What am I doing wrong? How is everyone juggling multiple sports for multiple kids at multiple locations?

[Anonymous]

I don’t get how people have multiple kids and then are shocked at the chaos.

Lots of good advice. Esp about carpooling. And being cordial with the people with whom you carpool.

[Anonymous]

From what I can tell:

Both parents have some work flexibility or have nanny or grandparent help

Carpool with other kids on team

Have kid 2 do same sport as kid 1 even if they don’t want to.

[Anonymous]

They have their priorities off. Thinking all this running around is a good thing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From what I can tell:

Both parents have some work flexibility or have nanny or grandparent help

Carpool with other kids on team

Have kid 2 do same sport as kid 1 even if they don’t want to.

Well that's a sure way to make kid 2 resent you for life, and also doesn't necessarily work.

I had kid 1 and kid 2 signed up for the same sport/same league. They were two years apart, so I knew they wouldn't be on the same team, but both of their teams had practice at the same time, several miles apart! And not a quick couple miles--it was one of those situations where it would take at least 30 minutes to drive from one to the other because of traffic at that time of day.

[Anonymous]

Our kids are similar ages. First off, the 15-year old is so close to driving age and that will be a huge game changer. Make sure she's getting her learner's doing the required driving hours, etc. on time so she can get her license right when she reaches driving age.

We've been a bit lucky in that our oldest is into a sport that ramps up in spring and fall, and our middle is into a sport that's heavier in winter. If they're playing multiple sports and thinking about leaning into one or the other, maybe you can steer them in a way that makes it easier in this sense.

For the 7-year old -- our similarly aged kid gets scheduled around the other kids. It's just too young to be bending over backwards for extra curriculars. Absolutely no travel sports in our family until at least middle school. At this age, you generally can provide blackout days of the week for rec soccer, basketball, baseball, etc. so you don't overlap with otherwise very busy evenings. For weekly activities like gymnastics there are usually numerous sessions to choose from. We pick only things very close to home. We can walk to a rec center near us, so that's a favored location.

Agree with others re- carpools. Just ask for help if you need it here and there but be available to reciprocate.

Another game changer has been high school sports because they can stay after school rather than coming home and being driven back, there's bus transport to games so we don't need to manage those, and the pickup is easy because it's at our local high school (i.e., a short drive). So encourage playing at school if that's an option.

[Anonymous]

Maybe one kid gets dropped off a little earlier to practice and just has to wait. It's better with older kids, especially once they have a phone, they are happy to wait and scroll until practice starts. I still remember that once years ago I had to drop my 4 year old off 30 mins early at her (indoor) practice while I took her older brother to his practice and I was wrought with guilt until I could get back to her. She was fine, btw.

I make friends easily and organize carpools. I am happy to drive more often than 50/50 if it means I have coverage for the rare times I absolutely need it.

Look at the schedule for the week and figure out what the conflicts are. DH will come home from work early when needed.

Also helpful if you or DH coach the rec team -- then you make the schedule for what works for you.

Got three kids who have always managed to be in multiple sports, including travel. Having to be in two places at once is easy for me now. I can almost always handle it. It's when I need to be in three places at once that I need to start to brainstorm!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Piggy backing on this- what about dinner!!!!?

Leftovers, leftovers, leftovers. You look at each week, figure out the nights you can cook, and arrange the leftovers in between.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My mom only let us pick one activity. We couldn’t both pick something like a winter sport so I played winter basketball and my brother played spring lacrosse.

Yeah, it's this. Children can't pick any sport they want. They have to do the same sport with the same league, or have an off season so the other child/ren can do their sport. OP has serious lack of boundaries and is not putting the relative unimportance of kid sports in proper perspective. These activities do not matter for college admissions as much as she thinks they do. Grades and academic rigor are still going to be the main factor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They have their priorities off. Thinking all this running around is a good thing

+ a million

[Anonymous]

Two parents driving. Carpools.

Also many people with a bunch of kids tell the kid to pick 1 sport and that's it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Carpool carpool carpool.

And you can't be really picky about everything being even. A carpool works for me if I can can get my kids where they need to be and someone else can drive if I cannot. Sometimes that means I drive a ton and the other parent does a little bit. But it eventually comes evens out if you do it long enough.

I also agree to give anyone rides who asks. That way I don't feel bad asking that parent for a ride another time. If I have a seat in my car and you're heading in the same general direction, yay, you're in.

Carpools and the bolded is key. I often offer to drive extra kids when I can, so others are happy to take mine the occasional days I need help.

[Anonymous]

I have two and have a nanny who divides and conquers with me. If DH is in town, he'll take one and let the nanny off (but we still pay/guarantee her time).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My mom only let us pick one activity. We couldn’t both pick something like a winter sport so I played winter basketball and my brother played spring lacrosse.

Yeah, it's this. Children can't pick any sport they want. They have to do the same sport with the same league, or have an off season so the other child/ren can do their sport. OP has serious lack of boundaries and is not putting the relative unimportance of kid sports in proper perspective. These activities do not matter for college admissions as much as she thinks they do. Grades and academic rigor are still going to be the main factor.

You really know how to put the fun in sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They have their priorities off. Thinking all this running around is a good thing

This and they either have nanny/grandparent help or are constantly mooching off other families.

Also it’s really easy to look like you are accomplishing a lot online. But many just lie or exaggerate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My mom only let us pick one activity. We couldn’t both pick something like a winter sport so I played winter basketball and my brother played spring lacrosse.

Yeah, it's this. Children can't pick any sport they want. They have to do the same sport with the same league, or have an off season so the other child/ren can do their sport. OP has serious lack of boundaries and is not putting the relative unimportance of kid sports in proper perspective. These activities do not matter for college admissions as much as she thinks they do. Grades and academic rigor are still going to be the main factor.

You really know how to put the fun in sports.

If centering your life around your childrens' whims and running yourself ragged to fulfill all their desires is your idea of fun, I wish you well. As for me, I'm signing them all up for cheap weekend rec soccer and calling it a day.