Page 34 - Demo
P. 34


                                    34 alaska parent fall 2025 AlaskaParent.comSchool mornings are busy, but an experienced mom knows the real rush is after school, when the evening is packed with extracurricular activities. One child has scouts, another has piano lessons, and two have soccer practice on the opposite sides of town. As a mom of six, I have survived busy weeks full of extracurricular activities and a calendar that can only be described as complicated. Whether you have two or 10 kids, here are some tips from a mom with a busy family:Limit ActivitiesThe best way to keep your calendar from getting too full is not to fill it. Try cutting back on the activities you allow your child to sign up for. Time at practice can be reduced by allowing kids only one sport per season. However, sports aren%u2019t the only activity that can take up a lot of time. Theater, music, scouts, and dance can also fill your free time. If your child has an interest in both sports and the arts, try allowing one sport and one other activity at a time. Limiting activities will leave more time for rest and time at home.Tag TeamWhen multiple kids%u2019 activities conflict, split up the time. Have one parent take a child to a birthday party while the other attends a ball game for another child. Use the help of others, particularly for practices and rehearsals. Set up a carpool with other families and take turns giving kids rides to and from to limit your time in the car. Don%u2019t feel guilty if you cannot be at every single event. If you miss one here or there, you can attend next time. Your child will not remember if you were at every game, just that you made the effort to be there the majority of the time. Command CenterA carefully maintained family calendar is key to keeping everyone organized and where they need to be on time. Some families like to have a large calendar in a central location in the home, like a command center. Others may like to use technology to track their comings and goings. Each family will find what method works best for them. The important part is that it is accurate and up-to-date.Extracurricular ActivitiesBy Sarah LyonsHow to Juggle
                                
   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38