After-school activities for kids are important. They provide a much-needed social outlet for kids outside of the classroom, an opportunity to try new skills and protection. Dr. Mary Rooney, for Child Mind Institute, explains, “The hour or two after school is the highest risk time for dangerous behaviors like substance abuse because it’s the largest chunk of time when kids are unmonitored.”
So, it makes sense that parents sign their children up for afterschool activities. However, planning and organizing your children’s after-school activities isn’t easy. We all know that mom who spends her entire afternoon shuttling her kids around from one activity to the next. Maybe it’s you! If you are tired of feeling like you live in your minivan, we’ve compiled this list of back-to-school tips for parents specifically for after-school activities.
Avoid Overscheduling
First things first, you must avoid overscheduling. Keep in mind that every family is different and will have different limits, but you need to decide how many activities your children may participate in before the season begins. Some families may only feel comfortable with each child having one afterschool activity (i.e., fall soccer) while another family may have one activity a day rule (i.e., Mondays are for dance, Tuesdays are for soccer, Wednesdays are for karate, etc.).
We love these questions Dr. Jerry Bubrick of Child Mind Institute uses for helping kids recognize overscheduling: “Can you still do your homework? Can you still get 8+ hours of sleep each night? Can you still be a part of your family? Can you still hang out with your friends? If the answer is ‘no’ to one or more of these, then it’s too much.”
Don’t Bite Off More Than You Can Chew
Next, don’t sign your child up for an afterschool activity that you know will be extremely difficult for your family to pull off. For example, if you cannot physically be in two places at once, you may have to choose one activity over another. Take a look at your calendar and your schedule before you agree to any afterschool activity.
Find a Carpool
One of the best back-to-school tips for moms we have is to find a carpool. GoKid has made it our mission to make your lives easier with our carpooling app. Afterschool activities are much easier to plan and organize when you carpool with other teams or activity parents. Plus, carpooling will help you solve the two-places-at-the-same-time issue.
Utilize a Family Calendar
Get everyone on the same page by having a family calendar in your home with all the afterschool activities noted. Then, use a calendar app and sync it with your spouse and older children. We identified some of the best planners for moms in this list of the Top 10 Best Apps for Moms in 2018.
Review the Week Ahead
Even though you have already created a family calendar, you still need to make a point to review the week ahead each Sunday. Sit down with your family and look over the calendar. Remind kids which afterschool activities are happening that week and the plans. This is also the time to discuss what days your kids will need to study and complete projects.
Have a Plan for Everything Else That Has to Be Done
Planning and organizing your children’s afterschool activities involves more than just signing up and scheduling carpools. It also means planning when kids will do their homework, what (and when) you will eat, and when laundry will get done. For example, if your child’s afterschool activity involves a uniform, you should have a plan for when it will be washed before it is needed.
Make Time to Be Together
Finally, don’t forget to organize a time to be together as a family. Life gets busy – especially when kids get involved in after-school activities. Include family time in your calendar and schedule it. Eat dinner, go on a hike, or watch a movie together. A little bit of quality time together each week adds up and makes a huge difference.
