Lessons Learned

If you could stand far enough down the road, the flow charts we parents create for our kids with lessons and education would be fascinating to observe. My childhood chart would end at tap dance here, pick up at track there, feature many activities leading to dead ends which shaped me nonetheless, while following music and art all the way along. As for my own kids, who knows which leads will extend the furthest? I enjoy watching them as they find where their passions lie, improve their skills, and foster a love of learning. But sometimes with activities, it’s hard to know where and when to start. Whether it’s because your kid hasn’t shown signs of a particular interest, extracurricular activities don’t seem in the budget, or the choices are simply overwhelming, I’ve had a good think on it and would like to some ideas on how to navigate that long and winding road of lessons.

Early Childhood Education

Some people in your life might council you not to bother with putting your child in anything until they’re older because “they won’t remember it anyway”. Just tell them you don’t mind your child forgetting the activity so long as they enjoy the moment. Of course, the long answer is full of reasons to give children a head start in outside education: it improves confidence, exposes them to new ideas and different ways of learning, helps them find their voice, and none of that touches on the socialization aspect. Don’t tell this mama it’s not worthwhile!

Infant Classes

Some things, like basketball, are not a perfect fit for a newborn, but there are plenty of activities you can do with your baby. Swimming offers one of the youngest starts alongside benefits like improved balance, coordination, and cognitive function; you can choose what route is best for your family be it privately with K + K, through the City, at the U of S, or at the Y. In my household, swimming is non-negotiable because water safety is so important. Music is another proven brain-booster and classes can begin at birth through Kindermusik, Music Together, or you can find free programming through the Saskatoon Public Library. One of the most game-changing baby classes for my family was sign language through Little Hands & Me, which not only gave my kids words before they were able to speak them but still fleshes out their love of language today.

Toddlerhood

When hands get bigger and feet become more certain, the options become more diverse. Around two, your child is able to register for gymnastics, Sportball, Happy Feet soccer, dance, and more. Some classes are parented, some are not, but all are going to challenge and engage your child in a way that your own leadership just can’t—I know the humbled feeling of realizing my child learns differently and better from an expert and trust me, it’s worth letting go. Worried you can’t afford to squeeze a lesson into your budget? Leisure Centre programs are affordable for many, and you can find grants through KidSport and Creative Kids. Many Community Associations also offer assistance for their programming if need be, which means cost doesn’t need to be a barrier for your family. 

How to Choose

This may come as a surprise because I’m an advocate of a child’s experience being child-led, but since we are bringing our children to lessons that may lead to spending time in recitals, at arenas, or traveling for competitions, shouldn’t we be interested in the activity? These flow charts we’re kicking off are ones we’ll follow ourselves, so why shouldn’t you base lesson choices on what your child will enjoy tempered with what you’ll enjoy watching and encouraging? Have your top lessons in mind and fit them into your schedule by rank of importance, remembering to factor in other commitments, transportation time, naptimes, and grumpy times (I learned the hard way that a 7:30PM swimming lesson didn’t exactly match my daughter’s peak mood). Some parents like to only do one activity per session to avoid burning their kid out but I’m in the learning-is-fun-and-why-wouldn’t-we-do-lots-of-it camp so I try to fill the week like Tetris. Especially when my kids were babies, being beholden to a few half hour commitments every week was enough to get me out of the house, talk to other parents, and feel like a part of the world again. In that way, lessons did my whole family good. I hope the same for yours.

xo