ALBUS Grade seven, new school, French immersion, with lots of clubs and teams to join (looking forward to seeing what he’ll gravitate toward). Rep soccer: tryouts for next season start Sept. 21, with a commitment of 1-2 practices a week, plus skills (Kevin likely to coach). Piano: weekly lessons plus practice time. Passed Rookie Patrol this summer, so he’s free from swim lessons til next summer (that was our deal).
APPLE-APPLE Grade six, enrichment program (lots of homework). Rep soccer: tryouts for next season start Sept. 21, with a commitment of 2-3 practices a week, plus skills, plus games. Swim team: six practices a week, including at 5:30 AM, Tuesdays and Thursdays, plus monthly meets (good thing I’m already comfortable rising early; too bad she’s not!). Piano: weekly lessons plus practice time. Horse riding lessons: what she wants to spend her summer babysitting money on, if she can find the time to squeeze one more thing in!
FOOEY Grade three, French immersion. Will walk to and from school, and be in charge of her brother one way. Beginner gymnastics (her choice). Weekly piano lessons plus practice time (my choice). Swim lessons (maybe). Indoor house league soccer (probably, especially if Kevin coaches). Oodles of time with friends (my prediction).
CJ Senior kindergarten: full days, every day. Plans to walk to school with Fooey and ride the bus home. Early childhood music, weekly. Swim lessons (probably). Indoor soccer (definitely, and Kevin will coach).
COACH KEVIN Soccer, soccer, soccer, and more soccer. Well, what did you expect? Plus work, all day, every day, with occasional weekend training sessions. Oh, and late-night hockey (almost forgot about that!). Making school lunches (bless him) and breakfast smoothies.
CARRIE Teaching Thursday evenings, 6-9. Writing daily, 9-3ish. Early morning exercise: weights, spin, running, swimming, yoga. Napping (often). Cooking supper (in harried fashion). Laundry. Driving children to activities and making carpool and carshare arrangements. Preparing weekly schedules to maintain all-family sanity. Readings (here and there). Indoor soccer (maybe). Poetry book club, monthly.
SUZI AND DJ Walks (twice daily). Naps (in office). Food (twice daily, plus treats).
ALL FAMILY (Couldn’t find a photo that included me, too.) Family skating/hockey, weekly, organized by Kevin. Bedtime reading (chapter books, out loud), as often as possible. Also considering: church (occasionally), supper invitations to friends and family (must make time for this!), and planning a trip together.
Sounds like a great (and busy) year!
I’m freaking out about it a little bit right now, Tricia! Hope it all holds together.
I know it will! You and Kevin seem to be super organized! I can’t wait to hear about your course. I know it will go well. Your students are so lucky to have you as their teacher! 🙂
Oy! I’m exhausted just reading this. I haven’t signed the boys up for anything yet, though I think I should, especially reading your list!
Your boys are young, Marita! The only activities I forced on the kids regularly from a fairly small age (ie. 4ish onward) were swim lessons, because I have a thing about everyone needing to be able to swim, and early childhood music, because music matters to me. My husband organized a neighbourhood group of kids who met in the park weekly in the spring/summer to play soccer — we did that for five years, I think. We didn’t join organized sports til the eldest were 7 and 9. I really resisted jumping off that cliff, because I knew what it might mean, if they loved it, which they did, so it has — big time commitment, more travel. Resist until your kids are interested, I say — unless you have particular things you want to pass on a love for/familiarity with.
Swimming is really important to me, especially now that we live on an island. (A big island, but still!) I’m embarrassed that I haven’t made sure my kids have such an important skill, but I did sign them up for Level One today. It’ll be the second time they both have taken it, but they loved the lessons last time.
Last year the boys took skating lessons in the winter and I’m thinking I’d like them to take them again. Feels like as Canadians, we should all have this basic skill (one that I can barely do!).
My middle is interested in soccer, but I’m resistant. He’s only five! Maybe I’ll put them in lessons, too. I do want them to learn piano, despite us not owning one! Will have to look into that…