Youth Perspectives: Kids Who Are Overbooked During Summers

As a recent high-school graduate, I am coming off of four-years of (self-induced) overbooking, both in school and in summer.

There were tutoring lessons, dance classes and SAT classes, not to mention jobs and overseas trips. In between all those activities, I used to miss those days in middle and elementary school.

Back then, summer playtime meant a day at the park or the pool with friends.

But these days, I have noticed that more young children have never really experienced the "lazy summer day." I currently tutor middle school and elementary school children in Pleasanton whose summers consist of being batted around (somewhat unwillingly) from instrument lessons to academic classes to sports practice-- mostly as a result of their parents signing them up for various summer classes, clubs, and camps.

While parents who overbook their children's summers are well-intentioned, I found that many developmental psychologists argue that activity is best in moderation, and that unstructured playtime is actually beneficial for developing a creative and balanced child.

Dr. Alvin Rosenfeld, author of The Over-Scheduled Child: Avoiding the Hyper-Parenting Trap, says that "parents worry about kids' boredom, so they schedule their lives to keep them busy. But empty hours teach children how to create their own happiness - and that is an important skill we would all benefit from developing."

An article in Psychology Today reinforces the benefits of unstructured play, claiming that "Play is the natural mode of learning for young children, but when their lives are dominated by adult-organized activities, there may be little time left to just be kids."

From personal experience, there is a compromise for parents who are wary of letting their children completely loose. At the beginning of each summer, parents should try letting their children decide their summer schedule, by asking them and encouraging them to seek out activities that they are truly interested in.

A great resource is the City of Pleasanton's Summer Activities Guide. Having children pick out one or two structured summer classes or camps gives them personal responsibility over their own schedule, and will help foster an independent and secure teenager in the future.

By allowing children to make decisions about their summer, they begin to learn how to manage their own time, which is essential in both the classroom and the workforce.

But remember, parents, if your child simply wants a time to do nothing but free, unstructured fun, don't discourage them. There's plenty of time to dive into a half-dozen activities, rigorous academic classes and a job on the side. That's what high school is for.

Vivienne Chen is a high-school graduate and a byproduct of a fairly unstructured childhood. She has parents, who gave her the freedom and responsibility of controlling her own time. She did, however, overbooked herself.