How Do You Find Time for Kids' Extracurricular Classes When You Work FT?

We are selective on what they sign up for...no more than one sport per season and Scouts was year round. Once they are on school teams (like Jr High and above) the sports become more time consuming so even if you think you can handle it now it will spiral if you are not careful. We were active in his activities so we had family time then too.

You know what M.---I don't! This is at the bottom of my priority list. My child is socialized at school and in the evenings family time is more important to me. The weekends we spend hanging out and doing more family stuff like bike riding, fishing, and just walks around the neighborhood. I like not having a scheduled weekend with a million practices, games, classes, etc....Kids are way over-burdened these days with a million activities IMHO. What's the rush? Spending real time together as a family is invaluable so stop beating yourself up! Sports and all that can wait!

Well, can he take them to classes after school?

Or, find something the kids can take, that occurs on weekends.

My daughter, takes Karate.. She is 7. The class is twice a week, weekdays, in the evening. So, for me, that is enough 'classes' after school. I don't want to over-schedule her... and homework and family time is important too.
If she does not do homework... she does not go to Karate.
So, she has learned time management and responsibility that way. Because she LOVES her Karate classes.

My son is just turned 4, but he is not in any 'classes.'

For my friends who are working Moms.... their kids take classes on the weekends. So weekends are busy. But "you" are the one's that decides how many classes they take and how much time that will take up, in your lives, on weekends.
And during the week, their kids are in the after-school care programs... where the working parents pick up their kids at about 5:00pm, and the schools also have some after school classes kids can sign up for...on campus. So, try looking into that too, as an option.

all the best,
Susan

Its hard. We did classes between dinner and homework, and luckily they had some on the weekends too. I would try to find something that was close to home and meets only 1x a week. That way they could practice at home during the week, but you aren't living out of your car.

M.

Hi, M. - I have to agree with Susan from Hawaii. When I was a FT working mom I worked 60-80hrs per week. My husband worked less but would not be able to get the kids until normally 5:45pm. There were moments when I felt guilty that we could not chauffeur them around to all the activities they would like to try but we also had to say "what works for our family?"

That meant limited activities - even now that I am at home. My kids need routine along with activity. Even though they would love to be trying 50million things, doesn't mean that is what is best for them - they get overwhelmed emotionally with too many things as well.

We now have karate 2 evenings per week. Then they may have 1 additional activity w/ 1 practice during the week and the activity/game on Saturday. No more than that.

Despite what you see and hear from some other families - your kids will not die if they are not in 50 activities per week. They can still grow up to be well rounded kids with enough things on their resume to get into a good college as well. As they get older, what you can get them to, etc will change and they will be able to take more charge of their activities too.

Family time and dinner together is more important!

Good luck! T.

I'm lucky b/c I work PT and my hubby is usually home from his job by 2, but FT working moms I know still do activities b/c they are in the evening. Soccer here is usually O. practice per week on a weeknight at 6:30 ish and O. game on Saturday.
My FT working niece takes her son to martial arts which is O. evening per week.
O. of my BF's works FT and leaves work, has her son's football practice gear packed, as well as a good snack and takes him directly from daycare to football practice 5 days per week! I think she's nuts but he REALLY wants to do it and loves playing football.
My DH is managing a fall baseball team (7-8 yo) this year and all weekday games and practices are 6:00 p.m. or later.
I believe there are gymnastics classes in the evening, too. True, it won't be a sit down dinner that night, most likely. My son does his homework after school (after a chill out and a snack!) so that works out well for us.

Just saying--the activities are out there if you want them--it's not for everyone, though. I have to bust a move to get to his weeknight games by 6 on the days I work. When my son does two sports in a season, it's nuts--sometimes 4 nights per week and a Saturday game (or two!).

Does your husband have a changing schedule also? If he has a set schedule, maybe you could find a class that he would always be able to bring them to... something on a Saturday seems reasonable so you still have your weekday evenings together as a family.

When I was working full time (before kids) I had to work a flexible schedule and it was tough because I felt like I was always missing out on things. When people asked me if I could come to so and so event I would always have to say maybe, depends if I have to work. It stinks sometimes, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

The lady I work with leaves work at 330, does her things with her kids and then logs back onto work at 7 and works again til 9. I know that is a HUGE Pain because she feels like she works ALL THE TIME. Have you thought about going to 3/4 of a shift vs full time. Like work 9 or 10 hour shifts vs 12?
Is it possible to get with another mom in your kids class and have them bring your kids to the practice? Daddy, could pick all the kids up at 530..so its like a win/win
Sorry, I wish I had some miracle answer that would make everything better. I am planning on downsizing my work time to be with my family once my little one is in school. After all whats the point of working if you cant enjoy being with your family.

Weekends for mine. That's all I've got.

My husband and i work full time and we have a 4 year old daughter and 8 month old son. I aim for things for her that are short lived (6 weeks or 8 weeks as opposed to a year) and I try to have them be on the weekend and under an hour of time devotion.

I know my famiy's limits and I have no qualms about pulling her from a class if she does not enjoy it or if it is not working for us. I also try to find things that coincide with what I am doing. I go a Boot Camp workout class one night a week for 45 minutes at a Sports Complex by me and i take my daughter with me. I get to exercise, she gets to run around and jump in a bounce house the whole time for $2.00 and my husband gets a break only having to watch 1 kid. She feels like it is extracurricular and it has worked out a lot better than a strict schedule or class.

My 5 year old takes Tae Kwon Do twice a week, whatever times and days we pick. So that is nice. My daughter does dance, and this year will take 3 classes...so she will go from a full day at school to 2.5 hours of dance, and then home to bed. My youngest will start a 3 year old Tae Kwon Do class, but since that is in the mornings, my mom will have to take him. We just make sure they are happy with what they are doing. If it gets to be too much, we pull back. OH! My 5 year old is starting flag football again. meeting on Thursday so we'll find out. I preplan all meals, and luckily at school we get homework on Monday's and its all due on Friday. So we do it when we have time. We'll see how this works out, but just preplan as much as possible...and make sure you kids know that plan .I think it's really important for them to be involved in something :o).

In our area... k-6 activities don't usually start until 530. Many at 630 or 730.

I've lived in other areas where things start earlier, but here, most families are dual-income, so the extracurriculars have things set up to start after daycare lets out. Which, imo, is LATE. But it works especially well for the public school kids, since most of the elementary schools round these parts don't let out until 330-430, which means, even if there's a SAHP, you can't go anywhere until evening.