If you could go back in time, would you put your kids in fewer structured activities?

[Anonymous]

No, mine is one those kids who thrives on structured activities and sports/games and schedules. Has always been that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The DCUM crowd is never going to admit that they are overscheduling their kids. But they are.

I don’t even know what that means.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think as much as scheduled activities is how quickly you hand your kid a screen if they’re bored or fussy. If they can sit through a meal at a restaurant without a screen in hand, that will help them deal with boredom in the future.

Yes, this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think limiting activities and letting kids be bored sometimes is always good for kids, pandemic or no.

Yep.

[Anonymous]

No. They can do all their music during pandemic and it’s been so helpful.

[Anonymous]

Some kids (and adults) are good at entertaining themselves and some aren't. Some of that is learned but I think a lot is just peoples' personalities.

[Anonymous]

My kids can entertain themselves. They are also heavily invested in their sports.

[Anonymous]

My daughter loves the structured activities she does. We're not in our neighborhood school so we don't know the neighbor kids well. It's been invaluable to us to have activities where she's gotten to know the kids in her school.

She's doing ok with the sudden loss of structure, but she misses her friends so much and she is bummed that all the things she worked so hard for are just... gone.

[Anonymous]

My six year old did basketball this winter with one practice and one game a week and my 4 year old did ballet once a week. Can’t do much less than that. They are pretty good about entertaining themselves in 20 minute stretches and then a fight breaks out over something. We have a good sized yard and a pretty big driveway so they have plenty of space to play and ride bikes and scooters. The driveway is getting covered with chalk drawings.

[Anonymous]

No. We never had our kids in too many structured activities, nor did we throw screens at them in the car or in restaurants.

This time is still hard.

[Anonymous]

No way, mine is only 4 but it’s a great way to get our energy and meet friends. We miss our friends at gymnastics and soccer so much! Her gymnastics teacher is uploading a weekly video of stretching; things we can do at home, etc, it’s been great!

[Anonymous]

Yes. My kids weren’t in many activities, but I don’t miss any of it.

I love hanging out with them every evening.

[Anonymous]

Nope, my kids were always in balanced activities. Typically I permitted them to be in one academic, one athletic, and one community activity per semester if that’s what they wanted, but not more.

[Anonymous]

Yes. But only because my now college age child tells me they were not really enjoying those activities.
If I could go back I would follow their interests and only sign them up for things they are curious and excited about.

[Anonymous]

My 7yo craves organized sports. He does a lot. He’s also the one outside playing solo, climbing, kicking a ball etc during this. My 5yo doesn’t love classes but she’s also less independent. I think personality is more the determining factor here.