
I don't think anyone would advocate that a parent stay in the house with their kid 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Everyone would go insane, and eventually there would be nothing left to eat or drink.
That said, it's nutty to have your kid so scheduled that they feel like they have to do stuff each and every day. Too much activity can stress your kids out. Giving your child just one, single hour of downtime per day--as Laid-Off Dad aims for--is just not enough. In our household, entire mornings often disappear while Toddler in Chief wanders from his "parking lot" of matchbox cars, to his bin of books, to squat by the window and marvel at the squirrel nibbling on a nut, or to wait for the next airplane to glide by in the distance.
Waiting, sitting, observing the world at a slow pace is a wonderful skill that I hope TIC has the luxury to hone throughout his lifetime. Being able to sit back and enjoy the world around us is a dying art, especially when we live so quickly that we can't remember what we did--on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday.
Eventually TIC's days will be filled with school, after-school programs, and a team-related activity that includes a uniform with a number stitched on the back. I'm not in any rush to wind him up to watch him go--it will happen soon enough.
Going to the museum, the zoo, swim class, or music class should not be a mandatory tick in the daily checklist. Living life at a slower pace makes those things a treat to be relived at bedtime and beyond. Those things are special, not required appointments.
I agree. Moderation is definitely the name of the game. If our schedule gets too crazy, everyone ends up being in a bad mood. What's the point of taking the fun out of activities that are supposed to be enjoyable? Sometimes less is definitely more.
Posted by: Ann D | Oct 20, 2005 6:07:14 PM