Are you on the go continuously? Do your kids have activities scheduled several days a week?
I remember wondering if I would damage my child's potential if she didn't play on the select basketball team. As it turned out, she didn't pursue basketball beyond high school.
But parents feel those pressures:
- if I don't get him started in baseball now, he'll be behind his peers
- she is so talented in singing, I don't want to squelch her desire
- he wants to take art lessons, so why not?
- it's much easier for a child to learn a foreign language - an hour of Spanish lessons a week couldn't hurt.
I remember one of my daughters asking if we could reduce the number of activities (all were her choices) so she could have time to play. Argh! Her older sister liked to be active all the time, but she needed some space.
So another piece to this juggling act is to know your child, know yourself and know what you and your family can handle. Don't be afraid not to have your child enrolled in all the activities your friends' children are enrolled in. Don't be afraid to say no.
It is much more peaceful to give your child and yourself some space rather than overscheduling your child, and therefore, yourself.
More on discernment:
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