After school activities/clubs etc

[Umakemefeellikedancing]

My ds is 6. We've tried Beavers but ds not really that fussed about it. He finds school a bit overwhelming sometimes and is just tired when he gets home from school.
Dh seems to think ds needs to be doing other stuff besides school whereas I see it as him still being young and there's plenty of time yet for him to find something he wants to join in with.
He does swimming already once a week.
He likes to come home and play with his toys and chill out. AIBU to not want him to go to stuff if he doesn't want to.
DS has friends but is a quiter more reserved type.

Your instincts are right. Google 'over-scheduling children' There are loads of articles on this. He needs actual child-led play and relaxation for his development not structured adult-led activities.

He's 6. He will be doing "other stuff" - at home. He'll be playing, relaxing, having fun, all the things that kids do. Plenty of years left for him to be needing ferrying everywhere (by ever-so-keen DH!)

Thanks. I agree and thanks for saying my instincts are right because I do believe my instincts are telling me that. It's different if it's something ds really wants to do but he has structured learning activities all week at school. My DH says he doesn't want him getting left behind!

I think there's so much on offer these days that it's natural to worry that you're somehow letting your kids down by not signing them up to loads of stuff, but I don't think any of us did much when we were their age, certainly not more than one thing a week. When I look back on my childhood, one thing I do not think is, "Gosh, I wish I had done a few more activities when I was 6". You're right not to be sucked in, OP!

Would a Saturday morning activity work for you? Our local leisure centre do a Saturday morning multi sport session. Pay as you go so no commitment but good fun and nice to mix with other children.

It depends on your child my DD is nearly 8 and does 6 sports and brownies a week, she loves it all (ask her if she wants to drop one and she'll sob) honestly it'd be easier for me if she did nothing but then she'd be bored. There's plenty of downtime a week to fit in some exercise, what about martial arts?

Google 'over-scheduling children'

And then Google the over scheduled myth or check out www.childtrends.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/Child_Trends-2008_02_27_Myth.pdf

According to that research, you need to be hitting 20 hours before it's likely to be negative. Most kids won't be going anywhere near that.

It depends on the child. Some love loads of activities, others don't. If he's not spending loads of time on screens then it sounds like down time at home is what is best for him at the moment. You can add activities as he gets older.