Category: Kids activities
Posted by Jerry Brown on Tue, Jul 28, 2009 at 12:58 PMMy kids' activity schedules are killing me!
When I was growing up, my brother and I seemed to have pretty balanced lives. I remember us riding our bikes in the summer with friends, hanging out at the park across the street from our house, going for the once-a-summer zoo or museum trip and a few other activities. Our parents didn't stress out about keeping us busy or safe, they just let us be kids and have fun.
Now that I'm a parent, things seem to have changed drastically. I constantly worry about predators at parks, stores, the Internet and even Little League. If my kids watch too much television, I make them turn it off and read a book or play in our backyard. Play dates with the kids of other like-minded friends seem to dominate the way our kids get to socialize. Last but not least, my kids' activity schedules are killing me. These activities seem to be every day and so structured that not even my linear brain can stand the tightness.
I often wonder if when my kids become adults, will they look back and think about their fun childhood memories or will they think, "Man, I'm glad to be an adult because those childhood activity schedules were killing me"? For example, when did going to the zoo more than a dozen times per summer become the norm? How about a week including the splash park, the zoo, a museum, gymnastics, baseball practice, rollerskating, a birthday party and cheerleading camp? After all of this "fun" they haven't even seen a next-door neighbor kid in a week.
I need help from those of you out there who are much smarter than I. Someone out there has the formula (or lack there of) that will help me get out of this summer rat race. I hope you are having a great summer; I'm out of breath.
