02 Jul The (Good?) Old Days – Part IX: Over-Programmed Kids

Today’s kids have so many awesome activities. Sports, music, dance, drama, more sports, and oh yeah school and family time. If your kid isn’t signed up for everything, they will get left behind. Then many families add extra tutoring to give their child a special edge academically. And in high school it continues when you add tons of homework and studying to the mix. My now grown daughter used to be up regularly until well after midnight just getting her work done and then getting up at 6 to get to school. When do they get to be kids?

When we were growing up, maybe we had Little League on the weekends. Maybe we had an hour or two of homework and practicing an instrument for 30 minutes. But that left free time. Yes, free time. Most days we would come home from school and head right outside to play. Yes, to play. Sometimes we would lay on the grass, stare into the sky and wonder about things. I would read books for pleasure. Enjoy great music. We didn’t usually sit in front of the TV. Are we as well-rounded and skilled as kids today heading to college? Maybe not. But we seemed to turn out ok. Well most of us anyway! And we’re pretty well adjusted and at least back then we were less stressed than today’s youngsters.

When my daughter was having a big party on a Saturday night, a friend’s mom said the friend couldn’t come. Why? Because she has to practice violin. My daughter said, you don’t understand, it’s Saturday night at 8pm. The mom said, yes, she has to practice 8 hours a day and so she couldn’t go. So maybe somewhere in the middle is the answer? Even if that means programming the play and/or down time. High schoolers especially need a break. Let’s see if we can start that movement! Here, I think, not so much better today.