Tales of a Soccer Mom....

....Or basketball mom, or baseball mom....or whatever!

Landon loves to play sports and be active. He loves art and music too. I want to help him to enjoy these things he loves so much. So, what do I do? I enroll him in piano lessons, art classes {sometimes}, soccer, basketball, golf, and there were the months last year he was in gymnastics {to help him build self confidence}. Currently, my son is busy Tuesdays and Thursdays with piano lessons and Cub Scouts. Soccer season just started. The games are twice a week. Golf season has just kicked off in our house too. I have PTA on Tuesday nights as well. I'm the treasurer, so the first two Tuesdays of each month are set aside for PTA meetings. The first Thursday of every month is Girls Night for me. :0) EVERY Thursday night from now until the fall is Golf League for the hubby. Landon is gone every other weekend to go be with his dad, too. Which means that every other Friday night is Road Trip time, as well as every other Sunday to meet to pick him back up. Every other Sunday night is family dinner night with either hubby's family or mine. This fall dear daughter is starting to take dance because she'll turn 3.

Can you see where this is going? Where does it stop? Should it stop? I'm feeling rather torn.

When I grew up, there were a couple of years of tap dance and a year of little league baseball. Not too much going on. The only consistent thing was piano lessons, which I took from 8 until 18. We mostly just spent time at home. Do I think I was jipped {spelling on that one?}? Not at all. We played outside, rode our bikes, and just had fun being kids. I could have played sports, but had no desire when I found out that it wasn't just for fun. :0) {I'm SO not a competitive person when it comes to sports}

Today, I feel like in order for my kid to "compete" with all the other "smart" or "special" kids I've got to get him into classes or athletic things to help his "talents" grow. My kid is pretty smart. Gets straight A's {he's only in 2nd grade}, works well with others :0), and reads better than most kids his age. {No I'm not bragging, just informing. Yes, I'm a proud mommy :0) } He loves to play sports. He's a good little piano player. But am I overloading him in my attempt to help him "be all that he can be"? Our week is busy. Between all of his sports and piano lessons and scout meetings, I feel like we are constantly rushing around.

I paid for him to participate in Spring Soccer. The first practice was yesterday. We didn't go. The games are on Tuesdays and Thursdays. When was I going to fit that in? They play soccer twice a year. I figured we could get him back in it in the fall. I pulled him from gymnastics last year. We were gone every night of the week between gymnastics, fall soccer, and piano lessons. I just couldn't do it anymore.

So, again...when is too much, TOO MUCH? I feel like we don't get any family time when I am busy being the soccer mom/scout mom/PTA mom. Like you all know, I have a little OCD problem. I don't DO the added stress thing. I like routine and structure and flow. When I am running around with my head chopped off from 4 pm until bedtime EVERY NIGHT, I lose it. I lose my patience, I lose my routine, and sometimes I feel like I'm just plain old LOSING IT. :0) So, I snap at the kids because I have no patience; my home cooked family meals turn into quick cooked, HURRY AND EAT! WE'VE GOT TO LEAVE IN 15 MINUTES! meals; and my house SUFFERS.

Am I the only one with this problem? Have I done this to myself and you are all shaking your heads wondering why you even read my blog now that you've learned the truth about me?

My new plan is this....
Mondays are family days
Tuesdays are piano lessons {it's a must in my family, my mom teaches him}
Wednesdays are father/son golf days
Thursdays are cub scouts for 45 minutes and then family time
Fridays are either family fun night or Road Trips {I can't help that one}

We are bagging soccer. There's no way I can add two games a week into the schedule. Don't forget that I still have PTA to deal with in the middle of all of this. Tuesdays can get crazy around here.

Even family nights are busy nights with homework, chores, piano practice, and dinner time. We only end up with 1 1/2 to 2 hours of actual family time. In a 24 hour day. That's sad. :0(

Anyway...I've ranted and raved enough here. But I want to know what you all think. Do we let our kids down if they aren't participating in stuff? Or are we letting them down more by not providing them enough quality family time? How do you find the right balance?