It's important to me that my children have all of the experiences they want and to try different activities as they grow. A schedule can fill quickly when you have three children, especially if any of their interests require more than one class per week. Even harder is the issue of when those classes happen. If they all fall on one day, it can be exhausting.
Chase and Marina both took ballet when they were seven and ten. They were just far enough apart in age that they were in separate one hour classes, first one class, then the other. I didn't think this would be a problem. I was saving time since I would not need to travel between classes. I could hang out in the waiting area for the two hours and work on subjects with one child while the other was in class. I did not anticipate the energy of then toddler Sierra, who would need to be followed so she wouldn't dismantle the dance shop. I also didn't think about the distraction of other mothers in the waiting room. It was a close, bustling, noisy place to try to set up a child for a lesson. By the time the second class ended, I was completely depleted of energy. When recital time came, I would spend extra time there and at the performance space for rehearsals. Let's not forget that performance always happened in May, already a busy month for me with all of their birthdays.
And have I learned the lesson of over-scheduling? Yes and no. I know my own limits, but with one child in college, I no longer have complete control over the schedule. Marina is finishing up her Associate's Degree this spring and summer. Aside from birthdays and Mothers' Day, we have already added her award ceremony and graduation to our schedule. She is driving now, but it doesn't change how many cars we have to work with, or the fact that she is still nervous about trying to drive solo. (I'm hoping continued practice will make her more confident.) Chase and Sierra are taking classes that won't end until the first week of May. I feel guilty that I don't do as much with my youngest as I did with her siblings, but I have to weigh that against my own limits and my responsibility to myself. I remind myself that a tired sick mom with a nervous breakdown would not be good for my family.
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2 comments:
HUGS. You're a superwoman - just remember to make some Cristina time in there too!
I agree with Kez. Schedule some quiet time for you! Love, Mom
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