Are you guilty of over-scheduling your toddler's life?


Monday: Swimming
Tuesday: Music Class
Wednesday: Swimming
Thursday: Mommy and Baby stimulation class
Friday: Outing
Saturday: Toddler friend birthday

And so the list goes on.... I have managed to squeeze my toddler's activities in a perfectly formulated schedule - with only one activity happening once a day. Except when life doesn't allow this to happen, and you have three activities in one day (and you don't want to miss any because mom gets FOMO) and then you end up with a very moody and miserable toddler.

Looking at this list (no jokes, this is our weekly schedule) I have to wonder if we (read 'I') don't tend to over-schedule our children's lives. There's this idea that we have to get to a certain place to do a specific activity at a scheduled time in order to fulfill our roles as parents and present our kids with an idyllic childhood. And why? Because that's what everyone else is doing? Because that's what society dictates? Because that one movie you watched that one time showed you a beautiful childhood outlining this formula?

I'm not sure. Yes structure and routine are important, but I can't help but think that I'm overscheduling things for my tot, and honestly - he's going to have his whole adult life dictated to him by appointments, schedules and time. Yeah, when I put it like that it's a sad state of affairs.

So, 2018 is probably going to see me cut back on some 'scheduled activities' and rather just go with the flow. Let him be a kid. Let him find joy in the ordinary, mundane things at home (seriously - the washing basket and dishwasher are probably more entertaining to him than any schedule activity). Let him play without the worry or pressure of a daily 'appointment'. And who knows, maybe it will be good for my bank balance as well (kidding! But not really...).


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