How many activities do you have your children involved in?

Question

My wife and I have three young children. Two boys and a girl.

I think we are entering "activity" overload. It has become so that on weekdays from the time I get off work till bed we are in juggle mode. Dance, Karate, pewee football, soccer, church group cubbies, gymnastics.
Have any of you other parents figured out where to draw the line.

Answer 1

When you hit overload, it's too much. And don't forget about your own personal time. You need that, too. Just because you are a parent doesn't mean you stop needing your own thing to do.
My fiance has three kids, every other weekend and every other Wed for a couple hours I have four kids, two don't live with me and two live with me during the week. They do two swimming sessions a year, twice a week, and soccer in the spring, twice a week.
My fiance teaches martial arts twice a week and I take a Judo class twice a week. He works full time M-F and I work full time tha tincludes at least two weekends a month.
We're busy, too, but we have set time aside not only for ourselves, but for each other, and still have time for the children.
Not only does overload affect you, but too much of a good thing and your children may also suffer burn-out.

Answer 2

My children are only allowed one activity at a time but, they are not allowed to quit once they start...no matter how much they decided they did not like the activity. They are taught perseverence and to never quit that way and I am never on overload.

Answer 3

my girls now 16 and 15 have always been very active...swimming, taekwondo, dance, baseball, their entire life...I had a few limits I stuck to, they went to bed early....we had one night each week we did not do anything at all but be home....if on any other given night they seemed tired to me, i kept them home even if they objected, and i still need to intervien on occasion...I take it day by day....during particular times of a sports season things get tough, states, nationals...etc....but we gut it out and show each other alot of patience....But I can tell you now I have no regrets whatsoever....I have one child with a license and I gave her a car(and I am far from rich, widow 14 yrs) but she has a life...a healthy,full,independent life and shortly I will be buying a car for the next one becuase she also has a life...a healthy,full,independent life....both my daughters work and manage to schedule it into their lives pretty comfortably...honor students, college bound.....and I know its because of their early childhood.....and I was running around for two....and still i have no regrets, there were times i would bring one to a meet and sleep in the car.....and still i have no regrets