Children often experience long school days followed by numerous structured extracurriculars, resulting in schedules resembling those of busy adults. Some children attend roughly 30 hours of school plus 15 hours of organized programs weekly, with families spending significant money on activities. The cumulative load can lead to fatigue, irritability, reduced connection to personal interests, and potential emotional and developmental costs. Activity timing frequently follows six to seven hours of school, sometimes combined with before- or after-school care. Individual capacity varies, so determining whether a child is over-scheduled depends on the child’s resilience, interests, and need for unstructured rest and play.
Kaila Hattis, LMFT, therapist and owner of Pacific Coast Therapy, says she sees many kids come through her practice who "attend close to 30 hours in school and 15 hours in organized programs" each week. "Parents spend hundreds of dollars on their activities every month, and the children go to therapy tired, grumpy, and not connected to their interests." "Many children today are living at a pace like busy adults.
School fills much of their day, and when you add sports, music lessons, and tutoring, there is often little room left for rest or play. Overscheduling is increasingly common, and it carries emotional and developmental costs," says Dr. Ayesha Ludhani, a licensed psychologist specializing in therapy for children, teens, and parents. Kids today are enrolled in more structured activities than in previous generations, so it's a valid concern, says Dr. Samira Armin, a pediatrician at Texas Children's Pediatrics
School is back in session, which means extracurriculars are kicking back into high gear, too. Band, sports, theater, clubs - your kid has so many interests and passions, it's hard to decide what to choose. But if you're constantly out of the house, driving between school, practice, and home, it's easy to start wondering if you're doing too much, especially if your kid seems completely wrung out each night at the dinner table. ( Can kids get burnt out? They seem burnt out...)
Collection
[
|
...
]