OT - how much is too much?

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-05-2006
OT - how much is too much?
7
Wed, 09-09-2009 - 10:30pm
This is a little off topic, although it is going to cost me some money. My kids got their after school activity papers today. Our schedule currently looks like this: Leave house for school at 8:00 - Pick up kids from school at 2:30, come home, have snack, do homework. Then I leave for lessons on most days at 3:30. The kids stay with DH, he cooks dinner and puts the baby to bed before I get home. I get home anywhere from 7pm to 8:30. Kids get ready for bed and then I watch tv/read for awhile and wake up to do it all again in the morning. These activities are afterschool from 3:00 to 5:00. They cost $30 dollars per session and a session would consist of one day a week. You can do as many as you like. Last year I had my son do 2 a week. But I found myself kind of drained last year from all the activities we were trying to pick kids up from and keep track of. Plus, they raised the prices this year. I feel bad because I want my kids to have opportunities to do fun things but at the same time, all these after school things can be tiring for everyone. Is it better to give your kids some time for relaxation (down-time) as opposed to trying to fill their days (or a few days a week) with activities. I just never know when enough is enough. Plus, on the days my kids were in an activity, I wouldn't even see them until 7 o'clock! Life is just too fast paced these days!

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-04-2008
Wed, 09-09-2009 - 11:06pm

Abby -


I have always maintained that you cannot do it all and do it all well.




Avatar for cl_beckymk
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Thu, 09-10-2009 - 8:06am

I really think it's up to you & your kids personalities.


Carolyn is my on the go girl -- she is super busy all the time by her own choosing.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-02-2008
Thu, 09-10-2009 - 9:25am

I have younger children so I don't know how much help I'll be to you.

I have my DS in one activity but its only one day per week. My daughter needs to be in something but she's only 2 1/2 and I can't sign her up for stuff until she's 3. I think she needs more activities and structure to her days. I hope an activity will help that.

I do also believe it depends on the child. My DS definately needs more down time than my DD. I can see that he wouldn't be good in a sport/activity that required more than one or two days per week. I think its all individual.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-05-2006
Thu, 09-10-2009 - 9:38am

Wow, that sounds Hectic! I am lucky to be able to be home during the day so I can get things done like making calls, paying bills, cleaning and misc. other things. I try to keep my days scheduled and busy, but because of my hypo-thyroid, I usually need a nap during the afternoon or I won't make it through my evening lessons. Last year, I put DS in a bunch of after school programs and I found that he was starting to get overwhelmed. My problem is that he is a special child. He is extremely smart and is in a special program at school for above average students so I feel guilty that because of our financial situation we can't give him all of the opportunities that he would excel at. So last year I compensated by putting him in these after-school science and math classes, Judo classes, an art class and he did a play as well. These were all free or reduced price programs but it was too much for him and us as well. The play was super time-intensive and Judo was hard to schedule. I ended up feeling frazzled and he ended up quitting the art class and we were always missing the Judo class. This year I want to realize my limitations. I work in the afternoon/evenings and my husband works very hard hours and is constantly tired so asking him to take the kids to classes is almost guaranteed a failure! I've decided that one class after-school a week is all I can do and it's on a day that I don't have lessons. We will also do 1 Judo class a week on Friday because I don't have lessons then either. I think I can handle that much. We'll probably fit in 1 play this year too. DS LOVED doing that even though I was traveling around like a frantic person dropping off and picking up!

Thanks for the input! Everyone's schedule sounds so crazy, it makes me feel a little bit better about mine!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2005
Thu, 09-10-2009 - 10:43am

When my son was younger I used to allow him to have one activity and then lots of down time.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2008
Thu, 09-10-2009 - 3:41pm

This is my suggestion.

Norma


"Patience is the best remedy for every trouble"- Plautus


iVillage Member
Registered: 08-04-2008
Thu, 09-10-2009 - 3:55pm

You know, we keep Sunday as a family day, and our kids love to just have a family dinner at the table in the evening.


I don't think you are any less if they are not "IN" everything.