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Home › Articles › Activities › Lessons and Classes and Clubs, Oh My!

Lessons and Classes and Clubs, Oh My!

Surviving the After-school Rush

By Heather Johnson Durocher

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Home Sweet Home

Whether you eat before or after practices and activities, time is limited. Aside from cooking ahead and freezing meals, which still requires time at some point, you might consider thinking outside of the box – the cereal box, that is. Consider following Kristine Breese's lead and designating a once-a-week cereal night, where dinner is quick, easy and tailored to each child.

"It's so fun, and doing the dishes is literally rinsing out a bowl," says Breese, whose children are 8 and 6. "The kids think it's a hoot."

Breese came up with this idea and many others when she was recovering from a heart attack and had to learn to juggle because her life literally depended on it. To this day, Breese, author of Cereal for Dinner: Shortcuts, Strategies & Sanity for Moms Battling Illness (St. Martin's Press, 2004), and her family hold to this tradition.

On the busiest nights, you may find that time after dinner is in short demand. Once again, prioritize. Before you think about cutting out the traditional shower or bath, bedtime story, prayers or evening question and answer session, think again. Maintaining a nighttime routine, whenever possible, is also critical, Breese says. Children rely on this, whether it's reading books or listening to soothing music before turning off the lights. And your entire family needs to rely on a good night's sleep in order to get up and tackle that crazy schedule again tomorrow.

Scheduling Made Easy

1. Allow only one or two sports, per season, per kid.
2. Take one or two hours before or after activities for downtime.
3. Keep everyone on the same page with a posted schedule of activities.
4. Stock your vehicle with crayons and paper, a laptop desk and a cooler packed with fruits, veggies and cold drinks. Parents can pack a portfolio of bills to pay or a craft bag with projects to tackle.
5. Consider carpooling.
6. Get to know the parks and activities in the area so waiting siblings will have something to do.
7. Integrate rituals, like stopping by the coffee shop for a cookie or taking extra time beyond practice to toss the ball together on the practice field.
8. Let go of elaborate dinners, and consider making one night a week "Cereal Night."
9. Take stock of your child's overall well being throughout the season to gauge how well your family is juggling activities.


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