Balance or burnout? How busy schedules impact kids
The University of Kentucky Public Relations and Strategic Communications Office provides a weekly health column available for use and reprint by news media. This week’s column is by Angela Houchin, M.D., pediatrician at Kentucky Children’s Hospital.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 14, 2024) – Your child has dance class on Monday, soccer on Tuesday, scouts on Wednesday… and the calendar goes on and on. These days, there are so many activities and experiences available to children and you want them to have the opportunity to try different things. They learn valuable motor skills, make friends, and experience new things in a fun, structured environment. It’s true that exposure to different experiences can be very enriching, but too many activities can be too much of a good thing.
Enrolling your child in too many activities can deprive them of one of the most valuable experiences of childhood — time to just be a kid. Children that spend every evening after school traveling from dance class to baseball practice to a music lesson have limited time for unstructured play. These activities have defined rules, instructions and outcomes and no opportunity for creative, innovative thinking and problem-solving. Having a few evenings a week of downtime — NOT screen time — allows them to engage in self-directed exploration and discovery, vital to emotional and cognitive development.
Overscheduled kids tend to be more anxious and stressed. They may feel the weight of expectations and pressure to do well. It’s understandable that parents and caregivers want their children to succeed and feel that exposure to different activities gives them a competitive edge. But if your child isn’t naturally good at soccer or just doesn’t enjoy it, while competing alongside kids who excel, it can impact their confidence and self-esteem. If your child tells you they genuinely don’t enjoy an activity, don’t make them stick it out. Instead, let them focus on the activities they do enjoy.
The whole family can feel the impact of a too-packed schedule. The convenience of fast-food meals on the go is not only detrimental to physical health but deprives everyone of valuable family time. Spending time together as a family is beneficial to your child’s emotional well-being, mental health and confidence. Take a family walk after dinner or play a board game but be sure to model a positive work-life balance. If you want your kids to relax and enjoy their downtime with you, try putting down the phone, turning off the TV and just living in the moment. The whole family will be healthier for it.
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