disorganized by organized activities

Cara and I are both joiners. Do you want to know what happens to joiners? They tend to breed joiners. We apparently project that desire to be with people and do things all the time onto our wee ones. Case in point: when my son was 5 months old, I did what every other "joiner" does and signed him up for music class. Don't laugh because I bet about half of you out there did it, too. Right? Of course music class wasn't for him, it was for me and other crazy joiner moms like myself. I spent more time running after him than actually participating, but that's another story.

Enter Baby #2. I went to a trial class for Little Gym and within about 2 seconds realized God was rolling his eyes at me as I tried to manage my 18-month old in a class of 2-3 year olds with 2-month old in Baby Bjorn. It was a sight to see I'm sure. I cried later that night. We didn't set foot inside a class for almost 2 years. Fast forward a few years and my afternoons are now filled with gymnastics, ballet, chess, swim and sports. (No, not all in the same week.) My kids ask to be signed up for this and that and a-signing-we-do-go.

The problem when your Bunch gets to be a bit older is that somehow the classes hardly ever seem to overlap or welcome younger ones. For a very brief period (last year), I could get both my kids into the 3-5 age group for camps and classes. It was awesome. Now that my oldest is almost 6 and almost 5, I've been royally screwed this year. (Tip: class organizers are not Baby Bunchers!) No one's activities start at the same time or overlap very much. Which means we do lots of coloring while we wait and lots of explaining why so-and-so can't go to their class at the same time.

Spring class registration started last week, and I decided to heed my own advice. I signed my kids up for a swim class that meets at the exact same time one afternoon. (I don't consider swim an organized activity--it's a life skill.) The rest of the spring we're going to enjoy the great outdoors and just let them play. No more driving to and from and waiting for one to finish while entertaining the other. I'm tired of feeling disorganized by activities.

We want to offer our kids an array of opportunities. Mine talk about violin, piano, ballet, gymnastics, karate, etc. I have to keep in mind how young they are and that there is plenty of time to do these things as they get older. 

If you're going to do classes with your Bunch, here are a few words of advice:

-- Assess why you want to sign your children for classes. Is it for you to meet people? Is it for your kids to socialize? Is it to give them the experience of something new? If it's for you to meet people, a playgroup where everyone can play might be easier and less stress. If it's for your kids to socialize, unless you're homeschooling or opting out, you're probably already getting this at preschool. I'm guessing a playgroup would still give you this socialization. If it's to give them something to do, I'm 99% sure they'd be just as happy to run around a playground with some friends. 

-- Do classes at good times for your kids. Think about when your kids eat and when they're tired. If your baby naps during the time of the ballet class for your toddler, seriously, think about it before you drag him/her out of bed for your 3-year old to skip around a ballet studio or play with balls. 

-- Find classes that are accommodating to siblings. Many classes will allow a sibling to attend for half the price or be open to having little kids sit there as well. If they're not welcoming to your situation, find a different class. You don't need the stress.

I wish we could offer some great advice for managing all of this. We can't. Someday someone will figure out how many of us there are and schedule things like a Mommy & Me music class right next door to the toddler ballet class. But I have yet to find anything like this, let us know if you have.

 

Comments

[Susan Smock]

I love this post! It is so true that class organizers are not baby bunchers. Drives me nuts! When I just had one child (for 8 years), I would just change his date of birth if I wanted him to be in the same class as a friend of his (just five months older than him but one grade ahead due to the school calendar.) That is harder to do when my two little ones have the same last name. I was just thinking the other day how I could change one child's birthday so they could both be in the same vacation bible school class next year ... and then I thought ... I would by lying on a church document!! Oh well. Guess those years where it doesn't line up for us will be great reminders to take a break from various activities!

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