Is my child’s schedule heavy enough?
At the beginning of each school year, most parents rush to find and enroll their child in the best and most exciting extracurricular activities.
Foreign languages, sports, music and other activities fill children’s schedules, (over)loading them and keeping them (over)busy.
And indeed, extracurricular activities broaden children’s horizons, promote exercise and relaxation, and contribute to socialization and goal achievement. And it is also true that most parents have good intentions.
They push their children into activities because they want them to have a full and happy childhood. They sacrifice their own time to give their children the best education, as well as multiple different stimuli in the hope of helping them in later opportunities.
However, the line between an interesting childhood and an overloaded childhood is difficult to draw.
The competitive society we live in has created the illusion that the more things children do, the better prepared they will be for their future. However, children no longer have time to play, to breathe, to create.
Because creativity is making something out of nothing and this takes time to do. Children need time that allows them to discover their interests, to externalize their character and to learn to organize their time.
They need time with family, time to relax, to talk, to read, to play, to go for walks, time for themselves.
When they are busy with many different things, they sacrifice the essence for variety. Overwork is not a component of a good childhood life. It is usually the cause of symptoms of anxiety, sadness and chronic fatigue. Children with busy schedules are not only vulnerable to stress, but they often miss out on important childhood experiences.
Parents should gradually appreciate the value of quality time and relationships in their children’s lives and then the special need for a variety of activities. They will benefit from observing their child, whether he is tired, if he is stressed to catch up on everything, if he willingly goes to activities, if he has free time during the day.
It would also be good to observe themselves, if they give their children the right to choose the number and type of activities, if they themselves set the example of an overworked adult who does not enjoy life, if they are in touch with their emotions.
Clearly, extracurricular activities have important benefits, but it is not good to go to extremes. Balance is the key.
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