How many organized activities do your children do per season?

Question

I have 2 kids and they usually do 2 activities, each, from Sept to May. This year one of my daughters wants to add an additional activity to her evenings, but I think it may be just *too much* for a 6 year old (she'll be 6 soon).

How many do your child do at a time and how well does that work?

Answer 1

I think 2 activities are MORE than enough. Unless you enjoy running your butt off every night.

Personally I can't stand it. When do you spend time staying in tune with your kids? How do you get to know them as they grow if you're constantly shuffling them off to the next activity?

My kids are in one activity each - the older kids take up 2 hours a week, youngest takes 1 hour a week. It translates into two weeknights and a one hour session over the weekend........this is more than enough........we see kids in our kids class leaving early to go to the next activity........it's kind of sad really........what happened to riding bikes and climbing trees?! Going for picnics as a family or swimming?

We try to focus more on Family time...........

Answer 2

Let her try it out while she's young.  I didn't learn the pitfalls of over committing until my junior year (last year). I had way too many committments and made too many promises to people.  So the last week of school, i had what i think was a panic attack- either way, its not a pleasant feeling. Next year i'll be yearbook editor, drama club officer, with 7 classes, a part time job, heavy after school theatre involvementm, and a boyfriend and parents to keep happy. But i'm going to focus on the fact that time management can help a lot

If she learns now that sometimes you just have to stick with your favorites, i think it will be a good lesson for her

Answer 3

I'm 12 and my mom lets me do cheerleading, volleyball, soccer, and football. but that's a lot I'm not doing football this season. what activities does sh want to do???

Answer 4

My 6 year old daughter plays soccer in the fall and Little League Softball in the spring. She started soccer last year and softball this year.

My 2 year old daughter started swimming lessons this summer.

Answer 5

3 activities does sound like a lot for a 6 yr old. I like for my children to do 2 activities per year also, one physical (sports) and another like music lessons, painting lessons, chess club ect. so that they're well rounded and they get to meet children with different interests and have a variety of friends.

If she can already handle two physical activities then I'm sure she could handle guitar lessons. The thing is, that she has to practice and with the other things going on then she may not have the time outside of her lesson to do that. Remind her that its hard work and she has to practice just like everything else. That takes away from time with friends, ect. If she still wants to go then you could let her try but dont get hard on her if she starts slacking at one of her activities, just ask her which one she'd like to give up and then dont make that mistake in the future.

And remember - overachievers have just as hard a time in the real world as underachievers. =]

Answer 6

My 6 year old has swimming lessons twice a week,one group one private lesson .35 Min's each,

she also does diving at the local swimming pool and trampolining dancing and ballet.

My 15 year old does sport,

Answer 7

Between counseling, art lessons, music lessons, church activities. dance, boy scouts, girl scouts, gymnstics and sports my kids have about  2 activities per night each. We started with a few courses for our oldest child when she was 5. She was becoming bored and looking for new lessons. She knew sign language, reading, addition, subtraction, time, money, and many other things. With her epilepsy we were encouraged to keep her mind stimulated and learning. And now I find that the more structured and hands on the activities are the better my son functions. So we tend to help fill his day with activities he enjoys. It definately makes life hectic and a schedule necissary but it also makes life more fun.

Answer 8

I am not a parent, but I am a child. And the activities I do they are usual extra curriculars or clubs from school. Here are the following I will be doing in school and keep in mind I have all but one Honors class (Geometry) -

Band - It's a year round thing but marching season is the busiest time for us. There's band camp in the summer that's for about two weeks (which will be coming around soon!). I have uniform fittings Tuesday or Wenesday. And until the football season's over we have Wednesday night practices from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Sometimes it can go on longer. Also we have Thursday after school memorization, unless you have already memorized your music. If you don't memorize your songs your grade's plummet and you look like an idiot on the football field. And football games are every Friday away and home games, rain or shine usually. We do perform other places. Like we had a sort of band festival thing where there were a couple of marching bands and they were marching and playing and stuff. Also in May we do the Memorial Day Parade and we go to Cedar Point. As for concert season, it's pretty busy also but not as much.

However I do quite a few activities. Like after marching season I start right away getting ready for Solo Ensemble which is where you play your instrument either in a solo, or a trio, or more (I always do a solo and a trio) and you get a music piece in Class A (usually a very hard piece), Class B (Pretty hard but not impossible), Class C (Easy as pie), and then you perform for judges who give your ratings from a 1 (the best) - 6 (the worst). If you get a 1 or 2 you get medals and little prizes. Which I have gotten since I've started this which was in seventh grade.

I also take flute lessons and I have the very best flute teacher and usually with her I'll perform at different places like churches, retirment homes, a bunch of different and fun places.

As for other activities I will also be :

- A Capella Choir

- Community Service - if you get enough hours you get a special chord for graduation.

- German Club

- SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions)

- Yearbook

So those are the activities that I do for school. As for activities during the summer, I try to tone it down a bit and just stick to my summer lessons which I end up doing more and performing more.

As a fifteen year old, it's not too much for me, in fact I think it's too little! Lol. I like doing stuff because I like to keep busy. I don't know, it's not too much pressure for me and I can handle myself well. Not only that, but this stuff will look excellent for college and I want to do a lot if it means getting into my dream college.

But for me it's all in good fun because I choose stuff that I like or I'm interested in and I work hard at it.