Are lots of activities helping your child?

Here is a deep thought provoking question to consider.
Every parent wants the best for their child and with so much choice out there in today’s time, what’s best.
Have you thought deeply to why you join your child up to so many activities throughout the week?
If you’re signing up to different classes, are you competing with the neighbours?
Or are you looking at what the values of those classes do.
If your child isn’t learning then it’s just babysitting.

Children love excitement and making new friends which is why so many times children often ask to join so many activities because their friend does something new. We’ve heard the saying before “the shine is off the apple” meaning that its lost its first initial excitement, its freshness, its just an apple.

The hardest lessons for children to learn is perseverance and dealing with failure. Many times when something become a challenge and it requires effort to keep trying and never give up is when children are no longer interested in that activity. It’s because some of the fun element is gone.
Children need challenges as they help them grow. I’m sure you’ve all had a “Why did you do that? jump of the wall” moment. Well it is because they wanted a challenge to see if they could do it!

It’s very important that children get regular exercise; it helps with stress levels, learning and weight control. Any activity that delivers a good 30-40minutes of constant cardio is very good.

Now ask yourself is exercise the only quality you are looking for out of an activity?

Because local parks are free. Family walks together are free. Kicking a ball about, going for a family bike ride and many others provide exercise at no cost. Lots of activities can even be done as a family group.

Or are you looking for something more?

Are you looking for help with enforcing your core values athome; discipline, respect, manners.

How about help with motor functions, balance and coordination, muscle strength.

What about building self-esteem, self worth, anger management, dealing with frustrations, socializing.

I hear many parents talk about how they are run off their feet with so many activities to drop off, pick up from.
I’m not saying doing loads of different classes is wrong; simply look at what your child is learning. You’ll find the more expensive the class the more focus there is on learning a skill.

What skills do you want your child to have?
Look at class sizes and at what is being taught.

I talked early on that the class may simply be babysitting. If you are paying around £3 a class to just drop off your child and the room has around 20 children or more all running around or waiting for attention from the teacher, then more likely than not it is just babysitting, keeping your child occupied for the hour while you have a little time to yourself.
There is nothing wrong with you time! Parents do an amazing job. However just think is that what you want or would you rather have some you time while your child learns valuable skills to help become the best version of themselves.