How do you manage after school activities

[Anonymous]

If you are a dual career couple?

My kid is in first grade, but it looks like kids start specializing in their sports by at least third grade, which means after school practices. I also have a younger kid I like to see every day and right now I enjoy eating together as a family every night. How do people manage to take their kids to after school practices without disrupting family life or work constraints.

We are not a family that has the luxury of a lot of work flexibility. Do we need to hire a driver, nanny, or someone so my daughter doesn't miss out on sports?

[Anonymous]

When I was growing up with my mom, a single mom who worked full time and had no help, I went to soccer practices several times a week starting in 2nd grade. She just arranged with the coach or other parents to have them pick me up and drop me off. Is is possible for you to coordinate with others?

[Anonymous]

Carpool.

[Anonymous]

Either carpool, or enroll in the after-school activities offered at the school premises, OR everything gets scheduled in the weekend.

[Anonymous]

I was a SAHM and was happy to help out. However, I did expect the kid to be ready.There was one kid whose parents never even thanked me. Just took it for granted that I had nothing else to do.

[Anonymous]

have them do music instead of sports. lesson on the weekend and practice daily at home.

[Anonymous]

OP,
Lots of the sports activities don't start until after 5. After all, the coaches work, too. In fact, if you want to impact the schedule, volunteer to coach.

[Anonymous]

Afternoon nanny, au pair or a college student to help out?

[Anonymous]

We have a nanny - otherwise it's impossible if you are committed to doing it

[Anonymous]

I just try to limit how many activities we do to one or two at a time. During the early fall and late spring, I have to leave work a bit early one day a week to make soccer practice on time. During a couple of months in the winter, I have to leave work a bit early one day a week to make basketball on time. But those things don't overlap.

We also had to choose our ballet studio precisely because it was the only studio that had a weeknight class at a time conducive to me working a full day. (I work 8:30-4:30.) The 6:30-7:30 class makes us a bit rushed to do dinner/bath/bedtime, but we are usually able to knock out homework at the starbucks by ballet class where we go to kill time between school and class.

[Anonymous]

It was very difficult when I was WOHM. Basically, I depended on the after school care (Kidsco?) to run a few fun clubs during the week, the school to provide some kind of extracurricular activity and did the bulk of activities (2 to be precise) on weekends.

Even as a SAHM with 2 kids who are into different things and different schedules - I actually find it easier when someone comes to my house to teach or coach. However, sports or martial arts still require me to drive all over. As well as after school clubs etc.

I also carpool with other SAHMs and WOHMs and WAHMs - for quite a number of things. Ask around. And don't believe the WOHM and SAHM wars on DCUM. IRL, we are neighbors and fellow moms and everyone pitches in.

[Anonymous]

Your kid can participate in sports at different levels, and yes your own work schedule will affect whether he or she can be a superstar. We both work and we send our kids to their onsite after-care which they love, but they can only do sports on the weekend, so they are enrolled usually in only activity at a time, and on the weekends. We are willing to let go of any sporting dreams that require one of us to be an at-home parent.

[Anonymous]

I'm the mom in the stands on her laptop during practice (eats up more time to try to drop and run -- I get a solid hour and half of work done there; actually quite a productive chunk of time too -- no distractions). Also, live close to school so kids can walk to and from when old enough. Join activities with friends and share the load.

[Anonymous]

Depends on the sport. In our case TKD starts around 6:30. Hockey days are at 6:50. Baseball is a bit problematic with a 5:45 start but one of us can usually make it. Weekends are busier. We have dinner together every day, but it's sometimes it's a "picnic" meal in the car or field.

We squeeze in the music lessons before practice. We have 2 kids and fit homework in when the other kid is on. i.e. kid A studies during kid B's practice and vice versa.

I don't really see it as "disrupting family life" it's part of our life. The kids love it. Not much TV time but we're OK with that.

[Anonymous]

we are close in so sports practices start after 5:30 bc the coaches - both men and women - have to get home from work so it was never an issue. Carpool rarely worked out for us because we could be running late or running to something else and just couldn't always commit to a regular schedule.