When did we all get so busy?

In a parenting series at our church, Rocky Dundas, one of the pastors at the time, said something that I found truly profound. He spoke of kids today being in essence "experience rich, but relationship poor." Wow. It rung true for me on so many levels and has stayed with me over a year and a half later.

I see it all the time as a high school teacher... students are no longer content doing one activity at a time... they have overlapping seasons of volleyball, indoor soccer, intertube waterpolo, plus music and drama and part-time jobs... and then they say that we give too much homework! Dare I say that maybe they're taking on too much so that there's no time left FOR homework?? (just a thought). I don't remember us being that busy as teens!? And I've always been pretty outgoing!

The problem is not only that kids (young ones too) and their parents are constantly racing everwhere to get to something, but that families now consist of individuals with such different schedules and interests, that they barely meet at the dinner table, let alone to cross paths on weekends...

This idea of experience rich and relationship poor kids is a concept that hits a bit closer to home now that my daughters are growing into the age of participating in more activities (swimming, dance, skating). I look down the road, and wonder if it's wise to put them in this or that... I don't want to set them up to have one activity take over, nor do I want them out 4 times a week from one activity to the next! I aim for one night a week (two MAX). This fall in particular, I've really found myself examining and weighing what activities we were considering for our 1st grader.

I reluctantly put her in dance (that's for a whole other post!). By far, the highlight of my week is Wednesday night skating. We were able to get both our 3 and 6 year-olds on the ice at the same time (in different age groups of course - though their ability levels are equal! They're both just starting out...) I think my husband and I will end up enjoying this as an unofficial date night, sitting in the stands, watching both girls! Finding an activity that they can do at the same time is a step in the right direction I think...

My dream is that we could find family activities that we can enjoy together, like my family did growing up. There are 5 of us kids, and we spent every weekend staying at my grandmother's 1.5 hrs. away to go skiing. We also had horses and spent much time at the barn up the road with them. We have many great memories together and all 5 of us are still very close (despite our differences and the great geographical spread between us!) I long for that closeness between my girls as they grow up. For this winter, I hope that skating can become our family activity to practice with the girls on weekends...

Is it too idealistic in today's day and age for a family to still enjoy activities together instead of always running in opposite directions as the kids get older? I hope not. It's my dream. Idealistic or not.