In our culture (my midwest, hardworking, high achieving, head down and work kind of town) it is very important to have your children enrolled in activities that are going to “enrich” them or help them “advance”. That’s not my style. I don’t like to be running in 5 different directions. I have 3 kids already…when would we ever see each other if they were all involved in these “enriching” activities?
Our family has decided that even though it goes against what people in our area do–we won’t be putting them in tons of youth sports, music lessons, even church extracurriculars. We value our time together, and we value the sweet spot we hit as a family when our schedule is right.
To be honest, our oldest goes to Pre-K 3 days per week. He has one half hour piano lesson per week. That is almost more than I am comfortable with already! So much shuffling and driving and waiting. But, with these two comittments he has been blessed like a crazy man. He has the world’s best preschool teacher–and his piano teacher happens to be his great-grandma. I think we do piano more for the relationship than the music skills. ;)
This does make me feel a bit guilty sometimes–what if he is awful at sports because we didn’t start him in travel soccer at age 5? When everyone else around you is doing something as if there was never a question otherwise–it can be uncomfortable to be the one challenging the status-quo.
I find that I bump up against that role a lot in my life. I’m a question-asker, a challenger, and a seeker. I want to make sure what we’re doing is worth it for us. And, that’s why we give up the good thing of most youth activities. We may have a kindergartner with an awesome resume–but he’d be miserable for a lack of margin.
What do you give up that is good, but not good for YOU? Link up with Jessi and I below in our new weekly Thursday link up! If you link on one of our blogs–it will show up on both. I can’t wait to read and be inspired by your brave choices to “not”.
