We’ve had two full weeks of being unscheduled over Spring Break.
No soccer, no piano lessons, no eating in the car. I’d like to say no rushing, but of course for the few things we have planned we were still rushed, because that’s how we seem to roll!
It’s nice for a little while – we can ignore the clock and catch up on our sleep, random art projects and okay, video games. But then things start to fall apart. How long is too long without being restricted to a routine? But how scheduled is too scheduled?
Some kids thrive on routine and schedules. My kids seem to do okay with activities after school. Sometimes it can be too much. It’s a lot for little brains and bodies, sometimes! It also depends on the parents’ schedules as well. Can YOU handle a full work day, a commute, and then chauffeuring kids around to different activities? (Don’t forget to eat!)
When you have multiples it becomes even more complicated. Those of us with “busy” schedules learn to rely on the kindness of other parents to lighten the load and your carbon foot print and give your kid a ride home when you can’t clone yourself! (The best kind of friends always have an extra booster!)
We tried to stick with a one activity per child per season rule, but that quickly went out the window when we tried to balance the activities and it was agonizing to pick “just one”… artistic or athletic? Fun or functional? At this point, I know my kids pretty well and I know what they’ll stick with. So I juggle the schedule as best I can and make friends with the moms with the extra room in their car!