Avoid Overworking Your Child in After School Activities

Should you have your child attend dance class practice five days a week? Are 2 days a week enough practice? If you have these concerns, you are not alone. Many parents are confused as to how much time their child has to devote to a certain activity. If they participate in an activity too much, it may affect other parts of their life like sleeping and schoolwork. If they do not get enough of an activity they may not reap the rewards a certain program has to offer. So how do you go about making sure you have just the right mix for your child? We have put together a simple guide based on the grade level of your child.

For Kindergartens, children are just learning to interact and feel what is it like to be around other people. Some may be intimidated or scared at first, so an after school activity should be kept minimal, simple, and carefree. Only one or two classes are required at the most for a child at this level of learning. Once the child is adapted and more comfortable, you can seek other activities like a singing or music class.

First graders can also stay with one or two activities per week. Playground visits are excellent ways to get your child to start socializing with others. Try to avoid sports at this level, and children at this level are too young to worry about competition.

At a second grade level, your child is old enough to decide what activities they would like to participate in. Try to guide them into something they like. Sports, swimming, singing, and computer classes are excellent choices. Do not forget to allow your child to have time for themselves, so doing an activity more than three times a week may prove to be too much.

A third grader will start to develop more socialization skills. With that being said, engaging in a team sport or group activity would be a great choice. Again, something meeting more than three times a week may not be the best choice, but that is something that you must discuss with your child.

The fourth grade is where the child will let me you know he/she likes. They will want to get involved in different activities and things that will boost their self-esteem and confidence. At this level they will want to learn other things, but do not be afraid to give them a push in the right direction. At a fourth grade level, schoolwork tends to be harder and more homework assignments will be given. It is essential to keep a proper balance of schoolwork and any activities he/she is participating in.

During a fifth grade level, children tend to feel more mature and will want to do many things. It is important to properly supervise your children at this age as their curiosity may get the best of them. An excellent idea at this stage would be to get your child to volunteer at your local community center or the YMCA.

The last of a child's young school years will be during middle school. Try to keep them away from the television and get them engaging in academic and learning programs. Programs like chess club, Boy/Girl Scout program, and computer clubs will get them to expand their knowledge and think to their full potential. Middle school school will get the children working harder and learning more, so try to limit extra activity to no more than 20 hours per week. Also, keep an eye out for fatigue or stress from your child.

Remember, this is simple guideline for following when figuring out how much time to devote to an activity. Every child may be slightly different and learn at different rates. As a parent, it is your job to observe and base your decisions by communicating with your child.