After school

When I found out I was pregnant with triplets (boys no less) I spent many a happy hour imagining my idyllic future with them. I always had this particularly vision of the three of them getting off the school bus, running into my arms, delighted to be home. Then we would all sit down around a table, have a (healthy and nutritious) snack and play a lovely game of Candyland.

Hmmmm.... not quite.

In reality, my children are exhausted when they get off the bus and I even got that part wrong because I drive them to and from school now. They don't like the bus anymore and they are only in Kindergarten! The healthy snack has been replaced with dinner because by the time we get home its 4:20 and they are hungry, irritable and just want to plop in front of the TV and watch cartoons.

I've come to the sad conclusion that school is a whole new business for our youngest generation. A very serious business. By the end of Kindergarten our children are now expected to be able to read and write and sit quietly. All day. And, they better be sure to leave gaps between their words, write in a straight line and know how to spell at least 30 words.

In my opinion, children need more of a balance between academic work and play time. After all, we know that children who are allowed to express themselves through imaginative play do better in the long run and boys especially need plenty of exercise, preferably outdoors if they are going to learn anything (I call it brain therapy).

So anyway, back to the topic of after school, my advice is to allow your children some downtime when they get home. Let them choose what they want to do and if that means watching TV for forty minutes then so be it. Encourage them to play outside or take them to a local park but try not to over schedule them with after-school activities. They are on task all day long so give them what they really need when they get home...their freedom (and it doesn't cost a penny!).