The Decibel

How many activities are too many for kids?

23 snips
Jan 6, 2025
In this engaging conversation, Amberly McAteer, a parenting columnist for The Globe and Mail, dives into the issue of overscheduling kids. She reveals how an overloaded schedule can lead to heightened anxiety and depression in children. With insights into the historical pressures parents face, Amberly advocates for the importance of downtime and family time. She also discusses practical strategies for recognizing and managing overscheduling, emphasizing that quality family interactions, like shared meals, enhance children's development over a packed activity calendar.
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ANECDOTE

Parkour to Gymnastics

  • Amberly McAteer's daughter Lucy developed a passion for parkour, prompting Amberly to sign both daughters up for gymnastics.
  • This addition created scheduling challenges with three activities in 24 hours.
INSIGHT

Defining Overscheduling

  • Overscheduling is subjective and differs per family. It's less about the number of activities and more about the feeling of stress and constant rushing in both parents and children.
ANECDOTE

Five Activities at Five

  • A Toronto mom enrolled her five-year-old in five weekly activities, leading the child to express feeling overwhelmed by the constant rushing.
  • This prompted the mom, who had a similar childhood experience, to recognize the importance of downtime.
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