Reply to If you and DH work late, how do you manage extracurricular activities?

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[quote=Anonymous]OP, accept for now that you need to focus on weekend activities. If football didn't work, help your child find something else.

But one thing you need to know, since your kids seem to be young right now (didn't see if you replied to someone's question about their ages): As they get older, if they want to pursue extracurriculars, those activities will demand more than just weekend time from them.

Are you looking far enough ahead to see if you and/or DH can alter your working lives when the kids are older and start saying they need to be in a class or rehearsal or practice that is on weeknights -- and is required to continue being on a team or in a show, or is needed to advance in their skills? It's something to start thinking about now.

NOT all kids have to do lots of extracurriculars, or [u]any[/u] at all, OP. And it's fine for a kid to do something just for fun (in fact it would be healthy if this area had more stuff like that so things weren't so competitive and intense as kids get older -- I hear a lot of parents lament that they wish their kids could keep playing soccer as they get older just for fun but the leagues get too competitive and demanding).

But be aware that if a kid falls in love with some activity and wants to get better at it in the older elementary/MS/HS years, you and your husband will have to think hard about whether you can get your kid where he or she needs to go or whether you'll have to turn down that activity.

If you have a child who wants to play soccer, for instance, you will have those weekend-only practices just for a time, before a team starts to say that one weeknight practice is required too, then maybe more if it's travel soccer as your child gets older. Swim team? We're talking 4:30 a.m. practices on weekdays for my friend's fifth grader. My middle schooler dances, and the days of one class a week are long gone -- she has four classes a week after school and no, there are no other students who go from her school to her dance studio, so the whole "just find another parent at the activity who'll drive everyone" thing does not work at all. Someone said above that as kids get older they have options like biking to get them places -- not in our area. My kid's studio is too far and along very busy roads. Friends with kids in soccer or baseball or basketball say they sometimes have to go to different fields or gyms from week to week and the kids can't be expected to bike there from home when it might be some new place in another suburb (and at rush hour).

Not trying to dissuade you from extracurriculars, but just trying to point out that as kids get older, if they want to pursue something beyond just a weekly fun activity, you will find you have to reconsider your work schedules if you want to make that happen for your children. There will be other parents who can help drive but these activities often involve parents beyond just driving.

For now, while they're young, see what the school offers after school for next fall and get them registered - our elementary had things like hip-hop dance, chess club, Lego robotics club and more after school. If your school doesn't have anything at all, step up and join PTA and be the one who says you'll get details and find a vendor who can provide some after-school programs if the school or PTA can afford it.....[/quote]

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