Sometimes it feels like despite my best efforts to have an easy, laid back summer – it just doesn’t quite go down that way. Yes, granted, with a big house move this summer is atypically crazy for us. But I don’t think that’s the whole problem.
One of my BFFs was in town recently and we were discussing how easy it can be to become over-scheduled, both ourselves and our kids. This summer C will be participating in soccer, swim class, and LEGO camp, while S will be doing soccer and swim. I’m curious – does this seem like a lot or a little to you?
Soccer is the only regular weekly activity, swim class is a 2 week chunk and LEGO camp lasts for 1 week. Which is exactly how this anti-over-scheduling mama ended up signing up for so much stuff this summer.
Even with all these activities, our calendar only looks busy for specific clumps of the summer. Plus the kids really want to do all these things, and I can see the social and developmental benefits of all of them. (And in the case of swimming, it’s kind of a safety thing as I want kids who are comfortable around water and tend not to sink.)
The problem is once you factor in regular weekend camping trips, our annual homage to the grandparents’ lake house, and the big house move – our summer of leisurely activities has morphed into a series of back-to-back-to-back activities that don’t leave a lot of room for breathing, let alone leasuring. Also, all of these activities can really start to add up.
So what’s the solution here? Don’t sign the kids up for soccer even though they’ve been begging since last summer? Skip swim when I already feel like they’re a little behind their peers when we visit the pool? Or maybe it’s just a matter of embracing the activities, giving thanks that we’re so fortunate to be in a position to enjoy them all, and just chilling the ___ out about it all?!
QUESTION OF THE DAY
Do you limit the number of summer activities you let your kiddos participate in?
P.S. If you’re looking for ways to slow down and spend more time at home with the kids this summer – good news! The price of our downloadable summer activity eBook – Camp Mom: Summer Activities Pack was just reduced from $14.99 to $12.99!
Get Your Free Printable
Subscribe to our newsletter today and get our free printable... No More, "Mom, I'm Bored!"