Activties/sports your children are involved in?

Question

Okay, let's start by saying I love my husband dearly. The problem is, like all couples, we have disagreements in parenting. One of our recent battles is the activities our children join. He wants them to be involved in everything. I can't be having that, because I'm the one who has to bring them here, there, and everywhere. Not to mention, the cost! So anyway, what are your children involved in? What sports, clubs, or activities?

13 year old daughter: swim team, gymnastics, ice skating, soccer,

6 year old daughter: swim lesson, gymnastics, soccer, softball

4 year old daughter: swim lesson, tumbling, soccer, dance

3 year old daughter: mommy-and-me swim lesson, mommy-and-me tumbling, soccer introduction, ice skating lesson (although she's signed up for lessons, she screams when she gets on the ice)

1 year old daughter: mommy-and-me lesson, mommy-and-me tumbling,

Answer 1

Wow, that is extreme over scheduling! I think it is so stressful to put young kids through this, sorry to sound harsh. Maybe your husband should try taking the kids to all of these events and he might see how stressful it is on you and the kids.

Ask your kids what they think?

Answer 2

I would pull the one year old out of everything. The 3 year old just swimming. They are young and don't really need it.

mine are 9.

My son is in swimming lessons, gymnastics twice a week and Cubs. Also plays sport for an hour on Friday at Church

My daughter does swimming lessons, gymnastics once a week and Cubs. Also does dance for an hour at church on Fridays

Answer 3

My son who is 4 does basketball, tennis and swimming.

my other 2 girls are two young but will be starting tennis and swimming as soon as they turn 4

Answer 4

Personally, we only have them in one thing at a time.  We have three boys, so everything they do pretty much has a season to it.  They both do Basketball in the fall, Baseball in the spring and then one does football while the other is in soccer during late summer.

They can only do one thing at a time.  Our oldest has chosen to take guitar lessons on the off times when nothing else is going on.  Hubby has to remember that you are the one who has to time manage all this along with school activities and such.  It is important for kids, IMHO, to have some down time also where nothing goes on so they can be kids and go play outside with other kids and hang out watching tv or playing video games.  It is all a balance.

I would just tell each of them to pick only one thing at a time so that you can accomodate everyone for something and tell hubby he is going to have to pitch in when he can to help out.

I have learned through the years that if you 'activity your kid out' they don't ever commit to anything.  They are good at bunches of things but not really good at any one thing.  They should be in activities to provide a social learning experience... like team work or how to come out of a shy shell.. And for physical activity since most schools don't have Physical Ed anymore.  If you just have them in certain things so they are doing SOMETHING, then that is the wrong reason to do it.  They should pick what they want to do, only one thing per 'season' and other than that they should be able to go outside and build forts and put worms in their pockets and have frog fights (the girls are usually the losers there, lol), put a leash on their pet grasshopper.  That is just as essential as man made activities.  

I think sometimes as parents we stick our kids in so many different things because we can control it.  Organized activities are much easier mentally for us to control than finding washed worms in your sons pants pockets as you pull them out of the dryer or doing a unscheduled shower on suzie to get 'frog' cooties out of her hair or mopping the floor because jimmy and lucy decided that making mud pies wasn't as much fun because you can't eat them and deciding that having a mud pie fight was much more fun!

I tell ya, I have two older boys and an 8 week old son and just having each in one activitie at a time is daunting.  Between that, homework, church activities, school activities and play time outside at home, I am beat at the end of the day and couldn't imagine squeezing one more scheduled sport in.

They grow up too fast... take a breather mom and trim down your schedule, lol!!!

I hope this gave a lil different perspective!!  Good Luck!!  And have fun with all those precious lil ones!!!  With five you are supermom, I don't know how you are fitting in life let alone activities!!!  -- and if anything maybe you should schedule a day at the spa during the kids practices once a week!!! ( I like that idea  :)     )

Answer 5

How on earth do you do all of that all year round? I have 5 girls myself and never in a million years could I do all of that.

My rule was 1 activity. Pick 1 activity you're good at or that you truly enjoy. I never really saw the point in signing up for a whole bunch of activities. Not everyone can be good at or a part of everything. What ends up happening is that you never fully commit to anything and instead bounce around for once activity to another constantly.

All 5 of them played soccer. All of their games were right in town until they got into middle school. Then they played for the school and were bussed to away games. My older ones played in high school as well. Fall 2004, three of my girls were on the varsity soccer team and had a blast together. Since they all had a love for the game, none of them ever minded going to watch one of their sister's games.

Answer 6

Oh my. When do they just sit and relax or play outside? How do you get to all those places? I too got tired just reading all of that!

My kids are allowed 2 seasoned activities or 1 yearly activity. Pick something you like or that you're good at and stick to it. I can't be in more than one place at a time and they've got homework and CCD on top of all of it.

My 10yr does football in the fall and lacrosse in the spring. My 8yr does football in the fall and indoor soccer in the winter. My 4yr does this pre-school gym class program thats for an hour once a week and my 1yr runs around the house, plays with toys and totures her brothers. They spend lots of time outside, with friends, in the playroom or with us otherwise. Kids need as much free time as they do structural time.

Best Wishes =]

Answer 7

Sorry to say this but I was exhausted just reading this when do your children just get to be children and play. My kids only do swimming and dancing. My 2 yr old plays in the dirt; plays in water and is generally a normal happy 2 yr old and he is not going to be made to do in aactivitiesuntil he is old enough to ask for it himself and understand what the activities are. And my 1 year old is a very ttypical1 year old she crawls; she eats she ssleepsand she poops; and that is fine with me. Let your children be children.  

Answer 8

Secret is.....LOVE what you are doing.....for you...your hubby and your children...exhausting it may seem  but it is alright if you love what you are doing....

Answer 9

Golly gee......do your kids even have time to be kids?