Reply to Yes. Your Kid is overscheduled.

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I partly blame the culture around here -it’s hard to do any sports in a chill way regardless of age. If your kid wants to swim, they are either only swimming in the summer or they are swimming at least 3 days a week year round. And if you don’t start early enough you are “behind” so everyone wants to let their kids try a couple things out.

My oldest asks to do activities because that’s where her friends are. They aren’t available if she goes and knocks on their door. We allow less than a lot of families (my daughter is really only doing dance and Girl Scouts my son is only doing soccer and we will see if it bites us in the a*s later). It’s a balance [/quote]

Why not let them do the activities they want to?[/quote]

PP you are responding to and I do let them do some of the activities that they want to do. But they have to pick because I’m not willing to spend all evening every evening driving both kids around and dragging the little guys because he can’t stay home alone. I also see worse behavior when they are too busy. So one of my kids is mildly interested in swimming but I’m not willing to add 3 nights a week or something. But they get to do what they are most excited about. [/quote]

And they us find for your family. But don’t expect my family to be home all the time because you need a play date.[/quote]

I don’t expect anything! My kids are fine, and if they would prefer to have a few more playdates it’s hardly the end of the world. But when I’m picking my daughter up and her friend is begging to come over with my DD and one of the other girls who is walking home with us but can’t because she (the friend) has swim and then basketball I feel a little sad. I think she likes those things! But knows that she’s missing out. Honestly the only reason we continue to keep her in Girl Scouts is it’s the only social thing that some kids do and that is when she sees those girls.[/quote]

Maybe the parents feel sad for your kids that they don't get the same opportunities to learn new skills.  I feel sad for kids like yours who se parents are too lazy to do anything extra for them.  Mine would much rather do sports or music than hang out at your house.[/quote]

How rude! FYI research shows free play is far superior to organized activities. Even pickup sports are superior to organized sports. Too bad your child won’t be able to function without someone directing them all the time or telling them what to do while my kids will learn not just the sport but also how to deal with friends/neighbors/teammates etc. You can think parents who let their kids enjoy their childhood without pushing them into scheduled activities are lazy but we value something thats far more important than playing on 3-4 different teams each season. [/quote]

NP but where do you live with so many pickup sports? I would love that, but in my town everyone is… super scheduled.[/quote]

There are many kids in our neighborhood. Not everyone is available every day but someone is there to hang out and play. My kids will play pickle ball, basketball, football, hockey, kickball, soccer etc with other kids in the neighborhood. So they are very active despite not being in organized sports every day. Despite the opinion here, kids learn a lot about handing disputes, planning, organizing, implementing and leadership through free play and pickup sports. I am not saying that kids shouldn’t be in any activity and my kids do not sit and play video games either. But there needs to be a balance. Thankfully, where we live only a couple of kids are over scheduled so there are always some kids who can play. Childhood is short, and its not a race to a college. And as someone pointed out that my kids won’t get into an ivy. That is fine. We are not planning their lives around getting into top 20.[/quote]

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