Extra-Curricular Activities: Keeping A Healthy Balance

As the leaves begin to shift into another season, so do the lives of those who become actively involved during the school year.  Merely if not all seven days of the week are filled on the calendar from early fall until late spring. If you are a shuttle bus mom, or even dad, you understand just how hectic life can be from picking up one kiddo to dropping off the other or even keeping the schedule straight about which game or location you are to attend. Yet in the midst of all of the chaos, it is extremely important to maintain a healthy balance between what is important and what is merely temporary.

Does your family rarely see each other outside of a soccer or football field? Does nightly dinner typically come from a concession stand or take-out? Or maybe you have noticed that your child has become more irritable, fatigued, or just plain warn down. If you answered yes to any of the questions above then maybe it is time to take a second glance at that calendar.

Begin by listing out all of your family’s activities. Once the list is created, ask your child/ren why they are participating in that activity. Do they still enjoy being involved or is it no longer of an interest to them? If the answer is implying a “no” consider taking a break from that activity. Even Jesus knew the importance of refreshing his mind, body, and soul. “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. “(Luke 6:12)

Taking a break to spend more time together as a family is a healthy choice.

Everyone knows that time is a treasured commodity and it is irreplaceable. Therefore, choosing to step down momentarily is a great way to encourage a family to become reacquainted with one another.

For those whose schedule is limited in change, consider trying to maintain some type of consistency with the family. Whether it is something as simple as eating a meal together, or sitting down to catch up without using technology, it is important to keep the same meeting time to establish a healthy structured routine.

Although activities are a great way to encourage social interactions, establish a sense of competition, develop friendships and a work mentality, it is important to do your best maintaining a healthy balance. Think of a teeter-totter. If one person is heavier than the other, the game becomes out of synch. If a family becomes too heavily focused on extra curricular activities, the family structure becomes unbalanced leaving you with kids who are unhappy, unhealthy, and no longer have a desire to become involved in activities outside of school.

By reevaluating your family’s level of involvement, you are sending a message to your kiddos, which shows how much you care about their well-being and the health of your family.