Extra-curricular activities for children - How much is too much?

Many children are involved in after-school activities like clubs, sports, and tutoring. Activities are wonderful for children as it teaches them social skills, discipline, and it gives them something to belong to. Their self-confidence and self-worth increases when they participate in activities and they make valuable friendships there. Having your child involved in activities great, however some parents go overboard. Children can quickly become overwhelmed by all the activities they are involved in and they can suffer from burn out. It is important to give your child a healthy balance of activities and free time. Many parents wonder how much is too much activity for children.

You need to take a look at your child's personality and decide if the activities are helping them. Some children can only handle one activity at a time because they do not have a long attention span or they become stressed by being involved in too many things. Consider the amount of homework your child is bringing home too. As your child gets older their homework demands intensify and it may be hard for your child to balance school and activities. While some children may struggle from having too many things to do, other children need extra stimulation or they become bored. If your child is complaining that they have no friends or that they are bored, enroll them in an activity. Start with just one activity at a time or else your child may start complaining that they have no time to see their friends or they can become irritable.

Parents also carry a large burden when their children are involved in too many activities. Finding time to shuttle your children around to the different groups can be difficult, especially if some of the activities overlap one another. Working parents may have an even harder time trying to arrange their work schedule to accommodate the demands of their children's activities. This is when you know you have your child involved in too many activities. Driving your children around to different places can cost a lot of money and it can physically exhaust you. If you are struggling to keep up with your children's activities, work out a schedule with your partner or spouse. Only enroll each child in one activity so you all can spend some time together as a family.

Activities are created to help children learn new skills and to make friends. These groups are not to be considered childcare for your children. It isn't fair to assume the instructor will monitor your child every minute they are with them. Their job is to teach a new skill to a group of children, not just one. If you cannot make it to the practice or to games, contact a neighbor, friend, or family member to see if they can go. You need to be there to support your child's interests and hobbies.

It is easy to tell if your child is involved in too many activities. You may notice a change in their personality, like crankiness. They may be tired all the time and constantly falling asleep anywhere. Another warning sign is your child's performance in school. Some children will suffer from headaches and stomach aches when they are being stretched too thin. Keeping up with their schedule will place an enormous amount of stress and pressure on them and it will be difficult for them to cope with it. Children that are involved in too many things often do not get the proper amount of sleep and they are unable to eat properly. They will suffer from fatigue because they are pushing their body too hard.

Some parents will notice a drop in their child's performance in school and assume their child is irresponsible or lazy. They may not even know they had an assignment due because they were too busy with the other things they are involved in. It is your responsibility to help them with their schoolwork and make sure they are turning in assignments on time if you have enrolled them in extra curricular activities. Devoting too much time to after school programs will take away from their time to do homework and their ability to focus and concentrate on their assignments. They may not be able to focus on the test because they are fatigued, so they are unable to answer the questions correctly.

An easy way to help your child balance their schoolwork and the other activities they are involved in is to make an agenda. Each week write down the times your child is involved in activities and set aside time for them to do their schoolwork and schedule in some free time for them so they can relax. Your child's top priorities are their family and their schoolwork, this needs to come before soccer, ballet, and wrestling. You should consider enrolling them in the extra activities only if they do not take away time from your family time and their schoolwork. Several children have religious obligations as well and this also takes up a significant portion of their time. Staying organized will help you and your child manage their time better and you will be able to recognize just how much free time your child really does have. Since schoolwork takes up a lot of time during the school year, you should consider pushing some of the activities to the summer.

If you do not involve your child in extra curricular activities, you may choose to let your child use the computer or entertain themselves when they are home. There is a great risk of overexposure to entertainment devices like computers, video games, and handheld devices. Studies have shown that too much exposure to visual entertainment devices can impact a child's vision and it can cause them to become bored or aggressive when they are not being visually stimulated.

Some parents purchase educational videos and electronic learning devices because they think it will help their child learn new concepts. In actuality, it is better for a parent to turn off the television and spend time playing and reading to their children. Researchers have proven that children that are read to grow up to have a deep love of reading and they are able to concentrate better in school.

Children that are exposed to television and electronic devices at a young age often have a hard time distinguishing reality from fantasy. They often have pent-up anxiety and this leads to aggression and frustration. These same children do not participate in regular physical activity and they generally do not have an interest in playing sports with other children. To combat this, parents will create routines for their children that let them know they can only spend an hour or so watching television. While keeping a routine is good, it is important for the parents to turn off the television. Parents that have a hard time detaching from the television and computer are teaching their children to remain attached to them. Children learn from example and you need to be the best role model you can if you want your child to start spending time on their homework or playing outside.

The important thing parents need to remember is that kids need some time to just be kids. They need time to sit around and hang out with their friends. They need time to go outside and ride bikes, throw water balloons at one another, and to play sports. Children that are involved in too many activities will suffer from burn out by the time they are 8 years old. As a parent, you need to intervene with their hectic schedule and look for ways to limit their exposure to too many things. Some children participate in the activities because they feel pressure from their families. Other children participate in them because their friends do or because they simply have a desire to participate in them. Involving your child in too many things can cause them to intermingle the activities and they may even get confused when they are participating in one of them.

It is also important for parents to look at their home structure. Are you able to be home for your children when they need you? Do you and your ex-spouse share custody of the children? Just because you and your spouse may both be working all the time doesn't mean you need to keep your children as busy as you are. Every child is different and they will handle stress in a different manner. Some children may have an emotional breakdown and just start crying because they are so overwhelmed. Other children will become exhausted and have a hard time keeping up with their schoolwork and other activities. As a parent, it is important to set a schedule for your child that is comfortable for them. You need to have a schedule that works for the entire family. If your child's extra curricular activities are too stressful for you, your child is probably suffering from burn out as well.