Neighborhood-Kids All Local. All for Kids. All the Time.

So Many Activities, Not Enough Time

by Jim Schmotzer8/24/2009 2:31:14 PM

What new activity will your child try this year?

School is coming, bringing a radical change in schedules for most families. An optimal goal is to help your child experience a full, yet balanced life. Hobbies, sports, clubs, arts, and enrichment opportunities all add depth and vitality to a person’s life. Team work, operating in a system, cooperation, and accomplishment are practical lessons learned through organized activities.

In today’s world of multiple choices, the problem is that our kids can go at breakneck speed from one event to the next with little time for rest or reflection. A balanced kid’s life is one that incorporates diverse opportunities for growth with the simple joys of being a kid.

As you wade through all the possible extracurricular activities that your child may choose this year, set up rules and expectations for your family. Following are several guidelines to consider.

1. Family is always a priority. How will it be encouraged? A daily regular meal or one evening for all to be together at home are possible starting points.

2. Balance is a part of growing up. Kids may need to be guided in areas of participation that they might not naturally try. An expectation may need to be set that everyone participates in a selected range of activities while in a certain school framework. For example, when our youngest son was in middle school, he wanted to add football to the other activities he was already experiencing. We made a deal that he could play football if he participated in band the same year.

3. Recognize your child as an individual. It isn’t about you and what activities you chose as a child. Don’t put your sense of social value on your kids. They’ll find enough pressure on their own. Encourage them to try a variety of activities, but let them come to a decision about what skills they want to strengthen and develop.

4. Commitment is important. Establish expectations of a minimum time of involvement in an activity. If you start, you finish the term, season, or class. It can take a while to find out if a child has skill or interest in a given area.

Music, theatre arts, sports, and student government are great options for kids.

5. Identify family values of the activity. Is the activity or organization rooted in values that compliment your beliefs and commitments? It is important to see that participation enhances your greater goal in helping your child transition to adulthood.

6. Downtime is part of the deal. Being bored is okay. It may lead to creative play and times of needed solitude. Make sure there is “unscheduled” time in your child’s schedule.

7. Evaluate costs. There is more than money to consider here. What are the time commitments and how do they impact the whole family? Are there ways to involve the broader family through coaching, teaching, mentoring, or support organizing?

Our community in Bellingham offers a near endless stream of opportunities for kids. It is the privilege and responsibility of parents to help their kids enjoy a balanced life of active participation, family experiences, and being a kid!

A Note About the Author: Jim Schmotzer

Jim Schmotzer has been educating kids, adults, and college students for over 20 years. His hobbies include running, reading, and writing fiction as The Faithful Skeptic. Jim and his wife Connie have two grown sons and four grandkids.