by Amelia Tibbett

Created on: December 28, 2007   Last Updated: May 29, 2011

Most parents would agree that extracurricular activities have much to offer our youth, and many studies back up this line of thinking. But, can there be too much of a good thing? For as much good as they do, we as parents must pay careful attention because there can be some challenges associated with taking on too many extracurricular activities.

We want our children to be busy with positive activities, and what's more is often times, our children want to do these activities as well. They want to be as much of a part of everything that they can be. While this is all well and good, there are some bad things that can come of this. Children and Teens can become over stressed and suffer from anxiety if they undertake too many activities.

According to Ann Zander, Colorado State University, we must find the right balance of activities that will compliment the child, their school work and family time. Zander also states, " In the past 20 years there has been a decline of up to 12 hours per week in children's free time, specifically outdoor activities and playing. In the same time frame, there has been an increase in structured sports time and a five-fold increase in watching television (more than three hours per day). A study of American youth found a strong association between regular family meals, academic success and psychological adjustment." Basically, too many extracurricular activities takes away from quality family time because of an over burdened schedule.

Academically speaking, it is easy to quickly become overwhelmed. Most institutions require a certain GPA to join an activity, and it is up to your teen to maintain that standard to remain in the activity. If you notice that your teen is starting to feel stressed out, anxious or overwhelmed, it man be time to take a look at their schedule and reconsider some of their activities. The most important thing is keeping a balance between schoolwork, social activities, extracurricular activities and family time. If your you and your child come to the decision that it is best to quit an activity, the best way to do so is to confront the issue head on by speaking to the coaches or director and by being forthright. They will understand, they want what is best for your child and for the team. Someone who can't concentrate and give their all will not be able to give their all to a team sport. They will respect a mature decision rather than trying to do a mediocre job, or simply quitting without explanation.

As parents,

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