how do you manage activities for your early elementary kids

[Anonymous]

My elementary school kid is busy every day of the week with activities and games on the weekend. We both work and nanny does the shuttling. Biggest emphasis is on sports but also has tutoring and music.

[Anonymous]

6 yr old rising first grader has tennis twice per week and swimming twice per week, piano once per week.

[Anonymous]

I'm 42 and did tons of activities and lots of camp as a kid. I remember loving it! In addition to enjoying the activities and eventually excelling at several, I also made different circles of friends -- which was such a blessing come late elementary and especially middle school. Don't let your kids put their friend eggs all in the school-group basket, so to speak. (Especially important for girls!)

My 9 and 5 year olds similarly do a lot of activities and camp, and they thrive on it. They are both extremely social and pretty high energy. Like I did, they are forming multiple groups of friends. We still have family dinners several times a week and they also have plenty of down time and play dates. They wake up happy before their alarms on school days... Our down time doesn't devolve into an ipad fest, but past a certain point the returns on downtime are diminishing.

OP, the lower elementary years are actually a good time to try lots of things. The time commitment for each activity is usually minimal at that age/level, the kids don't yet have a bunch of homework, and the activities usually meet early in the afternoon so you can still have dinner as a family, down time, and reasonable bedtime. And that's how they figure out what they enjoy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid doesn't really have weekday downtime after school. It's a lot with two working parents, but honestly, at home she is generally clamoring for TV, and I would much rather her do an activity than get sucked into that.

This is us. Downtime for her equals iPad and so I'd rather her be busy in an activity so I can avoid that fight. I think there's plenty of downtime on weekends, even with the two sports plus swimming lessons that she does.

Guys, if your kid can't do downtime without a screen, that means they need MORE downtime, not less. To learn how to just ... be. At home. Without a screen.

[Anonymous]

Rising 4th grade DD: swimming and tennis twice a week each + one instrument once a week
Rising 2nd grade DD: swimming and tennis + group sport (soccer or baseball) once/twice a week
PK DS: swimming once a week and either soccer or basketball.

All kids will do an online language class which is super easy and convenient.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rising 4th grade DD: swimming and tennis twice a week each + one instrument once a week
Rising 2nd grade DD: swimming and tennis + group sport (soccer or baseball) once/twice a week
PK DS: swimming once a week and either soccer or basketball.

All kids will do an online language class which is super easy and convenient.

Damn

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are going to be new to FCPS this year and our school doesn't even get out until 4:05 (latest dismissal time). Do you just do activities that start around 5?

I don’t think any of our sports practices start before 5:30. We have a 4:05 dismissal as well. They usually have to wait for parents/coaches to finish work (and sometimes I bring my laptop and work while there).

[Anonymous]

In early ES DS did one rec sport, scouts, and swim lessons. He also choose some after school clubs that met for an hour after school.

He does more in upper ES but everything starts after 6 PM. He comes home from school and has time to do any homework he has and relax for a bit. If his event is at 6:30 or so then we eat dinner around 5:30. If it is at 6, he has a snack and we eat when he gets home. Having the few hours between school and activity is all that he needs. He is home from school by 3:50.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rising 4th grade DD: swimming and tennis twice a week each + one instrument once a week
Rising 2nd grade DD: swimming and tennis + group sport (soccer or baseball) once/twice a week
PK DS: swimming once a week and either soccer or basketball.

All kids will do an online language class which is super easy and convenient.

Asian?

[Anonymous]

what works for the family
kid does not get to dictate

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid doesn't really have weekday downtime after school. It's a lot with two working parents, but honestly, at home she is generally clamoring for TV, and I would much rather her do an activity than get sucked into that.

This is us. Downtime for her equals iPad and so I'd rather her be busy in an activity so I can avoid that fight. I think there's plenty of downtime on weekends, even with the two sports plus swimming lessons that she does.

There are other alternatives for kids besides an iPad or an organized activity coordinated by another adult. Maybe try spending time with your child -cook dinner together, have them help with the grocery shopping, read a book together, etc.

Yeah, exactly none of those are appropriate activities for elementary kids in the after school hours, while parents are still working.

In fact the only options in that window are screens, more classes, or an organized activity coordinated by another adult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid doesn't really have weekday downtime after school. It's a lot with two working parents, but honestly, at home she is generally clamoring for TV, and I would much rather her do an activity than get sucked into that.

This is us. Downtime for her equals iPad and so I'd rather her be busy in an activity so I can avoid that fight. I think there's plenty of downtime on weekends, even with the two sports plus swimming lessons that she does.

There are other alternatives for kids besides an iPad or an organized activity coordinated by another adult. Maybe try spending time with your child -cook dinner together, have them help with the grocery shopping, read a book together, etc.

Other PP who said my DD gravitates toward TV and that is part of the calculus for stacking her with activities. I get the my post was quick and a little flippant but we have a lot of factors at play in our family that lead to being out of the house = better. Specifically, her little brother has severe autism and requires 1:1 attention of any and all parents who are home, so we end up throwing the TV on for DD out of guilt. But thanks for the lecture about spending time with my kid!

Maybe instead of activities, spend the money on a weekly sitter for your son so your DD has your attention during that time. If you have the time to shuttle DD to all these activities, surely you can carve out one-on-one time instead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid doesn't really have weekday downtime after school. It's a lot with two working parents, but honestly, at home she is generally clamoring for TV, and I would much rather her do an activity than get sucked into that.

This is us. Downtime for her equals iPad and so I'd rather her be busy in an activity so I can avoid that fight. I think there's plenty of downtime on weekends, even with the two sports plus swimming lessons that she does.

Guys, if your kid can't do downtime without a screen, that means they need MORE downtime, not less. To learn how to just ... be. At home. Without a screen.

Shut up, sanctimommy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid doesn't really have weekday downtime after school. It's a lot with two working parents, but honestly, at home she is generally clamoring for TV, and I would much rather her do an activity than get sucked into that.

This is us. Downtime for her equals iPad and so I'd rather her be busy in an activity so I can avoid that fight. I think there's plenty of downtime on weekends, even with the two sports plus swimming lessons that she does.

There are other alternatives for kids besides an iPad or an organized activity coordinated by another adult. Maybe try spending time with your child -cook dinner together, have them help with the grocery shopping, read a book together, etc.

Other PP who said my DD gravitates toward TV and that is part of the calculus for stacking her with activities. I get the my post was quick and a little flippant but we have a lot of factors at play in our family that lead to being out of the house = better. Specifically, her little brother has severe autism and requires 1:1 attention of any and all parents who are home, so we end up throwing the TV on for DD out of guilt. But thanks for the lecture about spending time with my kid!

Maybe instead of activities, spend the money on a weekly sitter for your son so your DD has your attention during that time. If you have the time to shuttle DD to all these activities, surely you can carve out one-on-one time instead.

Have you ever tried to find a sitter for a kid with severe autism??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid doesn't really have weekday downtime after school. It's a lot with two working parents, but honestly, at home she is generally clamoring for TV, and I would much rather her do an activity than get sucked into that.

This is us. Downtime for her equals iPad and so I'd rather her be busy in an activity so I can avoid that fight. I think there's plenty of downtime on weekends, even with the two sports plus swimming lessons that she does.

There are other alternatives for kids besides an iPad or an organized activity coordinated by another adult. Maybe try spending time with your child -cook dinner together, have them help with the grocery shopping, read a book together, etc.

Yeah, exactly none of those are appropriate activities for elementary kids in the after school hours, while parents are still working.

In fact the only options in that window are screens, more classes, or an organized activity coordinated by another adult.

you mean when aftercare ends you still can’t bother being actively engaged with your child? There are hours between pickup and bedtime.