August 7th, 2009This summer, Thursdays have been the busy day in our household. I work in the morning and get home just in time for the kids’ swimming lessons. Chase’s is first, followed by Felicity’s. By the time we finish with their lessons and showers, it’s time for dinner, which we usually pick up on the way home. That generally leaves us with a good hour or two before bedtime and some peace and quiet. Even though it’s only once a week, it’s about all we’re able to keep up with. I sometimes wonder how moms with multiple activities for multiple kids handle it. I had considered doing Little League with Chase, but more than a few mothers have warned me about how time consuming it can be between twice a week practices and games, plus all of the fees included with participation. I want him to enjoy the aspect of playing with other kids on a team, but I don’t know if I’m able to make the commitment. I never did any team sports with Felicity, but she’s never shown an interest in it. When I bring up the subject of team sports or clubs at her school, she tells me she doesn’t want to do it. I want to encourage her to try it without forcing her. I want her to do it because she wants to, not because I’m making her. On the other hand, with school coming up in a few weeks, it’ll be back to the homework grind and school projects, which is just something else to add to the mix. All you moms out there who have kids that play sports or are involved in some other extracurricular activity, do you feel the experience has enhanced your child? If you could go back in time, would you still choose to do it again? Has family life suffered any way because of the commitments involved with the activities? I guess I should comment that we are probably one of the few families that only has one car, so transportation is also an issue.
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Gosh, I can relate to your situation. When my kids were little, the girls were mainly in cheerleading and my son was mainly in baseball and karate.
It was truly hetic trying to be in two and three places at one time!!! I always tried to attend all their games, but sometimes it was impossible.
I felt that I would do it all over again because as your children get older, they can look back on all their activities.
But, I was fortunate that we had more than one car. Good luck to those who don’t!!
Right now with our oldest, our schedule is not as hectic. Our younger child is too small for sports. We allow our daughter to participate in one sport per season. Fortunately, practice is once a week and I make sure that I am off on that day after school. I try to have left overs so that when we do get home, it wiil be a quick heat in the microwave.
For the one activity, I have voluteered as an assistant coach. I do find it rewarding because that is our one on one time together separate from the rest of my our other family members. Not only are we getting this one on one time, but my husband also gets his one on one time with our other child.
My daughter also has a best friend that she made a deal with that she would do one sport if the other did it and vice versa. At their school, there are no try-outs so everyone is on the team by grades and so far it has worked out well. I have seen am improvement regarding self esteem. But of coarse each child is different as well as team practices, tryouts, etc. Hope this helps!