Elly, have you ever considered that your kids are doing way too much in after-school activities? I mean, when do they get some downtime to just be ordinary kids?! ;)
Someone the age of Michael may very well have a computer club at school, and may sign up for it on his own or at the suggestion of a teacher. -These days, so-called ‘helicopter parents’ figure their kids have to be well-rounded in order to get into college. But back in the time this cartoon is supposedly about, kids were perfectly capable of over-scheduling themselves, especially if their friends were in a club.
Wait for it… Bended jammies will soon weigh in to castigate Elly for failing to jump up immediately and say ‘oh, yes, sire, whatever you desire, sire,’ when her son calls out for one of his taxis….
I remember when that started to evolve: “overly structured”. My only child participated in one thing at a time. Fortunately, she never felt like she was missing anything. Had time to enjoy what she was doing at the time. (Turned out to be pretty balanced.)
We have 3 young children and so far they only do scouts, since we can’t really afford too many activities (each one is usually $100+/month, plus equipment). We have loads of family time. I’d like to see them get to try one sport a year, some day.
The classes do kind of attack people all at once, from what I’ve seen. They sign up (kids can sign up for clubs at school, even at elementary, so that is a surprise to some).
Our neighbourhood goes from being full of kids playing in the streets like when we grew up- 4 square and bikes and football- and then, one day, you don’t see the sports families at all for months.
It’s considered wrong not to have your child in at least one sport and one activity each, most of the year, plus some sort of lessons (dance, art, whatever). That means that John and Ellie’s reality is pretty much it, often till the kids go off to college and have broken their parents, who now have to figure out what to do with spare time they haven’t had in 15 years!
I think following your own interests in sport or whatever is important, but having free time to learn how to be bored and to process life is equally important. Also, every member of the family needs activities, equally parents to kids. It’s hard for parents to do, but shows that parents are people with their own value, which they will need to keep going when kids are gone. At least, that’s what they tell me :-)
I let my daughter choose what clubs, etc., she was involved with. The only things that I signed her up for on my own , were nursery school ( three mornings a week) when she was four years old, and Saturday Dance lessons when she was five. I did this because she was an only child, and I wanted her to have plenty of chances to mix with other kids.
When I grew up, my mom didn’t drive and my dad was way too tired from working to support us, so he never drove us anywhere extra. We were on our own to get there. If we couldn’t arrange that, we couldn’t do it. End of story.
I’m glad I stopped at having just one kid and I’m even more happy that so far, he isn’t into team activities. He prefers unstructured play with friends which, I hear, is just as healthy as structured. Yay!
DaBoogadie: I know they have bicycles in Canada, they were abundant in rainy, hilly, Vancouver at this time. In areas with permanent snow, there are cross-country skis. In Texas, I generally walked.
And some parents don’t find out their kids have signed up for after school activities until they get a call from the school asking why they haven’t picked up their child.
Fifth panel:Michael is walking to practice. He can use the time to himself to think over why he should not be fresh with his parents nor bite the hand that feeds him.
Once I have children I definitely want to live in a place where a kid Michael’s age can go to some activities on their own, like I used to when I was 8 and started dance class. Not to speak of that they’re already doing way too many after-school activities…
jemgirl81 about 10 years ago
Carpool with other parents!
ORMouseworks about 10 years ago
Elly, have you ever considered that your kids are doing way too much in after-school activities? I mean, when do they get some downtime to just be ordinary kids?! ;)
Argythree about 10 years ago
Someone the age of Michael may very well have a computer club at school, and may sign up for it on his own or at the suggestion of a teacher. -These days, so-called ‘helicopter parents’ figure their kids have to be well-rounded in order to get into college. But back in the time this cartoon is supposedly about, kids were perfectly capable of over-scheduling themselves, especially if their friends were in a club.
Argythree about 10 years ago
Wait for it… Bended jammies will soon weigh in to castigate Elly for failing to jump up immediately and say ‘oh, yes, sire, whatever you desire, sire,’ when her son calls out for one of his taxis….
alviebird about 10 years ago
These strips ran at a time when the whole “overly structured” thing was still a fairly new phenomenon. It wasn’t quite as bad then as it is now.
Aaberon about 10 years ago
I remember when that started to evolve: “overly structured”. My only child participated in one thing at a time. Fortunately, she never felt like she was missing anything. Had time to enjoy what she was doing at the time. (Turned out to be pretty balanced.)
ladykat about 10 years ago
You know, for some readers of this strip, Elly and John just can’t win.
Kate M. about 10 years ago
Glad to see you back!
starcandles Premium Member about 10 years ago
Why is she surprised about the classes? Did she not sign the kids up for them? Parents overschedule their kids way too much!
masnadies about 10 years ago
We have 3 young children and so far they only do scouts, since we can’t really afford too many activities (each one is usually $100+/month, plus equipment). We have loads of family time. I’d like to see them get to try one sport a year, some day.
The classes do kind of attack people all at once, from what I’ve seen. They sign up (kids can sign up for clubs at school, even at elementary, so that is a surprise to some).
Our neighbourhood goes from being full of kids playing in the streets like when we grew up- 4 square and bikes and football- and then, one day, you don’t see the sports families at all for months.
It’s considered wrong not to have your child in at least one sport and one activity each, most of the year, plus some sort of lessons (dance, art, whatever). That means that John and Ellie’s reality is pretty much it, often till the kids go off to college and have broken their parents, who now have to figure out what to do with spare time they haven’t had in 15 years!
I think following your own interests in sport or whatever is important, but having free time to learn how to be bored and to process life is equally important. Also, every member of the family needs activities, equally parents to kids. It’s hard for parents to do, but shows that parents are people with their own value, which they will need to keep going when kids are gone. At least, that’s what they tell me :-)
Susan Rollinson Premium Member about 10 years ago
I let my daughter choose what clubs, etc., she was involved with. The only things that I signed her up for on my own , were nursery school ( three mornings a week) when she was four years old, and Saturday Dance lessons when she was five. I did this because she was an only child, and I wanted her to have plenty of chances to mix with other kids.
summerdog86 about 10 years ago
When I grew up, my mom didn’t drive and my dad was way too tired from working to support us, so he never drove us anywhere extra. We were on our own to get there. If we couldn’t arrange that, we couldn’t do it. End of story.
Nicole ♫ ⊱✿ ◕‿◕✿⊰♫ Premium Member about 10 years ago
I’m glad I stopped at having just one kid and I’m even more happy that so far, he isn’t into team activities. He prefers unstructured play with friends which, I hear, is just as healthy as structured. Yay!
hippogriff about 10 years ago
DaBoogadie: I know they have bicycles in Canada, they were abundant in rainy, hilly, Vancouver at this time. In areas with permanent snow, there are cross-country skis. In Texas, I generally walked.
Argythree about 10 years ago
And some parents don’t find out their kids have signed up for after school activities until they get a call from the school asking why they haven’t picked up their child.
USN1977 about 10 years ago
Fifth panel:Michael is walking to practice. He can use the time to himself to think over why he should not be fresh with his parents nor bite the hand that feeds him.
Adele Derwald about 10 years ago
Once I have children I definitely want to live in a place where a kid Michael’s age can go to some activities on their own, like I used to when I was 8 and started dance class. Not to speak of that they’re already doing way too many after-school activities…
iluvgetfuzzy about 10 years ago
Now I see examples of people with no life: actually complaining about FICTIONAL children’s after-school activities.