Extra curricular activities

When and why did you put your children into extra curricular activities?

My DD started dancing in a class for children aged 3-5 (she's 5 1/2 now) in the middle of this year, and I ended up taking her out in October because she was whinging she didn't want to go every second week. When I asked her why she said she was tired or she just didn't want to go (just excuses I think!). But now she is complaining that she isn't going any more, and is saying she wants to go again next next year.

So I am wondering if she may have just been a bit young, or if she was a bit bored by that class...

I have told her firmly that if she goes next year, she goes all year, to every class unless she's sick, because people will depend on her to be there. It's not just for the fun of it. Is that too much to ask of a nearly 6 year old...? Particularly in the light that she will be starting big school next year too. Would that be too much for her? I don't want to be a pushy parent. But I think 5/6 is a good age to learn about these things!

I want to put her into something. I never did any activities until I was a teenager, and I am now terrible at committing to activities like this. I would love to do it, and love the idea of it, but always find excuses not to go. Plus I was over-weight and lazy (and still am!). I want her to be active and fit and enjoy movement and activities. I want her to be reliable (though it just might be a trait she inherits!) I also want to put her in because she is interested. She loves dancing, loves watching her cousin dance and says she wants to do it.

I don't think it is asking too much. My DS2 started multi game sports when he was 4, and my youngest DDs will be starting ballet in the new year when they are 2 & 3.5 yrs old. They also do swimming once a week which they all love.

I don't think that's much at all. Ds2 is 4.5 and does music class, 45 mins every week and a little practice most days.
I'm hoping it will help build good habits :)
ds1 6.5 has just stopped music because he has over an hour homework every night and he wanted rest time.

DD1 has done gymnastics this last two years. Regularly she tells me she doesn't want to go. But regularly in response I explain all the reasons that we will be attending as expected. Every term I give her the option of desisting and doing something else, but she chooses to go. So I remind her of that too.
She also does swimming lessons, but she NEVER complains about those.

So no I don't think it's too young to expect it at that age.

DD has done swimming for the last three or so years. Only occassionally is there a complaint and that's usually just because it's cold. If we can't go (it's on a Friday afternoon so if we're going away for the weekend we do have to miss out), we usually get complaints from her and have to go for a swim over the weekend to make it up.

She started dancing this year and we've had a couple of times where there has been a slight clash with a party. She of course wants to go to the party, but we (mainly DH) insist on the dancing activity that she has committed too. She still gets to go to the party, but might miss the first 30 minutes. That is an activity that she has committed too, we check each term before committing to the next one, and the teacher relies on her. It's a shame that other kids aren't like that, there is supposed to be 7 in the class and I don't think there has been a single class they've all been there for.

She starts school next year.

Why are we doing the activities? Swimming, we live by the beach, it's an essential skill. Dancing, she always wanted to have music on and was setting up little dances herself and was asking to go because other day care kids were going.

Swimming - both kids have done since 6mo old. We live in Australia, it's a life skill and not negotiable in my books. Once they can swim 1km without stopping then they can choose to stay in lessons or not.

Dance they both started at 3yo and was their own choice - they have both committed to the 1 lesson a week without grumbling. They also both do gymnastics but that's more my choice as I did it as a kids and I think it's good for strength and coordination. They can choose to do it or not, one is doing it next year but DD2 has decided not to.

My kids both do swimming, and that is all. I'm the same as Nai. We live in QLD and they just must be able to swim.

They don't do anything else yet and I will wait until they ask. I tried a dance class with DD1 about 6 months ago but she wasn't into it. She loves to dance, but she likes to dance the way she wants to when she wants too, LOL.

Apart from swimming I don't think I'd insist my kids did anything at this age though. I think extra-curricular activities at this age are about fun and exploring different things until they find something they like so I would be happy for them to try lots of different things. Maybe once they are a bit older and they are sure on some things they want to do and I have to commit to paying for a certain number of lessons then I will teach them about having to make a commitment. Not yet though, but my oldest is only almost 4 :)

My youngest started asking to go to football - so i enrolled him in music. ;) He loves it! Absolutely loves it. Never once has he said he didn't want to go. I wanted to show him a skill where no one won or lost and everyone waited and took turns and had fun. Also, i do it with him, so it's a good activity for us together!

I think it is great for their development, and as long as she enjoys it then go for it. I think perhaps expecting a full year is a bit much in case she really dislikes it - but I bet she'll love it. My kids know that swimming is a 'lesson' not just for fun but for learning, so i'm sure she will too.

Both my kids do swim lessons and they have done so since around 12 months of age.

DD started dance class at around 3.5yrs, once a week. She LOVES her dance class but she's not keen on dancing at the twice yearly concerts as she gets really nervous. So she is saying she doesn't want to do it next year. As she's starting school next year I'm reluctant to enrol her into any other extracurricular activities until she's settled into school. She has been asking to learn keyboard or piano but we might hold off for 6-12 months and then see! She has never complained about going to weekly classes and she understands that I've paid for her to go along.

DS just started a weekly sports program and he looks forward to it every week. The program rotates through 10 different sports so I think its a good way for us and him to figure out what he likes.

Most places are happy for people to do a trial class so that might be an option for you to figure out what she likes before committing to a whole term?

Thanks every one! I didn't really think it would be too much. Realistically it will be 30-45mins of dancing for her on a Saturday morning. I do think it will be good for her. She is still saying she want's to go and not when I prompt her, it is usually from her own thoughts and musings when she comes to me to tell me she wants to go to dancing. Other than starting big school, it will be the only 'activity' she will do next year.