And just like that – here we are again – back on the ferris wheel and summer is a mere memory. I feel like I closed my eyes to soak up the warm summer rays several weeks back and have just re-woken in a pile of uniforms, pencil cases, school books and gymnastics fees owed. Gone. In the blink of an eye.
We had a dry run at “Back to School” this morning. Pre-school Day 1 – the prelude to School Day 1. It was going to be a nice little warm up. To say that we were rusty was an understatement……to say that it was pretty much an unmitigated disaster would be fairly accurate. Let’s put it this way – we drove up and down our hill 3 times. One: forgotten eye patch. Two: Forgotten 2nd lunchbox for the after school hour. Three: The actual Pre-School Run. Look at least we remembered to bring the child and pick him up again.
There were voices in my head have been fairly loud this week. The new schedule is like a never-ending math’s equation that even Albert Einstein himself would struggle to come to terms with. On more than 1 occasion this week have I felt like my head was going to roll off onto the floor and just explode.
‘Why do I draw all this on myself?’ I question over and over silently.
‘Would the kids really miss out if they did not have after-school music on a Wednesday?’
‘Can I manage to beat the school bus over to our stop and retrieve the tear-aways if 3rd born joins gymnastics?’
Waaaaahhhhhhh, my kids need a PA and I need a lobotomy after all this.
Why do we do it? Did we really have all this going on when we were 8 years old? Will our kids miss out on some crucial form of development socially, emotionally or physically if we don’t join the endless list of extra-curricular activities? How much is too much or too little?
I wish I had the answers – but I don’t. Am I building well-rounded individuals or turning my kids into beings that need to be endlessly entertained and on the go? With schedules that rival that of a CEO? Or am I giving them the chance they need to succeed?
I have no clue. What I do know is that there needs to be balance. There’s needs to be “No, we can’t”. In my opinion there needs to be time to stop and figure out how to entertain yourself too.
I’d love to know every ones else’s thoughts on this too!
Yours, with her brain just exploding,
Cli xx
Photo’s all by Anna Groniecka
Ballet, tap, tennis, Acro dance, gymnastics, swimming (for number 2, number 1 had enough and that was 1 battle I wasn’t going to fight), breakfast club, after school club on my working days and I still have the guilt about no music or drama and poor number 3 just gets dragged around it all – wait until she starts. At least with your morning smoothies you manage to fit in the other mom stress of “5 portions of fruit and veg” that’s another one I have guilty sweats about and then it’s like “who has walked the dog today – quick all out the door again”
Take me back to walking to school or getting a lift all sitting on “Frank the postman’s” bonnet of the post van, Far from health and safety and extra curricular activities we were raised and shor we have done ok……..??!!
Like they actually need PA’s and taxi drivers to get around… but the if we don’t we just worry that they lose out. It’s so hard isn’t it!!?? x
Great Article, I think extra curricular can be great but downtime is important, no agenda just time to be bored and let the imagination run wild We do taekwondo and swimming for now, let the adventures continue, mine are under 8 though so I’m sure the demands will increase in time.
Yes that is extra the struggle – its so important to remember to just stop too and we forget that I think
I can’t help but think they need to be given the opportunity to possibly succeed.. after all she could be a ballarina!!! Who knows … some 5 yr old kid doing ballet will someday fulfill her dreams and Persue it as a career… meanwhile I’m taxi to my two and all the above activities!! Such a tough one.
Yes I do agree – you want them to fulfil potential but its hard to find the balance
https://pathways.org/blog/many-extracurricular-activities-many/
This article always comes to mind in September when the list of I wanna do …..everything…..starts.
It really is all about balance.