Fall Schedule/Activities

[Sparkly]

Srs parenting question:

DD1 is 2.5 going on 3 (in December). She is starting Waldorf preschool in a couple weeks. Was going to do 3 days a week but it looks like 2 is an option so I think we will start there and add a 3rd day in the winter if it's going well. It is a morning program (8:30-12 I think) and she will get picked up by her current nanny (where DD2 also goes) after for lunch/nap/remainder of day.

I also want to start her in gymnastics and/or dance, and she is with my mom on one day and they do the library for story hour, craft, and usually some outside play afterward with the other kids on that day.

So basically she would go from going to her nanny 4 days a week just playing with the other kids all day and having her one grandma day to -

Waldorf - either Mon/Wed or Wed/Thurs (TBD)
Library/Grandma day - Tuesday
Dance (combo class of ballet/tap) - Friday
Gymnastics - Saturday

All activities are in the morning and allow her to get home (or to nanny) for lunch and her afternoon nap (she naps ~2-3 hours most days because she gets up at 6 or earlier and never stops moving).

Is this too much?

[Sparkly]

Omg don't make fun of my fat-fingered title apparently AC doesn't work on that. 😂

[theseaword]

I thought you were going to be pretty drunk, from the title.

[Sparkly]

Aug 24, 2016 20:42:23 GMT -5 @hilarityensued said:

I just want to commend your spelling in the title of this thread.

I shall now go back and read the OP.

Damnit.

[Sparkly]

It's not letting me fix it. 😭

[Sparkly]

Aug 24, 2016 20:45:18 GMT -5 @hilarityensued said:

Anyway, no I don't think that is too much if you can make the logistics work. My kids have been in full time daycare since forever so they basically have shit to do 8-5, 5 days a week. Plus the older one now does gymnastics and soccer.

MH wants her to do soccer too but I am thinking next year.

[Sparkly]

Aug 24, 2016 20:44:58 GMT -5 @LakerMama66 said:

<----- is disappointed this isn't adult drunk fall activities

I can offer those too.

[Sparkly]

*but not for toddlers

[Sparkly]

She could do the dance class Tuesday morning so the activities wouldn't be back to back but then my mom (a retired librarian) wouldn't get to do library day with her. They do seem to enjoy that. She has been going since she was 6 months old.

[kbw12]

Since you're adding in school for the first time could you start with either gymnastics or dance now and add the other in later on once she adjusts to everything else?

[Sparkly]

Aug 24, 2016 20:45:04 GMT -5 @sweptaway said:

I would pick one for dance or gymnastics, not both. At this age, especially when she will be socializing at school, I see no reason whatsoever to do two additional activities.

I mean, full disclosure, I kind of want her to do them. And see which she likes better/excels at - not necessarily force her to do both these things forever and ever.

[Sparkly]

Aug 24, 2016 20:51:31 GMT -5 kbw12 said:

Since you're adding in school for the first time could you start with either gymnastics or dance now and add the other in later on once she adjusts to everything else?

I was thinking about this but then I don't want her to be the kid that entered the class mid-year.

I realize I'm probably overthinking it.

[ghostmonkey]

Aug 24, 2016 20:45:18 GMT -5 @hilarityensued said:

Anyway, no I don't think that is too much if you can make the logistics work. My kids have been in full time daycare since forever so they basically have shit to do 8-5, 5 days a week. Plus the older one now does gymnastics and soccer.

Yes, but they aren't doing structured activities that entire time or being shuttled from place to place. 



It's doable, but it sounds needlessly expensive and inconsistent for a 2.5 year old.

[rocksforludo]

If it were me, I'd do 3 days school and then either dance or gymnastics. Having almost every day be different would not be great with my kid...flexibility is not her strong suit.

[Sparkly]

Aug 24, 2016 20:55:08 GMT -5 @hilarityensued said:

Aug 24, 2016 20:47:03 GMT -5 Sparkly said:

MH wants her to do soccer too but I am thinking next year.

It took me a while to find one that was doable. This is an hour on Sunday afternoons so it is basically best case scenario. I can't deal with weeknight practices yet. Gymnastics is 45 minutes early on Saturday morning so nothing really interferes.

Yes, that's my issue with activities too - all the week day stuff. So I think it's basically a choice between library and dance on Tuesdays. Gymnastics is Saturday mornings for us too. There is a Saturday dance class but it may be cancelled due to low enrollment and I wouldn't have her do both in one day obviously.

[jorkzy]

Aug 24, 2016 20:51:39 GMT -5 Sparkly said:

Aug 24, 2016 20:45:04 GMT -5 @sweptaway said:

I would pick one for dance or gymnastics, not both. At this age, especially when she will be socializing at school, I see no reason whatsoever to do two additional activities.

I mean, full disclosure, I kind of want her to do them. And see which she likes better/excels at - not necessarily force her to do both these things forever and ever.

At 2.5y, I think you might be ambitious at finding something she excels at. I would probably pick one extracurricular per semester at that age, and try different things to see what she likes.

My son is 3 this fall and he'll be in swimming Oct-Nov, then skating Nov-Feb. DD is 5.5y and doing those, plus dance every Sat morning.

[SusieQ]

My daughter did a class at a Gymboree-type place in our area that was 30 min dance (15 min ballet and 15 min tap) and 30 min gymnastics. At that age it was great because the attention span is short and she got to try out both and see what she liked better. Is something like that an option? One less day of commitment, but gets what you are looking for.

[Sparkly]

Aug 24, 2016 21:03:16 GMT -5 SusieQ said:

My daughter did a class at a Gymboree-type place in our area that was 30 min dance (15 min ballet and 15 min tap) and 30 min gymnastics. At that age it was great because the attention span is short and she got to try out both and see what she liked better. Is something like that an option? One less day of commitment, but gets what you are looking for.

This is actually the combo class at the dance studio, I believe. I think it's 20 minutes each ballet, tap, and "tumbling." Which sounds great. But.....

I really want her to do gymnastics on Saturdays so I can go with her (I usually work FT during the week). For...reasons. Okay my reasons are, I used to do gymnastics and I love it and I think she would be good. Also parents and siblings under 2 can have open gym during preschool classes.

[sarahandeddie]

I don't think that's too much. Is there any place that does dance and tumbling together? The studio we go to has a combo tumbling/tap/ballet. It's nice to only have one class during the week. My girls do dance/tumbling on Monday and church on Wednesday as extracurriculars. They also did t-ball in the spring.

[ghostmonkey]

Aug 24, 2016 20:51:39 GMT -5 Sparkly said:

Aug 24, 2016 20:45:04 GMT -5 @sweptaway said:

I would pick one for dance or gymnastics, not both. At this age, especially when she will be socializing at school, I see no reason whatsoever to do two additional activities.

I mean, full disclosure, I kind of want her to do them. And see which she likes better/excels at - not necessarily force her to do both these things forever and ever.

Please read this and stop trying to live vicariously through your child. 

www.popsugar.com/moms/Starting-Organized-Sports-Your-Toddler-36863218

[abvintage]

Can I just say that I'm jealous you have a Waldorf program. There are only a few in the state and none in my city.

That being said, as far as the number of activities I would go for it but if she's having meltdowns then scale back. I don't think it's the activities themselves but just getting ready and to and from a lot of things can be too much for some kids.

[Sparkly]

Aug 24, 2016 21:08:51 GMT -5 @hilarityensued said:

Aug 24, 2016 20:58:01 GMT -5 rocksforludo said:

If it were me, I'd do 3 days school and then either dance or gymnastics. Having almost every day be different would not be great with my kid...flexibility is not her strong suit.

This is a good point I didn't think about. My kids would not do great either varied weekdays, but then again they have never known anything else.

Definitely a good point. Her week days have always been a little bit varied because of my mom watching her sometimes. Everyone tries to keep a pretty consistent schedule but there has always been some flexibility.

[ghostmonkey]

Aug 24, 2016 21:14:10 GMT -5 @sweptaway said:

Aug 24, 2016 21:10:43 GMT -5 Sparkly said:

This is actually the combo class at the dance studio, I believe. I think it's 20 minutes each ballet, tap, and "tumbling." Which sounds great. But.....

I really want her to do gymnastics on Saturdays so I can go with her (I usually work FT during the week). For...reasons. Okay my reasons are, I used to do gymnastics and I love it and I think she would be good. Also parents and siblings under 2 can have open gym during preschool classes.

This sounds a little. .. overboard

That's way nicer than what I have to say about it. 

[Sparkly]

Aug 24, 2016 21:12:16 GMT -5 ghostmonkey said:

Aug 24, 2016 20:51:39 GMT -5 Sparkly said:

I mean, full disclosure, I kind of want her to do them. And see which she likes better/excels at - not necessarily force her to do both these things forever and ever.

Please read this and stop trying to live vicariously through your child. 

www.popsugar.com/moms/Starting-Organized-Sports-Your-Toddler-36863218

Okay, the snarky "trying to live vicariously through your child" isn't necessary but thanks.

The activity or activities I would be choosing for her are things that - yes, I participated in as a child and enjoyed - but I also believe she would enjoy. She is a high-energy kid who loves music, makes up dances for random strangers, and somersaults all over my living room.

[Deleted]

I think I would drop the dance class. 2.5 is pretty young. I didn't do anything before 3 except parent/child swim and library.

[Sparkly]

Aug 24, 2016 21:12:31 GMT -5 abvintage said:

Can I just say that I'm jealous you have a Waldorf program. There are only a few in the state and none in my city.

That being said, as far as the number of activities I would go for it but if she's having meltdowns then scale back. I don't think it's the activities themselves but just getting ready and to and from a lot of things can be too much for some kids.

It happens to be basically the closest preschool to our house too, so win-win!

[ghostmonkey]

Aug 24, 2016 21:20:50 GMT -5 Sparkly said:

Aug 24, 2016 21:12:16 GMT -5 ghostmonkey said:

Please read this and stop trying to live vicariously through your child. 

www.popsugar.com/moms/Starting-Organized-Sports-Your-Toddler-36863218

Okay, the snarky "trying to live vicariously through your child" isn't necessary but thanks.

The activity or activities I would be choosing for her are things that - yes, I participated in as a child and enjoyed - but I also believe she would enjoy. She is a high-energy kid who loves music, makes up dances for random strangers, and somersaults all over my living room.

Your comment that you are pushing for that because you did it and you are concerned about her excelling in anything at age 2 pretty much backs that, but anyway. 

Dancing in your living room is not the same as a structured dance class. Same for somersaults and gymnastics. You know that. Mine enjoys those things as well. I'm not rushing off to sign him up for every sport available because he's 5 and it's unnecessary at this age. 

[Sparkly]

FTR, we did swim lessons last fall and it was not a great fit at the time. We finished the session but dropped it after that.

The nanny also tried a weekday gymnastics class at a different gym than I would be sending her to now. It was 100% inappropriate for toddlers, not structured to the age group properly at all, and we all agreed to drop it immediately.

I have zero issues taking her out of something if we start and it doesn't work out.

[abvintage]

Sparkly, I'm all for doing all the fun things with and for your child and if she can hack it, hey, go for it. But you had to see this coming right? I mean it is a lot. And she's a practically a baby.

Also, I'm relatively new to this particular board but it's snarky. That's the beauty of it.

[Sparkly]

Yes, I am familiar with GM and snark.

I wanted to know what other people do and now I do. Or some other people anyway.

I also see nothing wrong with choosing an activity for my kid that I like too. And being excited for her to try it. Perhaps how it was worded in some comments made it seem more intense than it is but meh. Take it as you will.