3 kids, games, performances, etc

[Anonymous]

How do you handle it? Do you or your partner manage to make it to them all? Is sometimes a kid without a parent at a game/performance/concert? How do you make it work? Limit your kids to one activity a season?

[Anonymous]

Why would you NOT limit your kid to one activity a season? I don't understand the need to give kids 2-4 activities a season. They need downtime just as much, if not more than you.

[Anonymous]

Sometimes basketball and band concerts overlap, so I do not "limit them to one" per "season".

2 parents, each take 1 kid and drag the other kid along
2 parents, each take 1 kid and leave an older kid at home alone
2 parents go to 1 kids event and drag 2 kids alone
2 parents go to 1 kids event and leave 2 kids alone

If 3 kids have something at the same time 1 kid goes with a friend.

I try to make it to everything because I enjoy it, but I have to miss some stuff.

[Anonymous]

We have four kids. I never felt any need to go to every game, every practice, etc. If our kid was doing something impressive, or it was the first or last game/race or a big one, one or both of us go.

We attend opening night of a play, but don't worry about the other nights.

My kids LIKE having a lot of activities and we're fine with that. My boyfriend generally drops them off and I pick up.

[Anonymous]

We have four kids. I don't limit the activities but the older ones tend to limit themselves, though still will have seasons with two activities. The younger ones have many activities but with fewer practices, so it is not too hard.

For practices we always carpool. For games, we almost always have one parent attend a game. Occasionally we have conflicts and a child needs to go with a friend (and without a parent) to a game. It doesn't happen very often. It has never upset the kids. I am always sorry to miss games because it is so much fun to watch the kids, but they are always fine about it.

[Anonymous]

We limit activities to one per child per season (we have three in elementary), with the understanding that one child may miss a game or practice once in a while if there is a conflict.

[Anonymous]

Performances trump games, unless it is something big like a championship or first game of the season or a long run of performances like a week long play. Then it is divide and conquer.

The reason being, games are several times per week where performances are often a one time event (like band or choir) or limited times a year (like a dance recital).

Also, things like a play or dance performance rewuire each participant to have a specific, irreplaceable role and team sports have lots of people rotating into the difference positions. Kids missing team sports are much easier to replace than a child missing a play or dance performance.