Boo's Dance Recital and Tips for Choosing Extracurricular Activities

Last Sunday was Boo's Christmas recital for her dance class. She attends class at a local church, and I can't say enough positive things about the program! The recital was a huge success, and I was a very proud parent.

It got me thinking about our children's extracurricular activities. I'm amazed at the range of possibilities out there from sports to dance to music lessons to clubs and groups. There sometimes seems to be an endless supply of things for kids to be involved in, and the choices can become completely overwhelming. So, how do we keep our kids involved in plenty of activities that interest them and not get so bogged down with the running here and there lifestyle that we lose sight of other important things like family time and play time? I'll admit, I'm not always as good at the choosing as I should be. We've had months where we didn't have even one free night at home, and that was with only one child. I don't know how we could have done it if Gator was old enough to have his schedule as well. This year, though, we've scaled things down quite a bit, and I can't believe the improvement it has made. In case I forget myself sometime in the future and try to return to the craziness of being over involved, and in case anyone else struggles with the same thing, I'm posting some thoughts on choosing extracurriculars wisely.

1. Cost: I know, I know, that shouldn't be my first priority; but, lets face it, kids activities can get expensive. So look for things that give your child the best experience for the price.

2. Interest: I'm talking about the child's interest here, not the parent's. Sometimes, it's easy to push our kids into things because they sound really good to us. We have to remember that our children's interests may be different; and after all, they're going to have to participate in the activity. Make it something they'll enjoy.

3. Time: This is another big one, and it's actually the only complaint I have about the previously mentioned dance class. It's at 6:00, right during the time when we're normally eating supper. It's not so bad because it's only one night a week, but too many nights like that could spell major trouble for our evening routine. Try to find activities that don't coincide with another important thing on your schedule.

4. Commitment: Make sure you understand how much of a commitment the extracurricular requires, and if you choose it, be willing to stick with it. This one is especially important with activities like athletics where your child is part of a team. I'm not saying that commitment is a negative. It's not. I believe that children need to learn this valuable skill and to understand the importance of follow through, but don't over commit and become overwhelmed.

5. Organization: If my mother happens to read this, she'll laugh. I'm admittedly one of the most unorganized people around, but, especially if it's a group activity, I think organization is key. We've been to several functions where the majority of the time was spent trying to figure out what was supposed to be going on and where we were supposed to be, and it completely sucks the enjoyment and fun out of things. So take the time to find out how the extracurricular activity is run before you make a final decision about it.

There's no magic formula to tell us exactly what our kids should be involved in, but I think, by remembering these few tips, we can take a lot of the stress out of the decision. Most of all, we want to provide enjoyable, enriching experiences that our kids will learn from and remember far into the future.