How to Balance Extracurricular Activities With School

With the help of computers, school tutorials, other parents and the outside tutors in Poway—help is always there and is always offered.

Our kids become busy with their activities, whether it’s following their school days or later in the evenings, and even some weekends.  It’s a big juggle for them to balance homework, studying, and then keeping that commitment to their teammates, coach, whatever it may be.

Once an activity/season begins and following the kids’ long and exhausting day, I will follow up with them and inquire what homework needs to be done and the due date.  There have been a few times at 8 p.m., where I was told of an item being needed for school the next day and their excuse for not telling me sooner was that they had just found out that afternoon, but due to practice or a game they were unable to let me know and once home, they had forgotten to mention it. 

It can be a battle from time to time to get them to sit down and crack the books open after a long day.  At times I will sit down with them and go over what their homework is or if a test is the next day, we will sit together and I will quiz them over and over.  I find that sitting with them, whether I am helping them or not, motivates them and then they don’t feel as if they are missing out on something happening in the other room of the house.  I will find something to read or work on my own paperwork that needs to be done and join them.  It makes for quiet study time, I can see that they really are studying, and it’s some family time - which can be hard to find with all the activities and different schedules.

As a last resort, from time to time I will play “secretary” to my boys.  They are still working on their typing skills and since I am up to oversee that their homework is completed and would really like to go to bed, as would they, I will sit down and have them dictate their papers to me.  I make it a point to not go to bed before my kids’ homework is finished.  I feel as a parent that we, my kids and I, are in everything together. So, if they are involved in a activity that takes them away from school work and requires late night studying, I have endorsed that by allowing the activity, so I need to stick with them, help them, and commit to them.

It’s tough on our kids to hold down school and an activity, and this is why I find it important to follow up with my kids and just let them know that what they are doing in their life is important: working hard, showing commitment, and being able to stay on top of their school work.  At the end of the evening when all is complete, I make sure and tell my kids how proud of them I am and bring to their attention the fact that they worked hard all day/evening and have accomplished a lot. They should be proud of themselves and know that hard work does pay off and that they can do it!