A 3rd Grade Night

I realize it has been ten days since my last post. That has happened a lot over the last few months!!! It has a few reasons.

The first is a lack of good ideas. I have ideas but they aren't interesting. Others are interesting. But, my mind has been so jumbled. When I go to write them down, the words don't make sense. There is one topic I will post about later. But, it's still unfolding and I want that to be completed first. That's the second reason.

But, the third reason is much more basic then that. I have been busy! The fall is full of activities at the school. This particular month has been full of Zach activities. A bombardment of paperwork to take care of for various reasons, things at school like the Thanksgiving feast, and his afterschool activities.

I never wanted Zach to be an overscheduled kid. He needs down time to just relax and be a kid. Overstressed kids turn to drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol as teens. I want him to learn early how to manage stress so he doesn't do that later!!!

I am finding that hard to do. Technically this year he will only have two basic activities for the whole  year. Basketball and baseball. Last year, that meant eight weeks of basketball on Sunday afternoons. Baseball had a fitting day and then one practice and one game a week.

This year it's more complicated. He has three practices a week for basketball. Mondays are a 8 o'clock at night!!! Isn't that the time for middle school and high school activities? I thought the elementary kids had their activities earlier and the older kids were later! He can't possibly be old enough for activities that late at night!!!

But, he is. And this is just the beginning. In January this becomes two practices and one game a week. Three days still. But, tack on the one day a week tunnel time for travel baseball and you have a busy kid!!! Four out of seven days of busy 3rd grade nights!!!

Let me explain tunnel time. There is a batting academy in town with cages. They use that for early practice starting in January for the travel teams. They also use in a few times in April for the rec teams.

The spring is going to be baseball, baseball, baseball!!! Practice one night a week for rec and one night a week for travel. Saturdays will be rec baseball games and Sundays will be travel baseball games. These travel games can be pretty far away too!!! That's our Sundays April - June!

He's as busy as I was at night in the 3rd grade. But, I had three or more activities going. All this for two!!! But, he enjoys them and that's the important part. At least basketball is in town!!! Welcome to a 3rd grade night!!!