Extracurric Activities and Large families -- how do you manage, or do you throw your hands up in horror and avoid at all costs?

[flack]

Coz I'm heading that way.

Older DC just stopped their only activity, swimming lessons, and though I feel guilty to confess it, I feel SO HAPPY! Such a hassle to drag non-participating DC along -- and no, I don't have anyone to look after other DC. And I dare not leave the eldest child at home alone even briefly yet for fear Social Services will call (this happened to someone I know).

So do you have friends to help, do you chase toddlers around the building for the entire duration of sessions, or do you try to subtly discourage DC from attending activities they'll lose interest in quickly and will otherwise stress you out to ferry them to/from?

It's easier when they are older. Today ds3 (4) has swimming lesson and ds1 (7) and ds2 (5) will have to wait for him with me. Not idea but not as stressful as when they do lessons and I have ds3 to manage!

I think their activities are important so I just get on with it tbh. Swimming is not so bad because there is a cafe at the gym.

Ds1 has Spanish on a Monday night at the teacher's house - I have 45 min to kill then. Wasn't so bad in summer as there's a park round the corner but when it's wet and dark over the coming months I'm not sure what I'll do with them.

All other activities I lift share etc so one takes adn the other picks up so there is no hanging round for anyone.

Oh, that must be nice if you have someone to help out/share the burden (the lift share thing, I mean).
Is that how the other OWLs mostly manage?

With swimming in good weather it's fine to (literally) run around the lawns and building for half an hour, but not so good for us in winter when just a small waiting area, and running home and back not practical, either. DD wanted to do Rainbows but the timing (4-5pm) would have meant nearly constant running around from 2:30 to 5:30 pm for us (nursery and school pick up to fit in there, too).

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I find that even the odd activity each soon seems to fill the week and cost an accumulated fortune. However, I'm really unkeen on mine doing any activities outside the village so at least everything is within half a mile. Have done more years than I care to remember of smaller sibs watching at swimming, but at least now the older ones are big enough to leave at home and my distances are so small that a drop off is really quick.

We live in a small town, but I woudl still need to spend my life in car to do things without the DC ending up completely exhausted by the extra treking around.

I don't have 4 yet but currently have 3. They all do Karate together.

only my oldest dd (8) does activities at the mo which is gymnasistics thursday evening and horseriding every other sat afternoon. Gym not too bad as we all go to drop her off and then its two hours before i or dp have to pick her up - certainly couldnt convince my two little boys (aged 3 and 2) to stay still for 2 minutes to watch her let alone 2 hours!

I refuse to take the boys to watch her horse riding though .. tried it once as it is only a half an hour lesson but you are on really high benches and you have to stay quiet so as not to disturb then horses .. ds2 spent monst of the time shouting "look mommy cows!" and ds1 kept shouting out his sisters name. I will normally leave them with dp but if he is working i will try and drop boys off with my mom or mil or at a push sisters.

Im dreading when the boys get a bit older and we start the swimming lessons, sat morngin football etc especially as we have another one on the way .. it will seem never ending

yes I guiltily avoid them ... well so far. I dont mind admitting it. Its the logistics more than the cost. But Im giving in and letting the oldest start Beavers soon.

I am grateful that my youngest enjoys a lot of the after school clubs which are free, however she does have a busy week!

combined with my other children the after school stuff if pretty heavy.

also do a fair bit of lugging drums and guitars and teens around for band practice/gigs etc.

so,
mondays is browines ( v good value, £20 a term)
tuesday is guitar lessons for older boys, which clashes with youngest school club(craft), arrange for friend to help out there.
wednesday is dance club.
thursay is netball and math tutor.
friday is ballet and tap
sat is footy practice for n3 son/ and another dance session for youngest.
sunday is footy game for n3 son

am trying to organise piano lessons for n3 son as I cant really say no, now that we have a piano in house.

the friday/sat/sun are for older teens band stuff, which shouldnt involve me much.
I do a lot of links with a couple of other mums, ( I'll take yours if you take mine another day-sort of thing)and this does help, but I do have to write a weekly timetable and a have a daily calender.
what tips things over is doctors appointments, orthodentist appointments, eye tests etc.
and of course all the evening school stuff.

I spend most sundays writing out checks and filling in forms for both schools and all the clubs.

still, these years will soon pass,................

My hubby has hobbies, and I try to have one...........but am far to busy with getting everyone to their ones!

I know exactly how you feel. I have 4 kids and last year we were doing something every day of the week including Sat in order to please everyone. Apart from the hassle on the kids I found it majorly stressful on myself and decided to put myself first for a change. Have scaled down on activities. I feel bad but was stressed up to eyeballs every day which is not constructive either.