Determining if Kids' Schedules Are Overcrowded

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Today's kids are busier than ever. Whereas kids used to leave school in mid-afternoon and have their free time to themselves, nowadays kids leave the classroom and head off to any number of extracurricular commitments, such as athletics, music lessons, school clubs, or other activities.

For parents, these busy schedules can understandably be a cause for concern. While it's healthy for kids to have interests and cultivate those interests, it's also important for parents to make sure their kids don't become overwhelmed by crowded schedules that leave no time to unwind or to simply be a kid.

According to the Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA, gauging whether your child is overscheduled can be as simple as asking yourself two questions and being honest with your answers. First, ask yourself how your child is managing his or her daily schedule, including both school and extracurricular activities. Then ask yourself how much your child actually wants to participate in each activity. Some children will thrive on busy schedules, while others will grow overwhelmed, negating the benefits the activities are intended to provide.

Kids often try hard to please their parents, so many will not willingly admit if they're overwhelmed for fear that they won't please Mom and Dad. That makes it important for parents to be capable of recognizing possible indicators that kids are too busy.

• Homework: Unfinished homework or homework that is routinely completed late at night indicates that kids could be too busy, with not enough time in their day to complete their assignments, which should be their top priority.

• Complaints: Kids who routinely complain about their extracurricular activities could be trying to tell you they're simply overworked. If a typical drive to soccer practice is chock full of complaints, perhaps it's time to discuss with your child if he or she really wants to play soccer, or is just doing it to please you.

• Meal time: Research has shown that kids benefit from sitting down to family meals with their parents and siblings. However, today's busy kids might not have time to do so, which could negatively impact their development. If kids are routinely rushing through meals because of other commitments, that could indicate they're overscheduled.

• Sleep: Kids need sleep, but many of today's overscheduled kids simply aren't getting enough. If your child is not getting his or her regular sleep, then an overcrowded commitment schedule could be the culprit.

• Are you feeling rundown? A telltale sign of a child who's too busy is that child's parents. If Mom or Dad is stressing out over driving their child to and from a host of commitments, then imagine how stressed out the child is probably feeling.