Like many parents, my wife and I juggled working, cooking, cleaning, and raising our kids. But managing the various activities for our kids became a part time job. Finding activities, registering for them, getting the required gear and equipment, and then driving the kids to and from these activities; it took HOURS every week. Now my kids are 20 and 16. One is in college, the other is a junior in high school. There is a lot less driving around. While I miss many things about those years, the constant running around is NOT one of them.
Writing for the website ‘Today’s Parent,’ Hannah Grieco writes about her radical approach to this issue: she stopped scheduling things...
https://www.todaysparent.com/family/parenting/my-kids-thrived-when-i-stopped-scheduling-them/
Give the article a quick read. For sure, this approach is not for everyone. However, it made me think of something my dad used to say: “Is the juice worth the squeeze?” How many times have you heard friends complaining about all the running around with their kids? Parents complain about driving, the cost of the activities, etc. But the universal complaint I heard when my kids were that age was regarding the time. Time is a real finite resource. Are the activities in which your kids are involved really worth the effort? Is the juice worth the squeeze for all of those activities? Makes you think, doesn’t it?
Mike Shugrue, LCSW
School Social Worker
Central Avenue School
