It all began with swimming lessons. Picture this: me, frantically herding four kids into the rec center at 4:30 p.m. on a Monday. I had a rambunctious 1-year-old climbing everything in sight and a spirited 2 1/2-year-old who thought running off was the best game ever—especially near a pool.
After the chaos of the lesson, we squeezed into a tiny changing room where I was practically yelling at my then-5-year-old twins to hurry it up. By the time we finally reached the car, I was a bundle of nerves, the babies were exhausted, and my older kids were grumpy because I had been nagging them for what felt like an eternity. I was done. We simply couldn’t keep this up.
That was the year my partner and I became foster parents, which added two more little ones to our crew, along with a calendar bursting with obligations that felt impossible to juggle. There were swimming lessons, tee-ball practices where I carried a 7-month-old while trying to prevent her from munching on grass, and gymnastics that required a whirlwind of morning drop-offs and rushing to make other commitments.
For families like ours with multiple kids, busyness becomes the status quo. We find ourselves shoving snacks into their mouths as we sprint out the door, meticulously scheduling coffee dates weeks in advance, and trying to ensure our kids have every opportunity to thrive. But on that fateful Monday afternoon—after another round of those dreaded swimming lessons—I began to question whether this frantic pace was really necessary.
After some serious discussions with my partner, we decided it was time to make a change before we lost our minds. So we pulled the plug on every extracurricular activity and gave ourselves a breather. Suddenly, our weekdays weren’t a whirlwind of chaos, and our weekends were wide open. I could literally feel the stress melting away. We had taken on a big responsibility with foster parenting, but clearly, we hadn’t adjusted our lifestyle to fit. The relief we felt that winter was unmistakable.
When spring arrived, each of the kids picked one activity that required no more than a once-a-week commitment; if it was on a Saturday, even better! My daughter opted for cheerleading, my son chose soccer, and we signed them up for swimming. That was it. Just a single weekday commitment and two weekend activities, and we’ve maintained this balance for three years now.
It’s not perfect and certainly not for everyone, but it works for us. This isn’t about guilt; it’s a reminder that we have choices. If busy schedules energize you, go for it! But if you’re feeling overwhelmed like we were, know that you don’t have to let busyness define your family.
Our kids are active, sociable, and happy, and we’re only out one night a week. Our evenings are slow and spacious—plenty of time for my partner to hit the gym, the kids to play after dinner, and for us to enjoy spontaneous dinner outings or card games at the kitchen table. Sure, there are skills they might not be learning, and they may wish I had made different choices someday, but when they look back on these years, I want them to remember time spent together. Time to relax, time to unwind, and time to just be.
There’s plenty of time for being busy later on, so why not embrace the calm while we can?
If you’re interested in more related content, check out this link for tips on home insemination. For at-home kits, visit this resource. And if you’re looking for comprehensive information on pregnancy, IVF Babble is an excellent resource.
In summary, we opted for a slower pace of life that allows us to savor quality family time instead of being caught up in a whirlwind of activities. Our decision has fostered a happier, more relaxed environment for both us and our kids.