Spring is right around the corner! At our house, Spring means outdoor fun and sports. The registration forms for the local soccer leagues and flag football teams are already due. We’ve got end of school practices and performances that need to be scheduled. The list goes on and on and on…

Most parents do everything they can to give to their children. But what if we’re giving too much? What if signing up our children for soccer, piano lessons, student council, etc is just not what our children need?

Isn’t part of our job, as parents, to teach our children to be responsible of their time, allowances, and attitude? What are we teaching our children by having their schedule booked solid? I, personally, crave those moments where I can lay on my back, in the grass and find goofy-looking animals in the clouds. I want my children to stop and smell the roses. I want them to appreciate the quiet moments.

I also want them to know what it’s like to be part of a team and what happens when you work together. Children need to know how to forgive, how to encourage, and how to win or lose together. Social skills are so important in a child’s development. Shoot, I have co-workers that need to work on it!

This year, the boys have picked one sport to play and will take swimming lessons for a few weeks to loosen up those webbed-feet. The rest of the time will be spent on play dates, nature walks, picture-taking excursions, and volunteer servicing. In the end, I hope they feel like they’ve had an exciting season and maybe honed their social skills just a bit.

What are your plans for your children this Spring/Summer?

Photo by Mike Baird