Working Parents and After-School Activities

Written by Joy Emery

Want to get over that culture-induced guilt of not having your kids in every after-school activity available? Your children will survive in the world without being over-involved in after-school activities. What your kids most need is balance and time with you.

During the very first week of school we received two notices about possible after-school activities for our kids. This year, we have limited our after-school events in order to cut down on chaos and to have more family time with our kids.

After-school activities are great for kids. At some point in their lives kids need to be involved in team or individual sports, or other activities, in order to help them learn about teamwork and to help them develop and use their gifts and abilities. There is nothing wrong with after-school activities, unless they exhaust the family.

One child involved in one activity seems manageable, but take a family with two or three children, schedule one event for each child, and you have probably just taken a large chunk of time from your already-busy schedule. When you decide to sign your daughter up for an hour-long dance class twice a week and allow your son to play football, consider what that means to the homework schedule and your time on the road.

Make sure your kids understand that their homework and school activities must remain the top priority during the school year. Protect your child’s homework time and have some down time before bed each night. Kids need a little time to wind down and relax. They can become exhausted – just like adults do – when they stretch themselves until their energy reserves are depleted.

If you choose not to allow your child to be involved in after-school activities, don’t let others make you feel guilty. You know what is best for your family. There are certain seasons of life during which it is okay to take a step back from extra activities in order to give your children what they need at home.

If you decide to limit or eliminate organized after-school activities, think about how to make up for what your kids might miss by not participating. Spend time outside with your children when they arrive home from school. Teach them basic soccer skills or play an old-fashioned game of kickball. Find ways to help your children get their daily exercise and get experience in being part of a team. You don’t have to pay a fee, buy a uniform, and invest your time on the road in order to help your child develop these life skills.

Your backyard might become the neighborhood after-school hangout for children. You might even find that there are several parents in your neighborhood who would be willing to supervise a little organized play once a week in order for other parents to handle getting supper ready for their families. If the neighborhood works together, everybody benefits. Five parents taking one day a week for an hour or so gives you a chance to get supper ready and know that your kids are exercising and learning about teamwork.

Joy Emery is a former education minister and currently is a Christian Education Internet Producer for LifeWay.com. She lives with her husband, Chris, and three children in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee and serves in the adult Sunday School ministry at Hermitage Hills Baptist Church in Hermitage, Tennessee.

Share your thoughts with other readers:  Post Comments   Rate this Article