Reduce After-School Activity Stress

4 ways to reduce the stress levels that come with after school sport and activities...

The average family spends 5.6 hours every week just driving their kids to sports activities. This number increases to 16 hours per week when time spent watching and helping are included. No wonder parents are so stressed.

Maggie Scott, Mum of two, created the Parachuute app for this exact reason. Maggie shares her 4 tips to reduce the stress that comes with after school and weekend sport and activities.

1. Try consolidate activities where possible when deciding where and when to sign your kids up for a team or activity. See if siblings can take swimming lessons at the same time or chat to your friends so that you can sign kids up to the same activity and share the lifts.

2. Make sure that you have one busy day followed by a rest day. Catch up on homework on rest days so that your kids do not fall behind.

3. Once you've got your schedule sorted find some like-minded people you trust to share the load with. It makes no sense for each parent to walk or drive only their kid to an activity. Go out of your way to connect with parents whose kids do the same activities. This is a lot easier to do if you are both locals and likely to have some sort of connection. If you don't know anyone then introduce yourself and work at building up your network – be brave, just like we expect our kids to be! Before long you will know half the class/team and your kids will be wanting to hang out with each other as well.

4. Learn to offer and accept help. Once you ask for help, it makes it easier for others to do the same. By sharing transport not only will you save time but you set an example for kids of sharing the load.

The Parachuute app is free to download and there are no subscription fees.
www.parachuute.com