Extra-curricular activities in Prep

[OceanPrincess]

DD starts school next year.


Moving on...

She wants to start in the choir that mummy used to sing with and she has been told for about two years since we got the Spirit of Christmas cd that had said choir on it, that she can join when she starts school. So now she wants to start choir.

I assumed I'd enrol her. Didn't think much of it. Excited really! But then my sister says how she is ceasing all of my niece's (same age roughly) extra-curricular activities for at least term 1, possibly term 2, and certainly not starting anything new. She says that kids get exhausted when they start school and commencing a new activity outside school is not a good idea.

Thoughts?

My kids are all high energy and already do swimming and mainly music, plus DD does dancing, she won't have music next year as its on during the week, but we plan on keeping up the swimming and probably dancing.

The level she'd start in rehearses Sat mornings, so that's a plus.

I guess it's different for all kids but what have others found, when their kids started prep?

[black_rose]

We did swimming and dancing but ended up dropping the dancing after two terms as dd was exhausted, she chose to keep swimming as she loves it and just dances at home.

I say go for it its something your dd wants to do and is excited about, you can always stop if its too much.

[~Kim~]

Yes I found my preppie (we call them trannies lol) was exhausted. Mine did swimming after school, gymnastics on a Saturday morning and started guides half way through the year. She coped fine. She had done swimming and gymnastics right throughout preschool too so it wasn't a change really for her.
She found the baby sister she acquired at the start of the year more exhausting
However, DD1 was 5.5 when she started school. A couple of my GF with younger (in that year) kids did stop doing extra curricular stuff as they felt their kids weren't coping.

You can only try it and see right?

[nickle730]

I found that my two were exhausted during the first couple of terms of Prep. Just the energy of focussing all day long seemed to wear them out! I would hold off on enrolling your DD in a new activity until the end of Term 1 and then assess how she is going, particularly if she is already doing swimming and dancing. Is there any disadvantage of waiting?

[anney]

We stopped everything the prep year and yes she was tired.

[feeb]

I hadn't even thought of that!! DS1 I planned on keeping in Tennis and Gymnastics as he loves them and I want to start swimming lessons again for him as not done since just before 3.

He is used to a very busy week with CC and kinder 5 days a week as well as Tennis and gymnastics.

[OceanPrincess]

Nickle, no, no disadvantage to starting later!

But I think I might try it and see.

And Kim, trannies, really???

[Miss.September]

How tired was she term 1 this year with the longer kinder hours? Could be a good indicator. If she coped without seeming too tired, then I'd probably give it a shot. But if she was tired, then I'd be inclined to hold off, even until half way through the year.

Funny, DH and I were having the same conversation earlier today. Mini Maestros ends this year but she would still have swimming and piano. I'm anticipating that we'd have to stop them, especially as we're expecting to travel some distance to and from school.

[~Kim~]

And Kim, trannies, really???

Yep. Our first year of school is called Transition.

[Jennifer13]

DD1 was only doing swimming outside of school when she started kinder. We dropped dancing for the year. We picked up piano in term 2 (but that's at home, the teacher comes to us). She started jazz in the last term of K, also after school one day a week. We then added after-school French in Yr 1. She was tired in K, but I found she was adjusted by about the middle of the year. Is there any harm seeing how she goes and starting in the second term if it seems she's okay? You're still starting when she starts school, just not immediately.

With DD2 arriving in Yr 1, we did get busier. Now DD2 has swimming as well, and given that DD1 (in Yr 2) is doing swimming at school, we've dropped her extra-curricular swimming lesson (she's a good swimmer, but not interested in squads).

Next year, we'll have another DD and DD1 will be doing piano (class at home after school once a week), cubs (down the road, one evening a week), French (after school, once a week) and probably a sport (but before or after school - at school). It sounds like a lot of activities, but they're deliberately scheduled so that they involve no real running around by myself or DP.

The other thing to consider is in K they tend to get a lot of birthday party invitations and for at least a while, a parent is probably expected to stay. That makes for very busy weekends! I found weekend activities were more hassle than weekday ones.

[Cassius2]

i'd give her a go at the choir, especially as it is a weekend thing. if she is too tired then pull her out until another term. each kid is different and copes differently. they do say to not put them in (our school mentioned it) but honestly, we kept DD in at swimming and she was fine. some days she was tired and didnt listen that well during the lesson...but seriously, that is also normal for her

[Cally]

DD did swimming and dance throughout Term 1 and she was fine. She was used to 5 days of childcare/preschool previously, plus being a Sept bub was almost 5.5 when she started.

I'd let her do it if she's keen - choir isn't a particularly taxing activity

[3_RedFrogs]

My first child was super tired the first term after she started prep, however my second child was fine. So I really think it depends on each child.

I would keep your daughter in her activities and just let her miss one or two if she's really tired. If she's high energy I'm sure she will adjust really quickly.