Comments on: Does My Preschooler Need Extra-Curricular Activities?

By: Lylah

Lylah — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 02:47:02 +0000

klg: See, that seems reasonable to me. It’s something your boys enjoy, it’s not a ridiculously huge time commitment, and it’s a reasonable cost…

I’m also looking at it from the other side of the equation… I was one of those kids with tons and tons of extracurricular activities. I loved most of them and did most of them for many years (though i hated my ballet class by the time I finally quit — at age 15, after having taken classes for more than 8 years). It’s only now, as an adult, that I’m shocked by the money my parents must have shelled out and by the time suck — at one point, I was on a statewide gymnastics team that practiced 5 days a week for 4 hours a day! And I was taking violin, piano, and ballet at the same time!

On the flip side, I was so busy that I didn’t date until I went to college, which may have been my parents’ intent after all…

By: klg

klg — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 02:31:13 +0000

We signed our 3.5 yo up for soccer classes (8 weeks one 1 hour session a week) and let the 1.5 yo play in the toddler section. It is something that they both can do at the same time in the same location. Each “sports” session is about $80 and the play section for the other child is $10/visit or $50 if a sibling is in a class. We have done two sessions so far and he loves it. He wants hockey next, but I’m not sure we’re ready for that type of commitment.
The boys run errands with me or the nanny and don’t have a busy schedule. I’m not too worried about it and can’t see paying big money for a class that is nothing more than paint smocks and fancy paper.

Both my boys love going to BJs and fight about who gets to hold the receipt for the man to check on the way out of the door.

By: Lylah

Lylah — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 17:04:26 +0000

Diane: I think the socialization-for-new-mom aspect is a great point… I have to say that I do wish I had done more as a new parent for just that reason!

Shannon: You are so right… it gets so much more hectic later, and then you’ll wish you had slowed the pace (and the expectations) earlier…

Florinda: Target is addictive! My kids love Target, too…
Great point about “real-life” time. I’ve heard horror stories about older kids who don’t know anything about real-life work and then hit college and have no idea how to take care of themselves. And I’ve heard horror stories about younger kids who are enrolled in classes that their parents think they ought to want instead of one that they actually want to attend themselves — or parents who’ve shelled out a lot of $$$ for, say, a great cello and then the kid wants to quit after a lesson and a half…

By: Florinda

Florinda — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 20:09:51 +0000

Between work, school, preschool, and daycare, I tend to think there’s quite enough scheduling going on already. And while doing chores and errands with your kids might not sound like “quality time,” it’s real-life time. Things have to be done to keep the household and the family running, and I don’t see why the kids can’t be included in that.

You point about kids “having plenty of opportunities to learn and grow and do things that have captured their interest” is important - emphasis on THEIR interest. Sometimes it seems that kids are in activities that their parents want more than they do - and kids’ interests may be fleeting when they’re very young, so does it make sense to invest a lot in classes at that stage?

But Lylah, your three-year-old made me laugh - that’s a pretty typical weekend activity for my family. My stepkids get excited about going to Target.

By: Shannon

Shannon — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 19:18:15 +0000

I agree with Diane, above. I’m home full-time with my 3-year-old and 1-year-old, and my older daughter attends nursery school 2 mornings a week. Beyond that, though, we do one (or less!) structured class/activity at a time–i.e., toddler tumbling, mommy-and-me-type early childhood classes, etc. They don’t need more than that at this age! And I find that we all do better with a more relaxed schedule. I keep thinking, life is going to get a lot more hectic when they’re in grade school and up—why rush things now?

By: Diane

Diane — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 17:14:59 +0000

I have to agree with you, Lylah. Activities are nice for first-time moms (like me!) because they get mother and baby out to meet people and socialize. But as more kids arrive it’s not really so necessary. Nice, but not essential. And I so agree that everyone, kids included, are overscheduled. Children should have time to relax, rest, and play!