Comments on: After School Activities – How Much Is Too Much?

By: Jodie

Jodie — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:08:42 +0000

Hi Kate :)
Excuse me while I ramble, we are in exactly the same situation. I started Milly this year with netball for similar reasons, improve her (lacking) ball skills and coordination, improve confidence, and to get in early before everyone else knew how to play. Seriously, best decision ever, she’s LOVING it. She feels part of something, her skills are improving, and she now has 7 other girls she knows at school to be friends with. Be warned though it’s probably two nights a week, one practise, one game. We are going to drop swimming during the school term and do SwimVac instead for a week in the holidays, and ballet will continue (only 1/2 hr) while she still wants to. Music for now will wait for us, at least until next year and will definitely be in school time.
Such a juggling act, isn’t it?!

By: Christie

Christie — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 10:44:52 +0000

I am not there yet on my parenting journey but I wholeheartedly agree that kids need time to be kids and I think that if it is truly a passion, then it will still be of interest in 12 months time.

By: Katy

Katy — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 04:21:53 +0000

This is something I’m struggling with too Kate, with LB just starting kindy this year (big school). He was already doing swimming, and we’re enrolling him in soccer. But then the school is doing a free after school sport activity on Thursdays (how can I say no?), and a dance group (which he loves!). Between all of that, I’m sure he’ll be exhausted – adding in fortnightly 4 hour return trips to my parents on Wednesdays.

We’re going to see how he (us!!) goes this first term, and we were thinking about stopping swimming BUT putting him into swimming during the school holidays for intensive training – our centre offers it in school holidays for a week. So that would be effectively 20 lessons in the space of a 4 week period (split over 4 x holidays). That way the other sports would be on holidays and he could concentrate on his swimming then. He has been swimming for the last 2 years.

By: KylieM

KylieM — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 11:34:54 +0000

ooo its such a hard question and there are no easy answers! This last year has been a huge eye opener for us as all three boys are now at school so thus all want to do stuff.

At the moment Jordan does, guitar lessons, swimming, scouts and landcare. Landcare is related to Scouts though as it is part of his badgework.
Thomas does piano lessons, swimming, cubs and little athletics and William does swimming, little athletics and Joey Scouts.

Tom is in year 3 and has only just started music, I have told William he can start learning an instrument in Year 3 as well (Jordan was year 5).

Normally I say to the kids they can do two things but somehow we have creeped up to four things. The only way this has been possible though is that all three kids do swimming at the same time (I was lucky!), the two boys do music at the same time, and of course athletics is at the same time.

I am also a leader at the scout group so we almost dont consider it an activity, it is just something WE DO! lol

No simple answers, although I wouldnt be too worried yet, it really has only been the last year or so that we have done so many activities. And William in his second year at school has only just started activities.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:16:05 +0000

I’d agree with just doing dancing and no other activities. I think that’s plenty for young children.
Also, remember with netball, they might benefit from practising more ball skills, but children don’t have the maturity to work as a team until 7 -8 y.o.

By: Sunnyroad Mum

Sunnyroad Mum — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 09:59:37 +0000

I debate this question every term! Its hard because there’s so much I’d like them to try and that they’d like to try but you need to get the balance right. 3 things a week is my limit, BUT G was not doing that when she first started Year 1. That first term of “real school” was very tiring and mentally taxing so we kept after school activities to a minimum. The problem is that for us swimming and ballet are a given and they are year-round (though sometimes we skip swimming for the winter terms) which only leaves room for one more thing. G has been asking to do drama for a year and I’ve resisted (because I think she’s dramatic enough!) but then I felt guilty that I was imposing MY feelings on her interests so this term we are doing it and she LOVES it. I’ve thought about Saturday mornings to releive the after school effort but then I resent it cutting into the weekend and its problematic with them spending every other w/end with their Dad.

I think one thing is good for them right now, with the start of school etc, but maybe later in the year they’ll be ready for more. (G has done a bit of netball and she is super keen, but it doesn’t properly start until Year 3 over here)

By: SquiggleMum

SquiggleMum — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 09:52:20 +0000

When my sister and I were growing up we were allowed to do one physical activity and one cultural. Don’t tell ‘em, but I kind of think that was wise!! My daughter is 3, and one activity is plenty for her right now…

By: Stitch Sista

Stitch Sista — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 08:48:19 +0000

I can totally understand you not wanting to do swimming if they are getting sick!!

I think it’s lovely that they are doing ballet/dance and enjoy it. I wouldn’t mind my kids doing it, but no-one has asked as yet!

By: Shae

Shae — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 07:22:55 +0000

Hear you and we don’t have school!!
Our week has suddenly become incredibly busy and W is set to give ballet a try-which means T will for sure want to try too. But 2 kinds of dancing in a week?? Not sure Mama has the stamina let alone the kids!

By: amanda

amanda — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 05:39:21 +0000

I think about this already, and my daughter is only 3.

We used to do swimming, music, baby gym and mum’s group. Then I went to back to work and it was childcare 2 days, mum’s group and baby gym. Now I don’t work and it’s back to swimming and one day of kinder/childcare. She is an only child, and I worry she doesn’t get enough socialization with kids her own age.
I also wonder if our parents went through this. I am the eldest of five and I did tennis lessons, basketball (which had a night each for practice and games) and brownies for most of my youth. My sister did tennis and brownies with me. My mum became a brownie leader. My sister also played basketball, as my brother did later. My dad coached, played and joined the basketball committee. Did I feel over-taxed? I don’t remember, but I don’t think so.
With my parents involved I guess it was nice to do something with them on a different level. I think it gave them an outlet too. It was probably also nice that we all had shared interests we could get involved in together.
The other thing is … the activities don’t continue through school holidays, which is plenty of time to have unscheduled, unsupervised, use-your-imagination fun. At least, it was for us ….