Balancing a child's extra-curriculars

Today’s youth certainly have much busier lifestyles than their parents did as children. So, how do you find that perfect balance of providing them with that much needed physical and creative outlet but not overwhelming their already busy lifestyles by over scheduling their daily routines?

The Children's Workshop has family friendly tips on how to balance your children's busy schedules.

How should families attempt to balance extra-curricular activities in this fast-paced environment that we live in today? 

The Children’s Workshop says that you need to think about how to help your children find the activity that is best suited for them.  It is easy to think, as a parent, that your child would enjoy the same activities that you enjoyed as a child.  But that may not be necessarily true.  What suited you may not be a good fit for your child.  Let your son or daughter explore extracurricular activities that they have a natural interest in already, such as arts, music, sports, book clubs or scouts.  Get started by asking your child about their interests.  What do they really love doing and that comes naturally to them.

Once you have weighed your options and discussed some ideas for activities with your child, then visit the program or sport. Take the time to see what it is all about before your child makes a long term commitment. For instance, if your child enjoys drawing then drop in on an art class so you can get a sense of what it is all about.  

Does it meet your needs and philosophy?  Is it a right fit?  Here are some things to consider when researching the right activity for your child:

· Is it a fun and warm environment?

· Does your child fit in – is it age appropriate?

· Is it a positive, encouraging environment?

· Is it safe and secure and well supervised? What is staff to child ratio?

· Do the adults have background checks? What are their professional backgrounds or are they just volunteers?

· What are the program costs – is this affordable for your family? Do they need to purchase uniforms, buy supplies or are they responsible for fundraising throughout the year?

· What is the time commitment? Does the activity fit into your family’s lifestyle? Are they penalized if they are unable to make a session? Can they make up a class for illness or vacation?

· What are the emergency procedures if your child is hurt or injured?

Always remember to find an extra-curricular activity that is age appropriate for your child.  A good example of this is to look for activities geared towards fun instead of highly competitive activities when you are talking about younger children.  Please consider all these ideas when choosing the right extra-curricular activity for your child.

What are some of the great benefits of extra-curricular activities?

· Even Infant and toddlers - can benefit from being involved in extra- curricular activities. Parents can enjoy a fun gym class with their children that promotes learning by simply socializing and interacting with other children their own age.

· By ages 3 to 5 - parents can start by getting their children involved in physical, organized and structured activities, such as dance, baseball or story hour. These actions can aid in fostering a good attention spans and assist them in learning about structured play and group time.

· School/age children – getting s/children involved in after school activities can be beneficial because it increases their social skills and helps them maintain lasting friendships with other children with similar interests.

It also builds…

· Self confidence – Children become more self confident when they engage in activities that promote learning new skills and building new relationships. It also teaches them responsibility, encourages self discipline and allows them to learn how to work as a team

· Helps maintain a healthy lifestyle – it is evident that getting children involved in physical activity early can promote life-long healthy habits for our youth. Just keep our kids moving!

· Promotes stress relief – many physical and creative activities are a natural way for children to reduce stress. It allows them an outlet to be physical in a safe and controlled environment.

Many activities such as art, drama or music allows a child to express themselves in a positive manner.

· Time management/commitment – most activities require children to be able to manage their time and commit to a certain activity for extended period of time.

· Teamwork –for instance many teams provide the opportunity for children to learn to work cooperatively to be successful with their teams.

Extra- curricular activities are not only a source of fun but also a great opportunity for our young children and youth to learn important life skills such as, time management, forge friendships, and relieve stress and a great source of exercise.  Please encourage your family to put down the electronics and get involved in great creative, physical extra- curricular activities.  Get up and move!