Why Are Kids So Busy? For some families, kids may be driving the schedule because they dont want to feel left out. Teens may feel pressure to boost their roster of activities to get into the college of their choice. Some parents feel its more productive to keep their kids constantly occupied rather leave free time for playing, exploring, and learning on their own. They might also feel that their kids will miss out on key experiences if they arent doing what other kids are. But most parents usually just want what seems best for their kids. Even when intentions are good, though, kids can easily become overscheduled. The pressure to participate in a handful of activities all the time and to keep up can be physically and emotionally exhausting for parents and kids alike. Of course, organized activities and sports are beneficial, too. They foster social skills and are opportunities for play and exercise. They teach sportsmanship, self-discipline, and conflict resolution. Most of all, theyre fun! The key is to keep them that way and ensure that kids — and parents — arent overwhelmed. Signs That Kids Are Too Busy Sooner or later, kids who are too busy will begin to show signs. Every child is different, but overscheduled kids may: feel tired, anxious, or depressed complain of headaches and stomachaches, which may be due to stress, missed meals, or lack of sleep fall behind on their schoolwork, causing their grades to drop Overscheduling can also take a toll on kids friendships and social lives. Family life also can suffer — when one parent is driving to basketball practice and the other is carpooling to dance class, meals are missed. As a result, some families rarely eat dinner together, and may not take the extra time to stay connected. Plus, the weekly grind of driving kids all over the place and getting to one class, game, or practice after another can be downright tiresome and stressful for parents.
Posted on: Fri, 17 Jan 2014 07:00:01 +0000