As kids, teens, and college students head back to school, each family will be challenged to choose the right activities for them. Every parent and caregiver wants to give their children the best that life has to offer, so it’s easy to become overwhelmed when looking at the choices of extracurricular activities. Can you really squeeze in another piano lesson in between school, volleyball practice, robotics club, and parish youth group?
The truth is that no one can give you an exact number of activities for your specific situation. “Balance” is going to look different for every person and every family. Here are some tips to help you discern which activities will create balance and peace for your family, which activities will be a worthwhile challenge, and which ones should be left behind.
1. Start with spirituality and work backwards. On your calendar plug in 20 minutes of prayer time each morning for every family member. That may seem like a lot in an already rushed morning routine, but it’s absolutely necessary. For a young child this might look like coloring religious pictures, reading a Bible picture book, or listening to scripture set to song. The older ones can read scripture or choose a devotional book, or you could pray the Rosary together as a family. Twenty minutes in the morning dedicated to God will help your child (and the whole family) prepare for the busy day ahead. Many times in life we don’t actually need to cut activities so much as we need to add mindful prayer time so we can handle all the activities. Overwhelming? Start with 10 minutes and work your way up.
2. Carpool, carpool, carpool. This isn’t a new idea, but I wanted to affirm what you already know: there is a lot of grace in carpooling! Not only does it make it easier to get everyone where they need to be on time, but it provides an opportunity to pour love into your child’s friends. Get some Christian music, audio Bible, or saint stories in the car for when it’s your turn to drive.
3. Be brutally honest with yourself. You may have loved horseback riding while growing up, but are the competitions always on Sundays, even Easter weekend? Picture your child as an adult- is it more important that they attend Mass and love the Lord, or that they had horseback riding lessons? Although you cannot guarantee that your child will remain Catholic, you have a great deal of responsibility in fostering their relationship with Jesus. Ask God for wisdom regarding which activities will build your family’s faith life. It may be possible to do all the extracurriculars and develop a strong relationship with God. But if you feel you need to cut beloved sports, arts, or other activities, BE BRAVE. Also remember to always be truthful with your children. Don’t blame anyone else for cutting an activity. Be honest with your child about why you felt that activity was something that had to be left behind this year. In the long run, if you are honest with them and make it clear that you have their best interest at heart, they will understand and be all the better for it.