October 2009 Parent Newsletter

Operation Overload: Are My Children Too Busy?

• They feel tired all the time or are slightly depressed.
• They aren’t enjoying an activity they once loved.
• They aren’t paying attention in school, and their grades reflect that.
• They begin complaining routinely about headaches or body aches.
• Their eating or sleeping habits change because they feel stressed.

• Schedule activities in moderation. Only schedule an additional activity if it is developmentally appropriate for your child’s age and if you feel that your child can multi-task successfully.
  
• Keep a family calendar in the kitchen to keep everyone on track. As soon as your children are old enough, ask them to record their individual activities. It helps if each child records his or her activities in a consistent color. For example, Trevor’s activities are recorded in blue, and Vanessa’s activities are recorded in red.
• Mark at least one day a week for “family day.” Do not schedule any individual activities. Instead, reserve this day for family picnics and outings to local attractions, like museums and parks.
• Learn how to say no. If adding yet another activity is going to overload your child or the family, explain this to your child. Also give her the opportunity to drop another activity to add a new one.
• Reserve time for free play. Children need time to play with their friends, hang out and even get bored once in a while. This is precious time that allows them to be kids.

2009 Parent Newsletters

2008 Parent Newsletters

2007 Parent Newsletters