke's birth through Abby Mudroch Goerig, my cousin. Love it and you have a beautiful family and you and your husband are great parents. You are so on target on kids activities. Amen Sister!!!!
    My sons are grown & I have 1 small granddaughter. I pray for you young parents today, your job seems so much harder with everyone trying to keep up with everyone else. God Bless your family!!!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. HDYDI: Get Ready for a New School Year says:
    August 12, 2013 at 4:43 pm

    […] Manage Extracurricular Activities If you ask me, kids today are WAY too busy. We’ve lost the ability to focus on fostering our children’s natural gifts and abilities, and instead, we sign them up for everything. I just can’t do it – financial, logistically or psychologically. Here’s what works for us in taming the after-school activity beast. […]

    Reply

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HOWDY and welcome to life at Team Whitaker where I share life as it happens: big families, carpool, Catholicism,Texas Aggies, prematurity, DIY/organizing projects, sanity checks and the occasional glass of wine at 10am. You get real Kathryn. Unedited, honest and a little sassy. It's a Texas-sized honor to have you here! Contact me at [email protected]
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