"There's a difference between giving kids lots of exposure to things so they can figure out what they gravitate toward and what they're good at," Fener Stikoff said. "It's another thing to have them do a lot of things and be the best at all of those things," adding that that pressure can take the joy out of activities for some kids.
"What I recommend to parents, is if your child isn't asking for it or doesn't remember that today's the day for such and such activity, then don't take your child to it," Gray said. "If your child wants it, that's when it's good. There's no value in putting your child into an activity they don't want."
"Continue to check in with your kid to say: Are you still liking it? What do you love about this? Is there anything you don't love about it?" Fener Sitkoff said.
Structured after-school activities can definitely benefit children's lives, but prioritizing their ability to have downtime, in whatever way your child chooses, is a key aspect of their development.
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