Parenting

Don’t Overschedule Challenge

At least two months out of the year, we take a break from activities.

 

Why

Why not?! There are so many reasons to take breaks from extra curricular activities:

• financial break
• more time to relax/catch-up on house stuff/be together as a family
• sanity break (which I know will only get worse as we have more children involved in more activities)
• sends a good message to your kids

There are so many families who are way over scheduled! I am going to try very hard not to be one of those families. (Wish us luck, especially with four kids.)

 

Jill Savage mentions this in her book,

.  On page 28 she says, “Refrain from activity overload.  Boredom needs to be a goal of parents.  Unscheduled time encourages children to create and imagine.  It helps them to learn how to fill their time rather than expect others to entertain them.”  She also has a section titled “A Need to Rest” on page 199 where she says; “Kids need to be kids, and they need enough margin in their life for large portions of unscheduled time in their days.  This helps them maintain balance physically and emotionally.”  (Make sure to check out her amazing book, my review should be coming up on Friday!)

 

When

Usually we take off August and January. I like to take August off because I like for the kids to have a break before starting school. It also helps financially because we usually have to pay school fees, pay for school supplies, uniforms, etc, so this frees up a little money for these items.

 

I like taking January off because around here, that is usually when the worst winter weather hits. I like not having to get out in the weather. It’s also a very welcomed break from the holidays. Again school is usually starting up again from winter break and I like them going back feeling more refreshed.

 

This is our plan now, it will probably change in the future with the activities the kids choose to do.

 

Right now, we are currently taking a break from swimming lessons.  With our move and my brother’s wedding, we needed to free up more time and money.

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Read my 7 Solutions for Burned Out Parents Review.

Do you ever take a break from extracurricular activities?

 

Challenge

Week 1: Take this week to really think.  By the end of the week have in mind a financial and time budget.  Be strict and make sure that all activities fit into each budget.  For us, swimming in nonnegotiable, we want our kids to know how to swim.  They get a say on the other (up to 3/yr.) activities they get to do.  However, some of our kids may not be in as many activities as the others.  For instance, Cub Scouts takes up a lot of time, so when they choose to be in Cub Scouts, they have to give up something else.