To say no to my DS as I think too long a day

[Whatayear81]

My children go to a very sporty independent prep school.

My almost 9 year old DS has been selected for school swim squad. He needs to be in the pool by 7.30am at school. We are a 15 min drive to school.

During the day, he will then have a double lesson of PE (would be rugby or hockey)

And then at the end of the day he has water polo club until 5.45pm.

So out the house from 7.15 to 6.20pm ish. And a very full on day.

He needs to stay on for after school water polo to fit worn my work.

I am not keen on him doing the morning swim squad but he is absolutely and utterly desperate to do it. Logistically I could do it, my question is - is it too long and full a day for a just turned 9 year old?

Normal school day - drop at 8am and pick up either 4.30 or 5.45pm

Needless to say he’s keen but this is a child fast asleep by 7.30pm every night without fail!

Tia

"That’s what happens at private school. He could always go to the local comp, start at 8:45am and finish at 3pm with no extra curricular activities, I know which I would prefer for mine"

Mine go to the local comp (as I said, poor potatoes) and do a different club every lunchtime and after school every day - science, netball, badminton, football, dance, musical theatre/drama, art, rugby....

@hulahooper2

I would let him try , it’s only 1day , I find if they love an activity then nothing stops them doing it , and if he then feels it’s too much then drop it.

I think it’s 5 days isn’t it?

Yes, kids at comps never do any extra curricular activities

@Doveyouknow

Yes, kids at comps never do any extra curricular activities

Do you know any state schools that run swim squad training in the morning and water polo after school? I don’t.

How many days a week will this be? At 9 I was swimming before and after school but only 2 mornings a week and 3 afternoons. I was national age group champion at 11 so more than that isn't really needed. As I got older I swam more, but not at 9.

Will he have much homework to do once he gets home?

For those talking about comps this is a 9yo, he would be in Primary school. I don’t know many state Primary schools that offer water polo

I would do it if he is keen - and see how he gets on - I do think you could get up a bit earlier to facilitate this .

That said I had a friend who was being looked at as a olympic level swimmer at a young age - She got bored with it ( so she did not have the drive - by which I mean the motivation not the commute ) - but her parents took her to the pool every morning and it was very very early. If he is keen I would do it for him. Let him have the facilities you have given him.

Just out of interest - would you take him in early if it were e.g. an extra maths lesson & they said he was talented - I am not sure - just a left field question. Is that sort of the same question but without an extra pair of shorts and the towel ? Don't know

I was national age group champion at 11 so more than that isn't really needed. As I got older I swam more, but not at 9

This is a good point. There’s often a conflation between the (intense) training demands for a teenager and beyond which are high and hard and the training needs of a younger child. A younger child doesn’t need to train like a teenager to be a good older swimmer.

A few mornings a week would be great but sleep and rest and down time are also important. A lot of younger children start off all guns blazing then get bored.

I'd just let him do it.

If it ends up being really tough and he finds it too tiring to continue for another term, at least he's learned something and he's given it a go.

@user5656555

Oh sorry disregard my post, my son is state educated so only has an academic day, not a very, very academic day

@Whatayear81

If it was just that - I would t hesitate

But for a just turned 9 year old

To have 45 min swim
Then double rugby or hockey 2 hours later(and very full on!)
And then an hour water polo (exhausting sport!) at the end of the day

It was the combo that I was condensed about

I think the fact that less than 3 hours of exercise in a day is a concern for you is a pretty sad reflection of how normal our sedentary lifestyle has become.

Humans are designed to move

My son did this, they find the energy. I would let him do it.

Is it just one day a week or every day? I assumed one day, if it's every day I think that would be a lot?

If he is only doing the water polo to fit in with your work can you maybe swap that to someone non physical like a homework club or something.

He’s a growing lad - if it’s once a week he’ll be fine!