Africaparent Logo
Africaparent Logo
EnglishSwahili
  • COVID-19
  • Becoming a Mama
  • Ages & Stages
  • Parenting
  • Health
  • Feeding & Nutrition

3 Negative effects of over-scheduling your child

3 min read
3 Negative effects of over-scheduling your child3 Negative effects of over-scheduling your child

Avoid these dangers of overschedulling your kid. This is how you can strike a balance with your child's play, work and rest time.

Do you kids have too much to do? Most Singaporean kids are piled with lots of activities - some from the moment they are born! From attending school to going for piano classes to learning how to swim, kids these days have a pretty packed schedule. But while school and extracurricular activities are very important for their development, doing too much can be detrimental to their health. A sign of an overscheduled child is when your kid leaves for school in the morning and returns home at dinnertime or later.

Let's look at a typical day for kids these days.

Overscheduled Child

11 hours of busyness 

First, kids have school. The average school day is about seven hours long. Kids with working parents are in after-school care as well.

Then, there is homework. So let’s factor in a couple of hours for homework for the average student, at least.

In addition to the rigours and responsibilities of school, lots of kids participate in at least one activity outside of school. So let’s add on, say, another two hours of activities. This means that kids are busy for 11 hours on an average day. Why is this bad?

An overscheduled child misses out 

There can be negative effects on your family and your child if they are overscheduled. Here are three negative outcomes:

  1. Tired and bored: An overscheduled child does a lot but also misses out on so much. Pediatrician Dr. Deb Lonzer, MD says, “An overscheduled child typically don’t eat well, sleep well, or make friends properly.”
  2. Lacks quality family time. Clearly, school and homework are important. Many kids also enjoy participating in at least one extracurricular activity. But what about family and rest time? Dr Deb adds, "Kids whose time is overly organised don’t have time to be kids, and their family doesn’t have time to be a family."
  3. Tired parents: A packed schedule for a child can be hard to manage. It also requires a lot of cooperation from the entire family and sacrifices may have to be made. If kids are tired, chances are so are their parents.

So, how can mums and dads strike a balance? Here are three guidelines to follow:

  1. Look inside: "Overscheduling structured activities is more the result of parental anxiety than for the needs of the child," says David Elkind, PhD, professor of child development at Tufts University and author of The Hurried Child.
  2. Set a limit: Elkind suggest no more than three activities -- one sport, one social activity  and one artistic endeavour like music lessons or art class. He recommends kids go go for an hour or so to each type of activity each week. "It's really inappropriate for elementary school children to go to daily practices," he says.
  3. Free time is family time: Get your kids involved in the things they love but don’t do it at the expense of your family and their wellbeing. Have family dinners instead of chauffeuring them to practices and lessons every day. Finally, don't always ask them on how to be better. Just let them be themselves."

Source:  WebMD

Also read: Must-read Nigerian children’s books for 10 years and below

 

 

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Abigail

  • Home
  • /
  • Parent's Guide
  • /
  • 3 Negative effects of over-scheduling your child
Share:
  • The best parks in Lagos for the whole family

    The best parks in Lagos for the whole family

  • Children should play more and sit around less – WHO

    Children should play more and sit around less – WHO

  • Mum Warns Of Danger After Toddler Ends Up In Hospital For Swallowing Water Beads

    Mum Warns Of Danger After Toddler Ends Up In Hospital For Swallowing Water Beads

  • Toddler's testicles get caught in bathtub drain: Bathtub safety hazards for toddlers

    Toddler's testicles get caught in bathtub drain: Bathtub safety hazards for toddlers

  • The best parks in Lagos for the whole family

    The best parks in Lagos for the whole family

  • Children should play more and sit around less – WHO

    Children should play more and sit around less – WHO

  • Mum Warns Of Danger After Toddler Ends Up In Hospital For Swallowing Water Beads

    Mum Warns Of Danger After Toddler Ends Up In Hospital For Swallowing Water Beads

  • Toddler's testicles get caught in bathtub drain: Bathtub safety hazards for toddlers

    Toddler's testicles get caught in bathtub drain: Bathtub safety hazards for toddlers

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Becoming a Mama
    • Pregnancy
    • Delivery
    • Losing a Baby
  • Ages & Stages
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Kids
  • Parenting
    • News
    • Relationship & Sex
    • Parent's Guide
  • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Weaning
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright Africaparent.com 2023 Tickled Media Pte Ltd. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it