The topic up for discussion this week is to share tips for organizing your activities: field trips, co-ops, etc. Well, again, I have to give credit to The Schoolhouse Planner for helping me stay organized. It contains field trip planning pages which help me attend to every detail. It also contains co-op and support group information pages. (I have heard through the grapevine that the upcoming 2009 Schoolhouse Planner will contain more co-op planning pages, too!)

I think the key to keeping track of all of the extracurricular activities is my wall calendar. All information goes on the calendar in pencil (so I can erase it if a date changes!). In addition, a pocket calendar in my purse lets me see at a glance what activities are coming up soon if I am away from my wall calendar. This is especially helpful when I am at a doctor’s appointment and need to schedule a follow-up visit.

One decision our family has made is to limit the number of activities that the children can be involved in. In addition to church groups, they are allowed to participate in one sport and one club or organization. This limitation helps keep me sane (ha!) and also allows for the children to participate in activities in which they are interested. Sometimes, it is a little tricky coordinating all of it, but I do think it is important for children to be allowed to pursue their interests. If one of their co-op classes involves extra practices or performances (like drama or choir), then that class also becomes labeled the “club.”

There are several benefits to limiting our extracurricular activities – because the calendar is not jam-packed every single day, we have time for last-minute invites that pop up . . . a trip to the park or pool with friends, dinner with neighbors, etc. Second, the children are learning how a weekly schedule works and they are encouraged to focus on activities that are the most important to them. Of course, they are allowed to try new things if we can fit it into the schedule. Finally, I believe it is important for children to have “downtime” – to just have time to be kids. The atmosphere in our home is better when we are not overscheduled.

In summary, The Schoolhouse Planner helps keep me organized, but limiting extracurricular activities is the key to keeping me sane!