We're about at the end of our school year, which is a great time to evaluate how things went and think about making changes next year, if necessary. Specifically, I am thinking about our extra curricular activities: AWANA, dance, art, karate, choir and gym class.
On the one hand, these activities are all very good for the kids. They learn a lot. They have a chance to be with other kids. For the most part, except art, they are affordable. They bring a lot to our homeschool.
On the other hand, they all have costs attached. Time, money, gas, and my sanity are all precious commodities in this world. It's good to take a look at what we are doing and make sure they are worth the cost.
First of all, there is the money factor. Art alone is $75 a month. If not for generous grandparents and my babysitting job, we'd not be able to afford it. Karate is another $60 a month, but total for all three kids. Dance is $75 for a session of 9 weeks or so. I think there are 2 or 3 sessions a school year. Gym is $22 a kid for 6 weeks and there are 4 sessions a year. AWANA has dues. I think $30 a year per kid. Choir is free, except to purchase a shirt and bring food when they sing. Four pounds of grapes is about $8. I made an egg and sausage casserole for their first performance. It probably cost a lot more than the grapes.
The other cost is time. Time is precious. We need to spend it as wisely as money. Jeff and I both volunteer in AWANA. He has monthly meetings in the evening because he is a director. That's another cost.
Gas is not too much of a concern, as most of these activities are close, but I am running a child or children several times a week and twice on Mondays and Sundays! (Sanity!)
Family time is sparse some weeks. It can make for hectic evenings, although we manage to eat as a family more often than not. There are weeks when we have choir on Sunday, gym and dance on Monday, Grace has art and Jeff has an AWANA directors meeting on Tuesday, we all go to church on Wednesday, kids go to karate on Thursday, and we host our small group on Friday! That happens a lot. Those weeks I wonder if this is really a good thing or not! I'll add this to the wear and tear on the family, which is a cost.
So, what do we do? Each activity is on its own almost vital. They need physical activity, because frankly, they won't get it on their own at home, especially in the winter, which is so sad and a reflection on me and my activities.
AWANA fulfills their need to hide God's word in their hearts. Although, not the only way they do this. They have memory verses for karate and Sunday school, so this could be accomplished via those avenues. And it is stressed in our church, so I know they do memorize a lot of verses this way. Next year, Ryan will be in the AWANA high school program which Jeff is director of. This will be a great chance for Ryan to sit under his father's teaching. The program is very strong, not fluff. Plus, Ryan has a friend who goes and in general the kids in this program are solid in their faith. Trevor will continue with AWANA Truth and Training. Grace has been given the choice to do youth group or AWANA. Right now she is leaning towards staying in AWANA, especially if her best friend is there. They all will do Sunday school. Ryan's will meet Sunday evenings. I need to decide if my volunteering,more wear and tear on my sanity, is the right thing for me.
Gym, karate, and dance fulfill their important physical needs. Gym could go, I suppose, but they've made friends (so have I.) These friends are not from church and its nice to know other homeschooling families from other sources. Plus, it quite nicely gets me going on Mondays. And I like the community center and want to support it.
Karate is a non-negotiable for my oldest. He does so little that I'd never consider not doing karate, plus it is so cost effective! And they do memorize verses to move onto the next belt and each session ends with a Bible lesson. Trevor seems to love it as well. Grace only goes because her dance teacher said it would help her advance in dance. Otherwise, she'd be out the door!
Dance has only a fall ,spring, and sometimes a short summer session, meets at church, and Grace really needs it for her physical therapy, almost. Plus, I like to take her and sit with a book for a whole hour all by myself!!! That doesn't happen very often.
Art
may go if funding isn't raised, but I'd really hate that. Grace has
talent and it needs nurtured. The art school is a perfect fit for her
and she is making non-homeschooling friends. I can't think of any other
place she does that. I can see this turning into a career for her. She could teach at homeschool co-ops or even open her own studio and charge others outlandish prices to learn Monart!
Choir is for Trevor only and he has such a nice voice that I really think it is a great way to nurture his talent. Plus, his best buddy is there and they really enjoy their time together, which is important to Trevor. Choir meets a couple Sunday evenings a month and they sing at holidays, usually. Call time is 6:30 AM and he doesn't get home until 12:30 PM, which is a long morning for him. Thankfully, Daddy takes him.
So there we have it. Everything is essential and nothing can go!!! *sigh* I therefore must spend time in prayer about these things. Perhaps it is just my lot in life to be busy right now. The kids are in their busy phase of life. (Thank God no one wants to do other sports, too!!!) And, I know that one day my kids will be driving and off to their part time jobs and friends and won't need me to cart them around every where. I want to give them these opportunities to use their gifts and nurture their talents. Seems as if I am going to need to pray about these things for sure! But it helps "fleshing" it all out here. It kind of reminds me of when they were all little and in diapers. I could not foresee a time when life would be different,but I knew it would happen. It did happen, all too quickly!
