If it's Thursday it must be Soccer, or is it Ballet?

I am a huge proponent of the arts, athletics, hobbies, and other endeavors which help to round out who we are as people.  The most common pastime for me and my neighborhood friends was to head to the field for football or baseball depending on the season.  A few of us even had an indoor hockey league during those snowy days in Michigan and we would take our plastic hockey players and play on each other’s table top hockey games, complete with statistics.  We would play until the sun started to go down and run home as fast as we could before dark, sometimes we even made it.

Today, things have changed quite a bit.  If your child has a special interest, you can find others locally and enroll your child in that endeavor.  Most of these things take our finances and more importantly our time.

Here are some healthy guidelines about scheduling (and over scheduling your child’s time) from the National Association of Elementary School Principals:

>  Aim for three activities.  A great balance would include one athletic, one artistic and one social, not necessarily all in one week.

>  Limit involvement.  This avoids burnout and keeps the child focused on just a few activities.

>  Broaden their horizons.  Encourage “stretching” their interests with new pursuits.

>  Be supportive and not critical.  You should be your child’s biggest cheerleader.  The goal should be to expand a child’s interest, not to live vicariously through them or to expect the next LeBron James.

>  Schedule downtime.  We all need time to reflect, rest, and relax.

>  Change it up.  Time and energy spent on one sport or activity can be draining and can lead to burn out.

>  Watch for signs of stress.  This is a key factor for not only your child, but you as well.  Watch for signs of stress in your child including stomachaches, headaches, difficulty paying attention and a drop off in interest in the activity.

>  Decompress at home.  Family dinners are an excellent way to communicate about what is going on in the lives of each family member.  Schedule regular dinners with everyone at the table at the same time.

We all want what is best for our children.  Sometimes we need to take a

step back rather than forward.