zaneyzoo, some dance studios aren't full of crazy people or ran by crazy people. I'd go check it out, and I'd DEFINITELY google some of their performances.
I like the studio my 6 year old goes to because it's more about fun than perfection (unless you're in the competition groups of course). For recitals, shoes, shorts/skirts, makeup, etc. doesn't have to match except for their costume piece. Even then, they're all whatever about what color dance shoes they wear. They also do a good job of choosing age-appropriate dance costumes.
I know it's a bad stereotype. I know some of the moms and they are great people. I'm actually a little excited about her doing it and she seems pretty pumped too.
DS1 he is 11. He just finished all star baseball last Thursday and Monday he started football. DD is 9 she starts softball in Sept but is doing gymnastics and theater. Ds2 doesn't do any organized sports or activities yet
My 12 yo does Tae Kwon Do. She's there at least three days a week.
My 9 yo swims on Saturday mornings and has a weekly 30 minute piano lesson plus short daily practice.
Between the two of the, in the past we've also tried gymnastics, soccer, ballet and Girl Scouts. None lasted longer than a couple of years, and they've always been limited to a max of two activities at a time plus scouts (since that only met twice a month). People who do 3 and 4 things per kid, or more than one thing when one is a travel sport, exhaust me...I haven't go the energy for that.
DD (will be 7 on Friday): Karate, soccer and girl scouts DS (6): Karate and soccer
This is our first time doing karate so we will see how well they do with both karate and soccer going on. If it doesn't go well we will have to decide which one they want to stop doing.
My daughter is four and we're trying to just do one activity at a time. Right now, it's swimming. In the fall, we'll probably start up tennis again. I work, so I don't want out afternoons and evenings to be too crowded at this point.
My older one does XC and soccer in the fall, and Odyssey of the Mind and basketball in the winter. She just stopped dance. The little one does swim and we'll be adding something else in the winter.
Post by notoriousmeg on Aug 3, 2016 7:22:06 GMT -5
For summer DS (turning 4 this month) did art class 1x week for 45 minutes, music class 1 x week for 45 minutes and sports camp 3 x week for 2.5 hours. He goes to school full day 5 days a week, and during the school year he did music 1 x week last year. This year he will do a sports class 1 x week and maybe a music class. Right now he is young enough that it is all just for fun, and I don't feel badly not being there bout nanny takes him to everything. I assume it will be harder when he is older and more invested in his activities. I dont have a flexible work schedule and it can take me an hour to get home, so I know I will likely miss a lot of his practices, games, etc. I try not to think about it b/c it is far enough out that my work situation could change by then.
Post by rockpaperscissors on Aug 3, 2016 7:55:02 GMT -5
My DS is turning 5 in October so pre-k. We had him in Tball and swimming lessons in the spring. We're going to try soccer and resume swimming lessons in the fall. My favorite thing is the Healthy Kids Running series. It's such a fun activity. So far my kid hasn't been too concerned with winning or losing. He just loves the races. I'm sure that will change as he gets older.
DD is 7. DS is 5. Dance moms can be out of control but I specifically remove myself from all the nonsense. I'm more of a drop-off parent than a stay and watch every minute of every practice parent. Typing this all out, it's no wonder why I'm exhausted and feel like I'm driving all the time.
School Year: DD-Regular Dance classes and Dance Team (6 hrs./wk) plus weekend competitions Piano: 30 min/wk. Tennis: 30 min/wk.
Post by jeaniebueller on Aug 3, 2016 9:35:15 GMT -5
DS is 7.5: In the fall, he does soccer, in the winter he does swim lessons, in the spring/summer, he does tennis. He may do a short basketball class after soccer ends but its like an hour a week on saturdays. I don't do more than one activity at a time if i can't help it.
My son is 7.5, next month we are doing flag football and baseball. Previously we have done soccer, Taekwondo and gymnastics. He loved them all but is now wanting to do what his friends are doing so baseball (which he loves) and flag football it is.
We did a 6 week hip hop dance program in the spring. She was less than impressed.
We just finished up her T-ball session at the end of July. Again, less than impressed. Was more interested in drawing unicorns in the dirt.
She starts Kindergarten in the fall, so I'm hoping we find something she enjoys. She doesn't follow directions well and has a mind of her own, so I'm not sure what our next attempt will be. We might move in the direction of an arts & crafts type program when the Fall park & rec catalog comes out.
This is for entire year as of now (most are seasonal). We are dropping a few things this year so it used to be worse. The older 2 also do drama likely too.
DD1 (11yrs): guitar lessons, swim team, club volleyball, school cross country/volleyball/basketball, Girl Scouts, art club
DD2 (9): guitar lessons, league volleyball & soccer, golf lessons, swim team, school volleyball & basketball, Girl Scouts
Post by definitelyO on Aug 3, 2016 10:52:34 GMT -5
based on your comments I'd put her in dance.
DS is 10 and we try to limit to one sport at a time. right now he's doing lacrosse clinics one night a week. he starts flag football on Sundays at the end of the month. when he goes back to school he'll have cooking class one night a week and depending on the lacrosse interest - he'll either do that/ parkour or rock climbing one night a week.
Not all dance moms are snatches. Learn more about the studio you are looking at. Is it a competition studio? Or do they simply teach the art of dance? If it's the second, you will find the moms to be much more mellow. I danced from the time I was 5 and danced professionally as an adult, and never once did I participate in a competition. And neither did any of the girls I danced with as an adult.
To answer your original question:
DS (10) - golf every other week, Cub Scouts twice a month, basketball in the winter, theatre once a week during the school year. He also does a few at school activities, but they are either at lunch or right after school, so I don't know if you are looking for those. If so, he does his school's environmental club, morning running club and participates in GATE (which is an after school activity at our school).
DS (2) - weekly swimming lesson and weekly parent and me sports class
Post by bowlermom300 on Aug 3, 2016 13:52:42 GMT -5
My oldest, who is 11, is a competitive bowler. That's his only activity but it has us at the bowling center at least 6 days a week 50 weeks a year. We enjoyed a nice two week break after going to Indianapolis for a national tournament. I take a lot of slack from friends for his involvement in bowling but he absolutely loves it.
My youngest, who is 7, bowls for fun. We also do baseball for him in the spring typically. He will eventually be on the same competitive team as his brother.
Between their bowling schedules and my own that's all we have time for!
This fall my 4yo son will do: Private swim 1x weekly Soccer 1x weekly Music 1x weekly Reading/movement class 1x weekly And then his preschool 4x a week
2yo twin daughters: Private swim 1x weekly Music 1x weekly Reading/movement class 1x weekly Currently looking for gymnastics/dance or something to add for them.
My son just turned 3 and we're about to enroll him in t-ball or soccer at the Y. It runs September through August. My H is rooting for soccer, I'm rooting for baseball
Post by ladybug2002 on Aug 3, 2016 15:31:41 GMT -5
My 9yo daughter is in competitive gymnastics with practice three nights a week with some weekends in there too. We don't have time for anything else at this point.
Morgan (3) has been in dance since January. We were in an evening class the 1st two rounds but when we start back up in Sept she'll go Saturday mornings. The evening class was a little rough for her because she's at school all day, I pick her up a little early, change at school and then right to the studio.
Post by penguingrrl on Aug 3, 2016 16:43:38 GMT -5
DD1 (9): karate, cheerleader, chorus, band, theater club and swim. Karate is free for us (my brother teaches it and his boss extends his employee benefit to us) and the school clubs (chorus, theater and band)are free as well and meet after school at school so I just pick her up a little later those days, which is no big deal.
DD2: karate, cheerleading, Girl Scouts and swim. The other school clubs start in 3rd grade and I'm sure she'll try them too.
DS: karate and swim lessons
We let them try whatever they want (within reason financially) and choose what they want to continue. So far none of them have interfered with their academics, but if they did then that would also mean stopping.
We have a bunch of Irish step dance schools in my area. So we went to see a dance performance at the local university and there were a lot of Irish step numbers. DD fell in love with it and we signed up to take lessons the next week. She's been doing it for 4 years or so. She's pretty good.
We have a bunch of Irish step dance schools in my area. So we went to see a dance performance at the local university and there were a lot of Irish step numbers. DD fell in love with it and we signed up to take lessons the next week. She's been doing it for 4 years or so. She's pretty good.
I wish we had something like that around here! I love it.