Are children over-scheduled?

When I was in grade school, my mother tried desparately to teach me grace and poise and all those things that don't come naturally to little hick girls - so she put me into dance classes (ballet, tap, jazz, and acro) and piano lessons. In middle school, I up and quit and joined the Civil Air Patrol - definately not a reduction in time spent, and it was the first time I'd been given real responsibilities. In high school, I worked 30 hours a week and put in 3000 community service hours. I kept up good grades (but marginal attendance) and have plenty of stories I wouldn't ever tell my mom.

I'd be dead on my feet if I tried to sustain what I did as a kid right now, but I think that high-energy pace can be a good experience for our youth. Obviously, the activities have to be chosen to capture something in the kids, but finding activities like that rewards the kids and the parents.


Relatedly: I saw a special that mentioned these abacus lessons, and I think it might be the coolest thing ever! They had this room full of kids performing complex calculations using just abaci (?) in their heads - they all look like they have some affliction, flicking their thumbs around in mid-air... I wish I'd learned how when I was little, I'm not nearly as good at learning new things these days

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jared2 @ Jun 12 2006, 01:07 PM) [snapback]270015[/snapback]</div>

It may not be plagiarism. But it is copyright infringement.

Profit has NOTHING to do with violating copyright. That is an Urban Myth.

I like links to the sources too.

And yes, I think some American children are overscheduled. Those whose parents can afford soccer, and water polo and trombone lessons and karate and whatever. I also think the reason gangs flourish is there is another population that can't afford to schedule their children at all. They both work, or the single parent has one or two jobs or the kids are living with grandma and she's just plain too tired to keep track of their every waking minute. Those kids can't afford piano lessons and ballet class. Kids who are too idle and kids that aren't idle enough. Since when did "playing" become a waste of time? Americans are obsessed with working every minute.

How many Americans don't take their vacation time? How many work overtime? How many work hard and then play hard with snowboarding, scuba diving, off roading, hiking, biking, whatever? Is it any wonder our children are being brought up the same?

What will we see? Possibly our teenage suicide rates going up. Japan's are pretty high. Is that really the kind of competition we want to excel at?