Busy Weekends

I recently celebrated my one-year anniversary with my 'little.' This is my third match over the course of 19 years, so you'd think I'd have the hang of it by now.

We've been meeting every week all year. It's been fantastic. A's done many things for the first time this year. She'd never been in a pool or on an ice skating rink. She'd never been to the nature center or the university football stadium. We've had fun. All the things that my kids take for granted (swimming, skating, shopping), make her light up with pure delight. I'll never forget the first time she went swimming. Pure joy.

But I messed up this weekend. I explained to her mother that I was going to have to move to an "every-other-week" meeting schedule for the next month or two because of all the kids' weekend activities. All of a sudden D&D are in too many organized sports. I'm not sure exactly how that happened. I must have signed them up for them, no? (T-ball, 2 soccer teams, piano, swim team....fills up the weekends...)

The look on A's face. It was not pure joy. As I left, I realized that *I* am her one and only weekend activity. She's not in too many activities - she's not in ANY activities. Our weekend afternoons spent exploring the city and going on adventures are it for her.

There has got to be a way to even the playing field (pun intended.) My kids and all their friends are in way too many activities - running from T-Ball game to Soccer game...then rushing back home to practice piano for their lesson. A. and her friends don't have anything. They pretty much spend the weekends indoors in their apartments - watching TV.

There must be a better way.