For all my moaning about them, I have noticed something is missing from this family’s life. It’s the result of the Christmas holiday season.
I’ll tell you what it is. It’s the absence of extra curricular clubs and activities.
Yes, yes, I know. On more than one occasion I have written blog posts bemoaning the constant travelling, the cost, the rushing around to get to them on time, not to mention how tiring I find organising them all.
Now we’ve reached the end of the school term, however, I’ve noticed the kids getting a bit fidgety. There are more disagreements between them and I am having to find more activities to fill their time.
I’ve also found myself getting a little liberal about screen time. I hate getting liberal about screen time.
If it were the summer holidays, things would be different. I’d be able to throw open the back doors to the house and say “do your worst in the garden.”
Not too surprisingly, the kids aren’t keen to play in our quagmire of a garden. As a responsible father, I’m also not too keen to let them play outside in the dark. You know, it’s best to use trampolines and swings when you can actually see what’s going on.
There are a few different things at play here. Both my girls get on really well with their various clubs and activities. Both recently attained their karate red belt, Helen is a great gymnast and Izzy loves swimming.
I miss watching them and seeing them progress at their various activities. It’s great to have them tell you about a great lesson they’ve just had.
A fringe benefit, especially with the karate lessons and swimming, is that the kids burn off loads of energy. I find bed time is a smoother experience after they’ve taken part in a club or activity.
Of course I say all this now, but in January it’s all going to change. For the first time in years I’ve just reclaimed my Saturdays as neither child will have an activity in the mornings.
Instead, however, activities will be going on three week day evenings. The weekend may get easier, but week days will get more demanding. You can expect a blog post in January complaining about the new order of things!
How is it in your household? Do you notice the lack of after school activities? Do you miss them or are you dancing round the house, delighted that you have your evenings back?
4 thoughts on “Extra curricular clubs; please come back, all is forgiven!”
I can so relate to this! I curse the activities all term – the constant driving, the juggling mealtimes, the cost… Then it gets to the holidays and the days seem a bit long and boring without them. My daughter is lost without her dance classes (thank goodness she’s in panto!). I’ll be ready to have them back in our lives come January – and somehow we’ve ended up with a couple of extra ballet classes in the equation!
We only have tennis after school, the rest of the time he’s in after school club. And Saturday’s are swimming lessons. But it’s fairly straightforward and swimming was 9am so we were out and off wherever before 10. Next term he’s moved up a class though to o.30 and that will throw things out a bit.
Luckily during the hols N spends most of his time out on the farm working so I have a lonely time doing my own thing. Sounds bliss but really is boring because I can’t do much in case he wants to come in at all
We’ve been pretty lucky in that our eldest’s toddler classes are still running this week with the exception of his ski lessons. That said, I’m not too surprised as the school that I teach in doesn’t break up until this Friday, so it seems that this little corner of the UK has forgotten Christmas is around the corner. In fact I’m currently on one of two coaches taking 90 kids to London for a theatre visit. Although I hate screen time, I’d kill for some right now haha.
Hope your trip to London was a success. I think all the schools have forgotten Christmas ot a degree as this holiday is so short.