Moms of older school aged kids

Does it get easier to manage all of the activities that your kids do, especially if you are working full time?? Only my two older girls are school aged and I am already feeling stretched time-wise. My girls do a lot of activities (by their choice with our blessings) so we are running constantly. I am struggling to imagine what it will be like when my youngest starts having activities too, unless it gets easier somehow. Any words of wisdom??

Re: Moms of older school aged kids

The only way it has gotten easier for me is when there is a bus after school that takes my high schooler home.
Otherwise, it gets worse when there is no busses and you need to drop them off and pick them up at other times.

Re: Moms of older school aged kids

I think it depends on yours and your DHs work schedules. My friend and her DH work 7 to 3 so they can easily do after school chaueffering for 3 kids. I also think it depends on the academic workload.

Personally, I prioritize stress mgmt, eating a healthy home cooked dinner as a family, getting enough sleep and other well-being habits. I just think for my family they are more important than any extracurricular activity!

There is a way to balance though. Read up on overscheduling!

Re: Moms of older school aged kids

what ages are we talking about. By a certain age, depending on where you want hem to go with the activities, it may become too much. My DD is 10 (will be 11 in a few weeks.) She made a LIAC swim team in January and she has to be there times a week. We now do just that activity - no way we could add and get homework, family time and friend time with another activity. In the summers she goes to day camps and does other sports there. If they become serious about a sport it becomes a major commitment on the childs and the parents parts

Message edited 2/17/2015 3:58:21 PM.

Re: Moms of older school aged kids

I found, for us, it got easier because we became friendly with many families involved with my boys' sports and we all help each other out.

Re: Moms of older school aged kids

Thanks. A lot of the moms that I know have asked me if I am going to keep working now that the kids are older because they have told me it's so much harder once you need to bring them to activities and I think they are right. I keep hoping they will each focus in on one activity they enjoy...my 8 year old is in multiple dance classes, acting classes, Girl Scouts, and on a travel soccer team. And she wants to do singing lessons and piano lessons. I'm feeling exhausted for her but she loves to be busy and we're trying to help her find her passion, so we go with it. Add my 7 year olds activities in and I'm done! Nothing ever seems to line up time wise so it's constant back and forth!

Re: Moms of older school aged kids

Re: Moms of older school aged kids

Right now my oldest us 8. He has hip hop on Mondays. He has basketball practice two evenings and games on Saturday. He also has winter practices for travel soccer on Sundays. We're able to make it work right now, but I'm dreading my little one starting sports. We will have to start setting up carpools, because we won't be able to do it it on our own with our work schedules.