Enrichment Programs for the kids - How much is too much? Should there be a limit?

[Anonymous]

OMG, I am speechless.... 2 organized classes a day, even on weekends. I really don't want to be rude, but this is not a college freshman. Ask yourself, when you were in collge , how would you have felt to have classes all day and then take two exercise classes or electives each night. Assuming that your body had stopped growing and that you no longer needed a nap, I imagine you would have been burnt out pretty soon, maybe a within three weeks.

What is the goal here ? The primary need of a four year olds is to have a bond with his/her primary caregiver, to have consistent rules, and free play to explore. Many also still need a nap. Without the foundation of joy at play and unscheduled time, what are you stacking the French lessons, the piano and kumon onto ???

On the other hand, if this is fun and play for the child -- no burn out.

[Anonymous]

Not only is learning a foreign language easier for children than it is for adults, but children who are exposed to other languages also do better in school, score higher on standardized tests, are better problem solvers and are more open to diversity.

[Anonymous]

Young children learn languages through immersion, not discreet classes. Once the class is over, there is no reinforcement or practice. There is also play based learning at this age, and also research Emilio Reggio. When your child gets to school, she may be overprepared on academics and short on social/group skills.

Where's the fire? Time won't run out. Hanging out in the park for hours several times a week is enriching, too.

[Anonymous]

I don't think anyone has said that it's harmful for a child to learn a foreign language- just that having 1-2 enrichment activities a day is severely overkill. Add me to the posters who think OP's DH needs therapy.

[Anonymous]

Some very bright but slightly lazy kids might need to be pushed in ordered to succeed.

[Anonymous]

What 4 year old is slightly lazy? I think PP AND the dad need to get a grip. My oldest loved enrichment classes, youngest too shy and hates them. So one looks overscheduled and one neglected. But responding the individual child and not the dad would be my priority.

[Anonymous]

I'm too tired to be snarky tonight. I'm just going to say... WOW, OP. Just WOW...
Does DH at least help with the driving and scheduling? I don't know when this poor kid even has time to sleep.

[Anonymous]

Early Childhood is the Best Time to Learn a Foreign Language!

Between birth and adolescence, the developing brain is uniquely hard-wired to acquire language. It will never again be as easy or fun.

Young children can acquire native-like fluency as easily as they learned to walk. Where adults have to work through an established first-language system, young kids learn naturally, absorbing the sounds, structures, intonation patterns and rules of a second language intuitively, as they did their first language.

Check out this language immersion enrichment program for kids ages 3-10. They have classes in the DC area and kids can learn Spanish, Mandarin (Chinese), French, German, Italian.

http://www.languagestars.com/ls-languages.html

[Anonymous]

Early Childhood is also the Best Time to Learn music!

Music research shows that children who are involved in preschool piano lessons have enhanced brain function that lasts their entire lifetime. There is no good reason not to takes advantage of this extraordinary period in children's learning development to raise not just awareness and skills, but actual aptitude in musical I.Q. In the last twenty-five years, science has shown convincing evidence of the benefits of starting children in music instruction at an early age. Benefits are not just musical. Studies show a direct correlation between guided music instruction and abilities in math, language and spatial reasoning.

[Anonymous]

Early Childhood is also the Best Time to Learn swimming!

Researchers have shown that infant swimming has the potential to increase intelligence, concentration, alertness, and perceptual abilities. Improvement in social, emotional and physical development has also been published. Development of cognitive, personal and motor development skills take time, patience, and repetition.

Swimming also strengthens your child's heart, lungs and respiratory system - which also aid brain development. It is crucial that babies acquire different kinds of movements and physical abilities during their first year of life, in order to promote the development of higher functions of the brain. Swimming gives babies free movement, meaning they can develop actions they wouldn't otherwise have had the opportunity to experience. It is excellent for improving core muscle development and co-ordination and teaches children to respond to commands that can make your baby sharper mentally; increasing levels of awareness and understanding.

[Anonymous]

Dance, gymnastics, swimming, and movement enrichment classes are valuable to early childhood development:

The movement and the stimulation of the vestibular system in early childhood actually helps prepare and develop the brain for what we term “higher learning” (focus, concentration, problem solving, speech, language, reading, writing, and social-emotional maturity). Movement (rolling, swimming, spinning, jumping, etc.) helps organize and facilitate the flow of information within the brain and lays the foundation for the development of “higher learning”. Early childhood expert had this to say about movement and brain development, “Mounting evidence show that movement is crucial to every other brain function, including memory, emotion, language, and learning…Our “higher” brain functions have evolved from movement and still depend on it.”

[Anonymous]

Karate or martial arts enrichment class is also valuable to early childhood physical, mental, and social development:

The benefits of martial arts training, especially for children and teenagers, are much more than simple physical improvements. Martial arts benefits span a spectrum of physical, mental, and social attributes, all of which are learned and improved through martial arts training.

Physical benefits include the following:
· Physical fitness
· Personal security

Mental benefits include the following:
· Learning abilities
· Goal setting
· Discipline

Social benefits include the following:
· Camaraderie
· Self-esteem
· Respect
· Calming

[Anonymous]

The benefits of youth soccer is easy to understand:

More than 18 million children participate in soccer leagues and programs each year, making it the most popular and fastest-growing youth sport in the United States today, according to the United States Youth Soccer Association (USYSA). Why is it so popular? Here are three reasons:

1. It's easy to learn. Children don't need to be taught to run or kick a ball, and the object of knocking the ball through a goal is simple to grasp. And soccer's fast pace allows it to hold the attention of kids who would frequently get bored playing other sports. Kids as young as 4 years old can participate -- albeit with a smaller ball and on a smaller field than older children.

2. It doesn't discriminate. Boys and girls of all shapes and sizes can play.

3. It's an excellent form of exercise. Its continuous action helps kids build stamina, strengthen their heart and muscles, and develop coordination. Soccer can also help keep kids fit and trim -- an important benefit now that one in every five children in America is overweight. Studies show that children who play organized sports, such as soccer, at an early age are more likely than nonathletes to adopt healthy habits that stick for life.


Some of the physical benefits include:

Cardiovascular endurance
Muscle strength
Flexibility
Coordination
Balance
Weight control
Other benefits include the development of social traits such as discipline, teamwork, leadership, fairness and self-esteem.

The benefits of physical fitness for kids are well-documented. According to the American Council on Exercise, physically active children have fewer chronic health problems than kids who are sedentary.

[Anonymous]

Our DD is currently 4 years old. She has at least 1 - 2 enrichment activities every day including sat and sunday. Her enrichments ranges from different languages learning (Chinese, Spanish, French), boosting of her acadamic (english and math), music, dance, karate, gymastic, soccer, swim...etc. Although these programs focus on different typic and have both acadamic and fun, but I still believe it is way too much for a 4 year old.

Not getting into the language mess, but just asking what OP's DH thinks is going to happen when this kid turns 6? Is she supposed to do competitive gymnastics, competitive swimming, travel soccer, etc.? Because she can't. Frankly, if all these little sports lcasses are longer than, say, about 45 minutes a day, at some point she is going to get injured.

I have one kid who is a competitive swimmer and one who is a competitive gymnast. One of them is 6. That is two years from now, OP. What is he trying to get out of this? What happens when gymnastics takes up 7 hours a week and swimming 3-5 hours? Does he just keep pushing? Until when? Until she implodes?

I take it he himself is not an athlete.

[Anonymous]

I want to thank you for everyone's input. I greatly appreicate the support on my concern which confirms that I am not out of line here. I have listed her schedule out for my DH and make him realize how full her schedule is with the enrichments (14 classes total). I hope he will realize how full her place is and will backdown.

Although about 60-70% of the enrichments are taking place in school. She does get taken away from her daily routine interaction with her classmates. She seems to enjoy all her classes and not complaining about anything except I noticed she complains about not get to play enough and tell me and her teachers she is tired.

I know my DH comes from good heart because he only want the best for her. He does help taking her to classes. I just feel it is a bit overboard and hope he will realize that my concern is legit and is not about him, but about our DD's.