12 yr old -- nothing except cello lesson (30 min. once a week)
9 yr. old --- nothing (takes cello at school)

Tried to have them take tennis thru the rec center but it keeps getting cancelled b/c of rain or instructors not showing up. They have gone a few times, but it's really not a true activity.

I try to get them to do things but they don't want to. At some point, I just give up. DH and I were both scout leaders for awhile while we were trying to encourage them on that. Didn't take. After a couple of years, we couldn't keep them going.

Sigh. I am envious of those of you who have involved, social kids.

Anonymous wrote:6 year old

Fall
baseball team
soccer team
soccer skills
flag football team

Winter
basketball team

Spring
soccer team - recreational
soccer team - club
baseball team - school
baseball team - competitive

8 year old
Fall
Baseball team - competitive

Winter
Hockey team
Basketball team

Spring
Soccer team
Baseball team - competitive
Baseball team - school

In the summer both boys will be on a swim team.

Over the top and one dimensional.

Our rules:

One rec sport a season and you can only play the same one once a year.

One other activity a season. Can be a sport too but not competitive with games (swim, fencing, tennis)

No club or travel sports until middle school and if you choose, you pick only one and forego the other sports.

Wow, we ate clearly slackers. Both my kids do one sport each, two days a week, and one other activity, like scouts or drama. That's it.

What is everyone doing for family dinner time with these schedules- never mind when do you cook dinner? Eating at home is important for kids/ families- come on people!

Anonymous wrote:3 yr olds gymnastics (after half day preschool one day a week), swimming, soccer lessons (2 months one day a week), tennis (April to June Saturdays), Spanish lesson (one day week)

6 yr old tae kwon do (aftercare), swimming lessons (spring and summer a few weeks at a time), soccer team (Fall and spring indoor season), tennis lesson (April to June Saturdays), chess club (aftercare), basketball league (Jan and Feb only), piano (one hour a week during aftercare), drums (one hour a week lesson during aftercare)

nanny full time
full-time working parents
majority of activities for 6 yr old are between 4pm when class lets out and 6pm pickup time, soccer team practices during that time also one day a week
30 minute recess at school
besides soccer games...most activities are one hour and some are even near playgrounds so we usually go to the playground after the lesson
weekends are mostly playground, playing in sandbox in our backyard, hunting for caterpillars, tending to our garden, drawing with chalk on our deck, kicking or throwing a ball around, and of course TV and iPad
6 yr old can play some video games or Minecraft on the weekends or summer depending on behavior...they are a privilege that gets taken away for 2 weeks at a time if there has been a behavior issue
on social interactions, they make friends and navigate social relationships and play at some of these organized activities also

Anonymous wrote:9 year old boy

Ice hockey 3/4 year 1x week
Swim stroke clinic 1x week sept to may
Summer swim team. Practice and meets throughout the week
Cub scouts 2 x month
Piano lessons 1 x week
Math tutor 1 day week

Mom works part time. Dad works full time.

9 year old boy

Ice hockey 3/4 year 1x week
Swim stroke clinic 1x week sept to may
Summer swim team. Practice and meets throughout the week
Cub scouts 2 x month
Piano lessons 1 x week
Math tutor 1 day week

3 yr olds gymnastics (after half day preschool one day a week), swimming, soccer lessons (2 months one day a week), tennis (April to June Saturdays), Spanish lesson (one day week)

6 yr old tae kwon do (aftercare), swimming lessons (spring and summer a few weeks at a time), soccer team (Fall and spring indoor season), tennis lesson (April to June Saturdays), chess club (aftercare), basketball league (Jan and Feb only), piano (one hour a week during aftercare), drums (one hour a week lesson during aftercare)

6 year old

Fall
baseball team
soccer team
soccer skills
flag football team

Winter
basketball team

Spring
soccer team - recreational
soccer team - club
baseball team - school
baseball team - competitive

8 year old
Fall
Baseball team - competitive

Winter
Hockey team
Basketball team

Spring
Soccer team
Baseball team - competitive
Baseball team - school

In the summer both boys will be on a swim team.

^ Put = But

(oops, sorry)

DS does a lot but at this point none most are limited to once a week (the exception being baseball).

Depending on overlap he has as 0-2 sports plus weekly agility plus spanish and an afterschool club. But the language and club are at times he would be in before/aftercare at his school anyway

The sports "seasons" seem to vary - K Rec Soccer is only once a week for 6 weeks and MoCo Rec Basketball was 8 wks but again only once a week. Baseball started practicing earlier and so is closer to 10 weeks though only 8 games, plus they have practice during the week (twice with the optional practice) and a game on the weekend. He used to weekly low-key TKD but his instructor moved away.

Right now he's having fun playing with his friends and trying a variety of things out. As he gets older and the time commitment/intensity increase we will have to limit it I'm sure. Also at some point I'm hoping we can get him interested in at least trying a musical instrument but right now he's clamouring for TKD and/or Parkour.

Both DH and I work outside the home FT. Put only one child which I'm sure makes it easier.

Anonymous wrote:I just met another grade schooler mom who's child is in 4 separate sports. I'm already maxed out with 2 sports for my 6yo. With practice and games, that's 5h+ a week already. My 4yo has interest in dance but I just can't bring myself to sign her up for any other activities until she's 4.5/5. All I imagine are endless dance recitals.

So just a poll, could you list the age/grade of your child, and number of sports or list of activities they're in? And if you or your spouse stay at home...which makes accommodating all these activities a bit more manageable.

I'll start...

6yo & 4yo

2 sports: soccer/baseball

FT working outside the home for both parents.

13 DS -- karate, cross country, chess club, choir, community spring musical

11 DS - karate, gymnastics, band, community spring musical

NP here. I have 5yo and 7yo boys. We usually do one sport per kid but taking a break this season. I wanted to focus on reading. Kids were often too tired to study after sports. I've posted before about kumon and got attacked that our kids will be scarred because they don't get enough unstructured time. I'm a SAHM and kids play for at least 3 hours per day inside and/or outside. We are not a sports obsessed family. DH played varsity tennis and soccer. I am sure our kids will play at least one sport in high school. It isn't the priority for us. Kids have taken soccer, tennis, t ball, golf and swim in the past. They are athletic kids and I plan to enroll them in a few sports camps this summer. I am sure they will eventually play a sport or 2 in middle school/high school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Holee crap. Where is the unstructured time?!

There isn't. Have you seen your neighborhood? Where are the kids? Not playing, not biking, not running around in the woods, parks, getting dirty and creating new games. Learning how to navigate life, friendships, and more. You know, being kids!!! They are in academic classes, religious classes, language classes, travel sports at age 8. Swim lessons, piano lessons, private instrument lessons, private sports lessons etc.... Parents want to guide their kids like puppets into some bizarro perfect life they have in their mind. That leaves kids in organized activities or planned care for 10-12hrs a day? And they wonder why kids have ADHD, anxiety, depression, learning disabilities, and can't handle being on their own until they are 13+ years old. College suicides have quadrupled in the last 10 years. But they know a 2nd language, can follow a cult, and get straight A's so they will be just fine.

huh.
My kids each play a travel sport.
They get home from school at 3. Their practices are 6 to 7pm daily.
That makes 3 hours of free time each afternoon.

I'd worry more about the 90% of their classmates that are in aftercare daily for 3 hours from 3 to 6pm.

My kids are home at 250, but I'm not sure why you are so worried about kids in aftercare. What exactly do you think goes on there? I'm guessing it's homework, snack and free play. Isn't that what happens at home minus the video games?

+1. I do not know why you are ripping on aftercare. My kid, who does not normally go there, begs me on Fridays to go. I let her because you know why? It is unstructured play time. The kids are thrown out on a playground or blacktop, different ages, different grades, and have to make their own fun and navigate the interpersonal relationships. Sort of like kids roaming around in a neighborhood. I want my kid to be kind of scrappy and resilient, so I do not coddle her 24-7 like my sister does her kids. Instead, I let her go to, gasp, aftercare. You know, with the other parents who "don't care." ?

I agree. Around here that is really the only opportunity for the kind of unstructured play we used to have. If the kids were riding around on bikes doing their own thing, we'd be accused of failing to supervise and DCUM would light up with complaints about gangs of kids on bikes not riding in a manner deemed safe enough for the posters (that actually happened a few years ago) or loitering around the metro or hanging out at a playground meant for "younger children." And lord knows someone would call the police if there was a gang of kids alone in Rock Creek Park.