05 Sep Score! Tips for Managing Your Kids’ Fall Sporting Activities
Score! Tips for Managing Your Kids’ Fall Sporting Activities
Fall is upon us and as much as we love this time of year and all the sporting activities that come with it, managing these events for our kids can be a little hectic.
You know the routine: driving kids to and from practice and games, making snacks, coordinating equipment and paperwork. It can be daunting.
Here’s some tips on how to manage your fall sports schedule:
- Keep a master calendar in a shared space – It’s important to keep everything up to date – and everyone in sync. Place a large calendar in the open for everyone to contribute and review as they’re heading out in the morning. Then, keep another on your phone for easy updating and reference when you and family members are on the go.
- Have a meal strategy – Trying to put together a meal at 8 p.m. when everyone is hungry and tired isn’t fun. Prep meals in advance so you can simply heat them on demand. Plan simple meals that can be assembled quickly, subscribe to a meal delivery service or capitalize on healthy fast-food options. Plus, there are plenty of crock pot meals that can be ready by the time you get home.
- Pack the night before – Life is less stressful when everything’s packed and ready to go – especially if you’re in a hurry! Pack those sports bags and backpacks before bedtime, and make sure tomorrow’s lunches and snacks are ready as well. Also, keep lawn chairs, sweatshirts, bottled water, snacks, blankets and a first aid kit in your car so you’re always prepared.
- Carpool – Split your travel time in half or more by carpooling or sharing responsibilities, such as meal pickup. Find who’s on your child’s team and who they’re closest to and help each other out. This is also a great way to build friendships among the kids, as well as the adults.
- Get everyone involved – This is a great time to ask for support! Ask grandparents if they could help with rides or watching younger kids. Do you have a teenager who could prep meals or help siblings with homework? And don’t forget to ask family and friends to support the kids by attending a game or two!
- Take homework to go – Certain homework tasks can be done on the go or during a break, lightening your child’s workload later on. Try to pack a quick assignment along with supplies in case there’s a break in the action. This can also help build time management skills.
- Don’t overschedule – With so many fun fall activities, kids want to be part of it all. However, they still have school and you need time for yourself as well. Push lower-priority activities or commitments aside until things settle down. It’s all right to pause volunteer work or turn down requests from friends for a while. Just make sure they know this is a busy time and you plan to resume normal activities soon.
As you begin to master your fall sports schedule, don’t forget to find time for your own tasks as well. Use time during team practices to run errands, get work done on your laptop, or even fit in a workout. When you can squeeze in time to manage all your tasks, you’ll find it much easier to enjoy the season!