Comments on: Can you overextend a toddler? http://blog.newsok.com/hiccups/2009/08/18/can-you-overextend-a-toddler/ Hiccups parenting blog is written by parents for parents and their children Sun, 28 Apr 2013 02:13:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5 By: Robin http://blog.newsok.com/hiccups/2009/08/18/can-you-overextend-a-toddler/comment-page-1/#comment-1349 Robin Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:52:19 +0000 http://blog.newsok.com/hiccups/?p=727#comment-1349 I think you can overextend a toddler. But as long as you’re letting them do things at their own pace, and not pushing them too hard…(a little encouragement is always OK, of course)…then they’ll be fine. It is better not to become one of those crazy sports parents who make their kids play school basketball (or football, baseball, softball, soccer, etc.) during school, and then make them join summer leagues, fall leagues, after school leagues, and whatever else they have. Unless the kid wants to of course. If a kid doesn’t really like a sport, but you force them to play so you can live out your own dreams through them, they’ll start to hate the sport and eventually hate you.

OK so that is more a problem when they get older. As a young child, having them in several different activities gives them a better opportunity to figure out what they really like. They might be a pro at basketball, but if they don’t get the chance to try it, how will you know? If he hates gymnastics, well now you know for next year.

I think a good rule is, if they have at least 3 to 4 days off a week where they aren’t doing any activities, then they’ll be OK. The younger they are, the more time off they need I think. And they should have a few hours every day (even when they have activities going on the same day) to relax at home, play by themselves, and with friends or the parents. I always read to mine every night, no matter how late it is or how tired we are. Even if it is only a few minutes a night, it lets both of us go to bed on a good note. :) Good luck in the sports world!

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