Extra Curriculars

There is no shortage of fun kids activities.  That can be a problem for busy parents.  Here's a quick pro and cons list of some of the activities that we've enrolled our children in.  Hopefully it can help you decide which ones to sign 'em up for and which ones to avoid.

#5.  Cub Scouts:  It's like a fraternity for little boys.

Pro:  It helps your child to become more social.  Con:  It means that I (an introvert) have to be more social.
  
Pro:  Your kid learns appropriate behavior, manners, and good-will.  Con:  Your boy will call you out on it when you don't exhibit these qualities yourself.   

Pro:  Your kid gets to go on cool camping trips.  Con:  If you've never heard about anything bad happening on scout trips, then I won't ruin it for you.  I do, however, strongly recommend that you tag along.

#4.  Tumbling:  You pay another person to let your kid roll around on their floor.

Pro:  Your little girl will love dressing up in the outfits.  Con:  Them outfits ain't cheap. 

Pro:  Most tumbling operations won't let you stay and watch as it distracts the girls.  Con:  You could be paying $30 a month just so your kid can do somersaults every week and nothing else.  Then again, it's like having a reliable babysitter each week so who cares? 

Pro:  Your child becomes close to the other girls in her class.  Con:  Sometimes that closeness happens when they practice spin-kick-twirls.  Bloody nose.







#3.  Basketball:  Because somebody thought it was a good idea to have 3 foot 9 inch kids aim for a 10 foot tall hoop.

Pro:  Learn eye-hand coordination through passing, dribbling, and rebounding.  Con:  Passing, dribbling, and rebounding often end with jammed fingers. 

Pro:  Develop aim and upper-body strength by shooting free-throws.  Con:  If your kid actually gets the ball to hit the rim, it will bounce back and hit them in the face.  Bloody nose.   

Pro:  Lots of exercise like running and jumping.  Con:  White kids can't jump.









#2.  Soccer:  The most popular sport for kids that aren't good at sports.

Pro:  You get to play indoors when the weather's bad.  Con:  The indoor arena smells like sweaty balls.   

Pro:  Kids can learn teamwork.  Con:  The fastest kid hogs the ball while the others just run around chasing after. 

Pro:  Kids learn eye-foot coordination.  Con:  Your kid is going to trip over the ball and start pulling up grass more than he kicks, passes, or scores.



#1.  Tee-Ball:  I've written to some extent about t-ball and participation trophies already.

Pro: It gets your kid outdoors.  Con: It's the middle of summer and you're outdoors.  I don't know about your park, but at ours, none of the t-ball diamonds have shade. 

Pro:  Your kid gets to wear a sweet uniform.  Con:  Part of that uniform involves stirrup socks which you'll have to wrangle your child into.   

Pro:  Your kid can get some exercise.  Con:  If your child isn't pitching or catching,  he will be sitting (not exercise) and digging in the infield dirt or pulling out the outfield grass.