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Extracurricular Activities
Get Your Child Involved
By Kimberly Austin
"playing t-ball"> Sometimes, two extracurricular activities plus a sport can be a strain on a child. To make sure there is no strain, parents should sit down with their children to map out a schedule. "Children shouldn't be involved in extracurricular activities more than six to nine hours a week," Bergstrom recommends. "Remember to figure in time for school, homework and play time."
Ramirez did exactly that. "I think it's important to stand back and take a look at each child's schedule and evaluate how they are doing. If they are in several activities and are managing to keep up with school work and do not seem tired, then it's fine."
Because her oldest child was only in kindergarten last year, Ramirez may reduce the number of activities depending on how her daughter's first grade year goes. Time will have to be managed carefully, and that is a difficult concept for children to grasp. "But, parents can walk their children through each day the night before," Bergstrom says, noting that she typically recommends no more than two scheduled activities a week.
Parents should make sure that children are not involved in activities for the wrong reasons. "I talked to one little girl who said she was in a particular activity because everyone else on the block was," Bergstrom says. Doing an activity she does not feel good about does not helping your child gain self-confidence. If your child is not interested in extracurricular activities, that's OK, "as long as she's not watching TV instead of joining an activity. "
To get your child involved in activities outside of school, try calling community centers, talking to other parents, writing national organizations, local theater and dance studios and the Boy and Girl Scouts. With all the options available these days, your child should be able to find an activity he enjoys
