QOTD 1/22

[carli]

What extracurriculars do you plan on trying out with your LO?

[carli]

I got a groupon for DD to go to a month of gymnastics classes. She can already start them because they have a class for 1 year olds. I'm super excited. I loved Gymnastics as a little kid and have always wanted to take a daughter! I think she'll love it. She's big on tumbling around the house anyway.

[gallumbits]

Nothing until he's in school, since he goes to daycare most days. My mother takes him to library story time.
DH and I are already arguing over which sports to try him in first. Hockey vs soccer, etc. Haha. And I will start him skiing at 3.

[princessvespa1]

We just signed B up for soccer for this year (he's 4 next month! WHAT!). I have done swimming lessons with him before, we even tried a solo swimming class that he loved for the first two sessions but then after that he screamed blue murder at the side of the pool so we cancelled them. Really hoping soccer does not turn out the same!

For V, we haven't even thought of anything yet. I don't know if there are any little gym things around here or not, but now I'm curious to look.

[carli]

I've been really frustrated in that all of the mommy and me type classes around here are during normal working hours. They are clearly geared toward stay at home moms. Nothing on weekends or evenings. While I don't think evenings would be feasible after work, I would love to take DD to something on Saturday mornings. Every story time, music class, etc are all weekday mornings for her age!

[RedDDD]

My oldest turns 3 in April which is when they start most extracurriculars around here. We are planning on putting him in gymnastics because he freaking loves jumping around. But we will likely have both kids in golf lessons as a very early age. Thinking t-ball, dance, cheerleading etc. and then see what they start liking. I think DH wants to get him on skiis as well and we just bought skates for him and will get him skating soon. We are a huge sports family so Im totally looking forward to being the sports mom

[RedDDD]

carli I totally hear you on that....lots of the classes are geared towards SAHM's. Really ticks me off....and a lot of my mommy friends are teachers so they are off in the summer so then they do all sorts of fun stuff with their kiddos.

[redfraggle]

We do story time when her naps allow it. We do a lot of fun stuff, just not much that is really organized at this age.

[Unknown]

DD is in full-time daycare, so that is enough for now. I do hope this summer to find toddler swim classes.

[annarose]

I hear you guys on the activites geared towards stay at home mom hours. There aren't any story times on the weekends here either.

I hope to find swim classes this summer. we live in Florida so she needs to learn how to swim early.

When shes older, I will be putting her in dance class. Not the ones offered in alot of daycare centers (mobile dance drives me crazy)but at a real studio with classes on saturday morning. I actually have a wonderful relationship with the studio I grew up going to so she will be going there. They have all be warned shes coming lol

[carli]

redfraggle I would love to do story times, they just don't work with my schedule. I know gymnastics at 1 seems kind of ridiculous but it's with tons of parent involvement and it just something I couldn't resist. We'll just do the one month b/c I got a good deal and then I'll probably try it again with her when she's a little older.

annarose I think little ones in dance is just too cute! DD loves to dance already so we'll probably try that out in a couple years also!

I'm just excited for all the possibilities. I wish I had stuck with something as a child but I tried lots of different things and my mom always let me quit quit when it got hard. I don't want to live vicariously through DD but I do want her to try things and stick them out for a bit before quitting. If it's not for her, fine, but let's not decide on a tough day.

I've probably way overthought this subject for my 1 year old lol

ETA: my mom didn't quit, she let me.

[lilqt3929]

carli I love that saying about not quitting on a bad day, its so true! I overthink this too, I'm such a planner and there are just so many possibilities out there. It will be exciting to see what they gravitate towards throughout the years.


I'm thinking of trying dance, gymnastics, soccer, tball, and any other things that DD seems interested in sports wise. We're slowly starting story time now and I'd also love to get her in some kind of art or creative type classes if theres any around. I must admit the art or creative classes are more for me since that's what I loved as a child (and still do) and hope DD will as well but if she doesn't that's fine too. We also plan to participate in our town's family swim program again this year that starts up in February. Its not a swim "class", its more an open swim but its nice to see DD interact and be around other kids since I'm a SAHM.


ETA: spelling. And...Id love to get involved in some of the Mom and Me things since I'm a SAHM but I just cant get the courage up to attend the initial get to know you meeting. I just feel so judged and I'm super shy and awkward til you get to know me.

[sugarkissed]

DD and I do a mom and tot class once a week. It's always in a different location but it's a lot of fun and gets us out of the house! We've gone to indoor playgrounds, music class, and the aquarium so far.

[mommabakes]

Obviously we have a while before extra curricular are a thing, but eventually I'd like for her to try dance, horse riding lessons, swimming, piano lessons, along with some kind of team sport.

She loves the water, so we did do one round of swimming lessons already.

[redfraggle]

Jan 22, 2015 10:57:28 GMT -5 carli said:

redfraggle I would love to do story times, they just don't work with my schedule. I know gymnastics at 1 seems kind of ridiculous but it's with tons of parent involvement and it just something I couldn't resist. We'll just do the one month b/c I got a good deal and then I'll probably try it again with her when she's a little older.

annarose I think little ones in dance is just too cute! DD loves to dance already so we'll probably try that out in a couple years also!

I'm just excited for all the possibilities. I wish I had stuck with something as a child but I tried lots of different things and my mom always let me quit quit when it got hard. I don't want to live vicariously through DD but I do want her to try things and stick them out for a bit before quitting. If it's not for her, fine, but let's not decide on a tough day.

I've probably way overthought this subject for my 1 year old lol

ETA: my mom didn't quit, she let me.

carli, I didn't mean my comment to sound judgey. I'm so sorry! I have friends who do that stuff with their kids from baby on up and have a blast. I just opt to do less organized (and also usually free or really inexpensive) things with my kids because it fits my personality.

ETA: Yeah, you're overthinking the quitting thing for a 1 year old. A school-age kid, sure have them follow through for the season, but at one, they can try lots of stuff and bail if they really hate it, IMO.

[carli]

redfraggle I didn't take it judgy AT ALL. No worries
I'm also not concerned about her quitting at this point, obviously if something doesn't work for her that's fine. I'm just thinking down the road. I grew up quitting everything and as an adult, regret it. I have no special skills or hobbies b/c I was basically too lazy to stick with anything. I know this doesn't apply to toddlers, but down the road, I want to encourage her to stick with things through hard times at least for a bit before deciding to quit.

[af1004]

I don't know what's even available in my area right now. I didn't do anything growing up but I will let her try somethings as she gets older and seems interested..... If we can afford them.

[lilqt3929]

Thanks jnetx for the encouragement. I dont have any Mommy friends and really no other good, close friends ATM. I know it would be really good for me (and DD) its just so hard for me for some reason. I wish we all lived close by so we could get together since all of you are wonderful

[legitsince86]

Right now LO is enrolled in My Gym. It gets us out of the house and provides social interaction. Sometimes we do story time at the library if it doesn't interfere with naps. I don't think I'll do swim classes again since they don't learn anything new til they're older.

I did one mommy group but the children were 3-4 when LO was 8-9 months old. That was disappointing.

[RedDDD]

lilqt3929 I am a transplant and knew no one when I moved to the Twin Cities. I found a place that offered New mamas classes that a co-worker recommended. It was $125 for a 2 hour once a week class  for 6 weeks when our babies were newborns.  The classes were run by a teacher(sort of) that had various baby related topics that we all discussed. It was like group therapy. It was AMAZING and I credit that class for saving my marriage as I went though baby blues etc. I am still friends with these gals and we are all on our second babies. If you can find an organization that offers those types of classes its TOTALLY worth it.

[lilqt3929]

Thanks RedDDD I'll have to look into it. I always make excuses of why I dont go, I just need to do it! I think it would make me a better person/wife/mom and it would be an added bonus if some friendships came out of it!

[triplea598]

Well, the plan is for DS to start day care in the summer while I take on more classes, so that would be enough for us. We may end up not being able to do that though due to all of DS' doctor/therapy/specialist appointments and everything. Day care is so expensive where I live, so we don't know if we can justify spending that much just yet.

If he doesn't go to day care and we end up continuing what we're doing now (I SAH with DS and go to 2 evening classes Monday/Wednesday), then I'm going to look into some things.
I thought about swim lessons, but due to DS' delays, I'm really nervous about that and I'm not sure it's an option? There are quite a few "toddler tumble" and toddler music classes that I can sign up for though.

[krose]

A friend of mine works at the Little Gym and gave LO 4 classes for her bday. It was fun, but I definitely don't think it's worth the money at this age. Maybe when she's older and it's not just glorified running around.
We just started a music and movement class last week and that was fun- we are signed up for that for the next 9 weeks.
I have had the same issue as pp, in that it's hard to find classes that don't take place at 10am weekdays and is geared towards a SAHM. When I do find a weekend class it fills up so quickly.

[salemkitty]

I work for a school system, so last summer we did kindermusik and story time each week. We also joined a community center that has a large baby pool.

We will definitely join the pool again because DS will go to DC there next year. They have a lot of extracurriculars including swim lessons so we will see.

triplea598 Kindermusik is supposed to help with speech development. It did seem to help DS when he was taking it.

[ajaan113]

When DS is older...

DH wants him in a team sport. Soccer or Tball to start.

I'd like some arts. Like music, such the violin. Some theatre programs for kids.

We both want DS to volunteer as he gets older. DH and I volunteered often before DS was born. Now we want to volunteer as a family.

[triplea598]

Jan 22, 2015 19:16:06 GMT -5 salemkitty said:

I work for a school system, so last summer we did kindermusik and story time each week. We also joined a community center that has a large baby pool.

We will definitely join the pool again because DS will go to DC there next year. They have a lot of extracurriculars including swim lessons so we will see.

triplea598 Kindermusik is supposed to help with speech development. It did seem to help DS when he was taking it.

We actually have that! I googled it. I'll look into it

[amy11401]

Right now DS goes to daycare full time. I teach so I am off during the summers. Last summer we went to storytime. I hope to do that again this summer. We might try swimming lessons this summer. Beyond that I have not thought about the future for him. I don't want him involved with too many things at one time. I have seen way too many kids that are overscheduled.

[marley629]

We currently go to the Little Gym every Sunday morning and in the spring will start up Swim class again. Little gym is kind of pricey so I am looking into other options.  I need something that expends his energy on the weekends because the kid is non stop.  Gymnastics maybe?

[happymama]

The only thing we have done so far is swimming lessons. We did the summer session last year and she loved it, so we will probably enroll her in another class soon. Once she starts talking more we want her to start learning a second language. Before 5 they just absorb it like a little sponge without even realizing it, so we want to take advantage of that. She loves music and dancing, but she still just does her own thing and doesn't imitate us or follow directions when it comes to these subjects, so we are waiting until she is a little older to start her in anything like that.
I am a firm believer in kids being more successful at something if they actually enjoy it. We will let her choose what type of music classes to take, what athletic activity she enjoys, etc. I could care less what she does, but I do want her to work very hard and do the best that she can at whatever she chooses.