Hello Momtourage! Happy New Year. We are back to the grind once again (and I’m not talking about coffee).
It’s more like waking up to the loud alarm clock, making lunches, driving kids to activities, and rushing out the door.
Our topic this week is after-school activities.
It’s taken this long to realize that maybe you shouldn’t obligate your kids to participate in activities that they do not enjoy.
Years of “please get in the car, we have to go,” “I know you don’t like soccer, but I signed you up!”
This situation is exhausting for everyone involved, not to mention expensive, and it’s not fun, defeating the whole purpose.
With the exception of swimming, which is a life skill, there is no need to require your children to go to activities they do not love!
Anyway, what got me thinking so deeply about this subject was a few self-help books that I’ve read recently about the universe.
Think of book titles such as Untethered Soul and, more particularly, Seven Spiritual Laws of Success written by Deepak Chopra regarding the Law of Least Effort.
In this book, there is one sentence, precisely, that resonated with me about nature and the world: “The grass doesn’t figure out how to grow; it just grows. Birds don’t try to fly; they simply fly.”
We, as beings, will naturally be drawn to the activities we love and excel in. We will innately know what those activities are upon trying them. Therefore, you won’t have to convince your children to go or sign them up (and tell them five minutes before you leave!). It will all happen with effortless ease and without resistance.
We’ve had some fun experiences narrowing down activities for our children. The funniest moment was when my husband gave up his free time to coach my son’s baseball team.
When I asked my son what his favorite position to play was after the season was over, he replied, “the bench: it’s so much fun, Mom, I play in the dirt.” I couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. Sorry, Keith!
So, in short, when it comes to finding activities for your children, let the universe figure it out for you (and have the Momtourage help.)
Rest in the fact that our little beings know what they love to do, and we as moms need to trust in that more.
As my personal spiritual growth leads to a paradigm shift, I start to realize that I have a ballerina (The Dance Pointe) and a musician (School of Rock). They both happily go to their activities – no complaints at all.
But who knows, this could all change soon, and I’ll be back at square one again, but for now, I’ll take it!
Still tired as a mother and not even enrolled in any activities,
The Momtourage
P.S. To get started or continue on the journey of finding your child’s favorite activities, we’ve included a list of programs that your children can try locally.
Click on the activity if you’d like to see our place of choice for each.
In no particular order: Dancing, Gymnastics, Soccer, Baseball, Ice Hockey, Basketball, Ice Skating, Rollerskating, Art classes, Music, Sewing, Computers, Golf, Zaniac, Tae Kwon Do, Sailing, Lacrosse, Fencing, Cheerleading, Music (for the littles), Skiing, Squash, Field hockey, Tennis, Swimming.
The moms at Momtourage Media!
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