Are we over-scheduling our children's lives?

[thr335teen]

My 7 year old Year Two child has quite a packed schedule but nothing compared to some children in his class.

A couple of the boys' weeks look a bit like this:

Monday - Thursday - after school clubs such as computer skills/STEM club/art club etc

Friday - after school cricket, All Stars summer cricket at the local rugby club followed by Under 9's cricket

Saturday - football in the morning, swimming in the afternoon

Sunday - rugby.

I just don't remember our parents being this involved in scheduling our whole lives?

Am I wrong that this is too much? What do your 7 year olds do?

It seems a lot. Personally I like to keep the weekend clear for family time so I would go down to swimming and one team sport moved to the weekdays if possible, and then filled in with the after-school clubs.

I suspect part of it is to do with the fact that now it’s normal for both parents to work full time. This means that kids have to do something after school until someone is available to collect them

My kids had something after school every single day and at weekends. They enjoyed it though and it made parenting easier for me.

Doesn't explain triple clubs on a Friday night

Doesn't explain triple clubs on a Friday night

Doesn't explain triple clubs on a Friday night

Most parents have to work full time. So it’s that or after school club. I think the weekend clubs are a bit unnecessary though

I try and stick to three extra-curricular things. One sport thing (swimming) and two others of DC choice. I think too much and you lose some of the important downtime at home, and also rushing everywhere all the time cuts into family life generally. Especially with multiple kids.

But the after-school clubs presumably are also a form of childcare, so I’m not sure I would see those in quite the same way.

Is everyone happy? That’s the main thing.

Mine is at after school club now and doing an activity (mainly because I need to work), Thursday they do swimming and weekend morning a class that they absolutely love that I wish was during the week. Previously they did one extra activity in the week but I dropped it for the summer as partly I couldn't be bothered with the stress of scheduling it and making sure we get there on time etc and partly so they could go to the park with their friends in the sun after school (or come home and play if they want). I used to do way more as a child (dance twice a week, swimming, tennis and something else that changed from brownies to music class to horse riding with competitions on weekends) from age 5-15 so I don't think it sounds too bad and suspect the Mon to Thurs is mainly childcare/work related anyway - I just think some weekend time as a family is nice plus there often birthday parties etc to fit in

We keep two days clear in the week, but have two days of double clubs (so 7 clubs total) for our 7 year old. I agree it seems a lot but heis the one asking to do everything. He complains when we have a lazy Sunday that he's bored. Just seems to be full of energy and on the go all the time.

I used to think that (mainly) middle-class parents were massively over-scheduling their children's time.

Then I realised the awful harm being done to kids spending too much time online and changed my mind completely! Fill their time with sports, activities that develop their skills, minds, etc and keep the buggers OFF the internet!

Yabu.

1. Most clubs arent on for long (4pm)
2. Parents need childcare.
3. Kids like other kids.
4. What else would they be doing? Probably not having wholesome family fun, more likely screens.

I thought the point of All Dtars was an introduction course... seems pointless doing that and age grade.

Rugby Union is in its compulsory summer break now.

I could understand Cricket in summer, rugby in winter.

At age 8 every week I did:

recorder club at lunchtime
violin lesson before school
Brownies
ballet
swimming class
gymnastics
badminton after school club
school chess club
Sunday school at church every week

The following year I added two more instruments and a fiction-writing class and mum made me drop gym and badminton to make space.

I was at state primary in the 1980s. Not rich. Most of my friends had similarly bonkers schedules! We loved it.

I think it’s normal at this age to try lots of things, then narrow down as you get more defined interests.

Amd just so you know, kids that like cricket, LOVE cricket.

My nephew plays cricket for school and his town, he plays competitively at weekends, plays it outside with friends, plays it on computer games, and every holiday has something to do with cricket.

So if kids are playing the same sport over and over, it's likely them driving it, not the parents. BIL and SIL would certainly rather chill on holidays and at weekends but spend a great deal.of time supporting his interest (and his brother who feels similarly about another sport).

After school clubs are basically childcare options for working parents, and the standard of school sport coaching can't compare with club coaching. That's not a criticism, it's just a function of stretched school budgets and resources. If you got a cricket mad 7 year old and after school cricket club is on a Friday, which is the same day as club cricket I don't think that's much of an issue. DD does after school netball then has club netball on the same night. I do think All Stars cricket is a pointless though if they are also playing U9's. DS used to do after school athletics club followed by club athletics. He dropped the after school once he could get himself home from school as we didn't need the childcare option anymore.

I think some of my kid’s friends do far too much scheduled stuff but I suppose it depends on the kid. After being in school all day, mine like to come home and chill out and not do another activity with adults in charge. This may change as they get older but I think it’s nice for them to have a rest after being in school for now.

We have triple clubs on a Friday night too OP!

Our DC have clubs everyday except 1 weekday evening. With sports it's very normal that it's over weekends too.

We do a lot of clubs. I think it replaces normal kids socialising. When I grew up we would be running around the streets in groups of kids after school, unsupervised getting into all kinds of scrapes. It was wonderful. You're not allowed to do that any more. I know if I let my 10 year old out, there would be concerned Whatsapp messages from neighbours within minutes. Probably ring doorbell footage of kids ''terrorising' the neighbourhood by sitting on a fence.

So instead I spend my time working in car parks while my dc do supervised socializing alongside an activity.

I think it’s too much.

mine do swimming plus one club of their choice.

and never at the weekend!!

And it increases as they get older too, as moves into more training sessions a week.

Some sports easily become 4 times a week by 8-9 years old

Far too much. Children need downtime and just to be and mess about, chill.

I think ideally a 7 year old has loads of unstructured free time playing with other kids. But the reality is that parents have to work and even when everyone is at home children don’t always have access to other kids and space to play. Add to that the middle class activities arms race and you can see why over-scheduling happens!

I think ideally at this age they should only do one or two things. Plenty of time to increase aged 9 or 10 and I’m a big believer in the value of play.

It would be too much for my son and for me when I was a kid, but we are all ND and need our down time! Parents may not have an option in the week however?

Surely they can have free play that doesn't involve screens. My DGS does swimming and ju-jitsu one day a week . He also plays in the garden on trampoline or football. He's not allowed the iPad at all during the week and only an hour a day at weekend. . Often taken to park, cliffs to fly kite etc etc.

Both parents work ft