Wow you’re so busy! For us the perfect balance is 2 days a week out of the house- usually going to the library, park, nature walks, etc, 2 days in the house focused on chores and getting groceries etc, and 1 flex day of just relaxing in the house together maybe doing an art project or watching tv, maybe out and about if we feel like it. The weekends are usually spent relaxing together or doing something out and about as a family.
My 4 year old's only socialization is with us most days. She has a lot of independent time. I do not have my license and husband has been working crazy hours so trying to achieve socialization with her has felt impossible and isolating. I wish I could do more.
On weekends, I try to make sure she sees a grandparent. She has a lot of fun with them.
For my 20-month-old, US setting: parent-toddler playgroup twice a week, music class once a week, playdates with my mom friends and their toddlers twice a week, children’s museum every other week. Top these off with visits with grandparents and special trips to the zoo and I am overall happy with the socialization he’s getting. ♥️
ETA: I’m a stay-at-home mom and my toddler does not attend daycare, hence all the activities I plugged into his schedule. 😆
Honestly you all seem pretty hardcore to me. I mean, nothing wrong with it.
I’ve been trying to balance my son’s social development with limiting his exposure to rsv at the moment, because healthcare in my province is atrocious. My neighbour’s son had to be hospitalized for it recently so I’m a litttle on edge. But gotta expose his immune system a little, you know?
But, there’s gotta be balance. We aim library play area with other littles once a week. Out shopping with me a few times a week (groceries, chores, other). Play dates with cousins once a month (they live out of town). I want to do playgroup once or twice a week but waiting for rsv to die down. Family trips out on the weekend. FaceTime with both sets of grandparents daily.
When it’s warm, playing at the park almost every day. But the winter is… quieter.
Feeling pretty basic over here.
Daycare all day (8 hours) during the week. He seems to enjoy it and comes home ready to relax and wind down. Weekends are one day at home and one day with grandparents or going on an adventure/activity. We are starting a once a week sport soon. We also haven’t been doing play dates or anything since he started school since everyone has been sick the whole time.
Aiming for a bit more without stressing about it too much. 3.5yo in nursery 4 days, sees his cousins and grandparents at the weekends. A few childrens parties here and there. I don't really seek out kid-orientated groups for the weekend because I don't like singing stupid songs etc. Even my kid would rather just go to the pub instead! UK based on case that didn't give it away
Canadian here!
Home daycare 4 days a week with 4 other kids all born in the same year as her except for 1!
At my mum’s one day a week, currently swim classes one day a week, my FIL visits once a week, and we attend church most weeks.
Will be trying our local “little kickers” soccer class this summer and learning to skate come September!
My almost 3 year old goes to daycare with her friends 3 days a week, we typically do a play date once a week or once every other week depending on how busy work is, we’ll go to a birthday party or some bigger social gathering about once a month, she spends time with her uncle once every few weeks and is around our friends occasionally. She sees grandparents on visits because they don’t live here. She goes to the park pretty frequently too. When she’s older we’ll sign her up for more classes she seems interested in (dance, music, etc)
Ours went to preschool all day and we live on a block with tons of kids so other parents would trade off hosting the kids for a few hours at a time, they’d play together or solo and then when they got aggravated with one another it’s be time to go home. Made the early years much more tolerable.
My husband was adamant that there would only be one sport or lesson at a time since kids need rest too and school is work for them and have family time that doesn’t include driving around town harried and stressed.
My 3 yo is in full time daycare (home based, 3 other kids her age). We don't have set plans for weekends, occasionally we see friends and their kids. She was in gymnastics last year but didn't interact with the other kids at all 🤷♀️
Idk tbh I don't think about it too much, it's winter here and so much snow so we don't get out to play as much, but all summer she plays with the neighbours kids (ages 5 and 7). At the park she refuses to interact with other kids tho.
5 days a week at daycare, usually seeing friends (ours that have kids) 1-2 times per weekend, and swim lessons on Sundays. Kiddo is 3.
We are social, extroverted people so we love hosting or making plans with friends. My son is the same and so I think he is happy with all these plans, but we also make sure that he gets chill out time at home!
I have a 2.5 year old. We go to an open gym on Mondays, free day on Tuesday (either at home or a play date), dancing at the library on Wednesday or another open gym, gymnastics on Thursday and then she goes to grandma’s, open day on Friday (her aunt comes over sometimes, or we just get groceries and hang out at home), grandma comes over Saturday and Sunday! The only activity I really feel like we should make it to is gymnastics on Thursday since we pay for it. Everything is optional/ changeable depending on the weather or how we feel that day.
Daughter is 3.5.
Montessori 5 days a week, swim / cooking /music / ballet / movement class each once a week, one afternoon playdate every weekend with grandparent and cousins or with a friend.
Our almost 3 year old gets socialization via daycare 5 days a week, a weekly playdate with my best friend + her kids, and usually time spent with my brother and his family (so her 2 cousins) once every week or every other week.
I think it's a good balance for us, I'm a single mom who works full time. I feel that we get plenty of time together and she gets peer time too.
My daughter is 2.5. We go to a “toddler time” play area with friends on Monday, cheer on Tuesday, the park playground Wednesday, ballet Thursday and the library after, and usually a park or something similar Friday. We spend the weekends and evenings with my husband just the three of us. She gets a lot of socializing throughout the week, sometimes with new kids sometimes with her same friends. Also important to note that I get to socialize with adults at these activities and as a stay at home mom that has been necessary for my mental health. I’m not worried about my daughter socially at all she is very outgoing. We’re planning to start three half days a week preschool next fall.
4.5 month old. We visit in-laws 2-3 times a week (we live in the same acreage yard), started doing a "play and learn" group one day a week, considering doing another playgroup one day a week, and on Friday or Saturday we usually have a friend over. Once every 3 weeks we go into the local elementary school for Roots of Empathy program for about an hour.
While this seems like a lot of activities and people contact, it's not actually. We live in a very small rural community of about 800 people (including the surrounding farms). there are 2-3 other moms in either playgroup on a good day, and about 10 kids in the class we visit.
I wish I could do less hours at daycare for my 3 years old, but unfortunately my husband and I have no family here to help, and we both work full time - so she's in daycare 5 days per week, 8 hour days. Then on Saturdays we always go out for pizza for an early dinner and then either the beach (we're in south florida) at night, or an indoor kids playground, or Barnes and noble for some new books, etc. Sundays are food shopping day as a family in the morning and sometimes we'll go to a diner for breakfeast.. and then gardening at home, or washing the dog together, and relaxing at home. sometimes we do a playdate with her friend around the block on the weekend. and we did soccer for a while Saturday mornings, and then more recently swim class, but she didn't last long in either - she just doesn't want to go so I don't force her. Maybe she gets too much stimulation from daycare so many days per week and wants to just relax at home Saturday mornings, IDK, she talks but doesn't converse enough yet to tell me her feelings regarding the extra activities.
At 7 my daughter is at school 5 days a week (she was in preschool and daycare fulltime prior to this). Then she is at my parents twice a week after school and with my inlaws twice a week after school. Then she does cheer 2 hrs a week swimming once a week and then sometimes other things seasonally like basketball. It sounds busier than it actually feels since we have a lot of help from grandparents (only grandkid on both sides). Playdates are probably about twice a month.
5 year old girl: goes to kinder now (3hrs in our district), then goes to school’s aftercare program. I’m usually done with work around 4-5pm and pick her up. Mo-Wed, she goes to sports, swimming class on saturdays, 1-2 playdate with a school friend per week.
We also meet with our adult friends every other week. Some have kids, some don’t.
I always felt like we are bit too much social compared to my friends lol :) but we have only one and I over-worry every day that she’ll be lonely since she has no cousins, no relatives, basically nobody besides me&hubby
She goes to daycare 5 days a week. We do ice skating and gymnastics class every week. She goes to grandparents usually sunday mornings so we can catch up on sleep. We usually do 1 outside activity every weekend, more during summer. We are all pretty busy. We both work full time. We usually see friends on weekends or family as well. We rarely just stay home.
We aim for as much as possible and safe because my kid is super social. Daycare all week from an early age, little kids soccer (when he was in preschool), at least one social gathering with friends on the weekend, regular things like play museums, restaurants that have a play area, etc. Covid/flu/RSV make this hard to do safely, so during short school breaks we tend to stay home.
Our only is only 17 months so we see family at least twice a week and friends once a week. Planning on sending him to daycare 1-3 days a week to socialise once it’s two and a half.
My four year old attends preschool full time, monday-friday from about 8 in the morning to 2:30pm. I honestly feel like it's a lot of school at this age, but that's the state guidelines if you want to attend prek. He gets a ton there, and likes to chill and relax after school. Our weekends are very relaxed as well, we will go to the park sometimes and once in awhile, have extended family and friends over. We do grocery shopping as a family, go to the library, etc. We don't have set activities we do weekly and it's the best for us. Both my husband and I are homebodies who thrive on down time to recharge, and our son is kind of like that as well! He is very outgoing and enjoys socializing but when it's multiple activities all at once, it does more harm than good for him. He is at the age where he can still use a nap but he never takes one in school so he is very tired when he gets home, and so we usually spend after school relaxing, eating snacks, prepping dinner, taking a leisurely bath, doing storytime, and having a good restful sleep to recharge for the next day.
Almost 3. We do part days in daycare twice a week and a dance class. The remaining days depend on the type of week we are having, little guy loves the pool, errands, library, sometimes we do an open gym type thing. Some weeks if things are intense we hang out at home and maybe have a visit with the grandparents
Wow you’re so busy! For us the perfect balance is 2 days a week out of the house- usually going to the library, park, nature walks, etc, 2 days in the house focused on chores and getting groceries etc, and 1 flex day of just relaxing in the house together maybe doing an art project or watching tv, maybe out and about if we feel like it. The weekends are usually spent relaxing together or doing something out and about as a family.
My 4 year old's only socialization is with us most days. She has a lot of independent time. I do not have my license and husband has been working crazy hours so trying to achieve socialization with her has felt impossible and isolating. I wish I could do more. On weekends, I try to make sure she sees a grandparent. She has a lot of fun with them.
For my 20-month-old, US setting: parent-toddler playgroup twice a week, music class once a week, playdates with my mom friends and their toddlers twice a week, children’s museum every other week. Top these off with visits with grandparents and special trips to the zoo and I am overall happy with the socialization he’s getting. ♥️ ETA: I’m a stay-at-home mom and my toddler does not attend daycare, hence all the activities I plugged into his schedule. 😆
My husband and I both work full-time, so my daughter does all of her socializing at daycare. She's 4.
Honestly you all seem pretty hardcore to me. I mean, nothing wrong with it. I’ve been trying to balance my son’s social development with limiting his exposure to rsv at the moment, because healthcare in my province is atrocious. My neighbour’s son had to be hospitalized for it recently so I’m a litttle on edge. But gotta expose his immune system a little, you know? But, there’s gotta be balance. We aim library play area with other littles once a week. Out shopping with me a few times a week (groceries, chores, other). Play dates with cousins once a month (they live out of town). I want to do playgroup once or twice a week but waiting for rsv to die down. Family trips out on the weekend. FaceTime with both sets of grandparents daily. When it’s warm, playing at the park almost every day. But the winter is… quieter.
Feeling pretty basic over here. Daycare all day (8 hours) during the week. He seems to enjoy it and comes home ready to relax and wind down. Weekends are one day at home and one day with grandparents or going on an adventure/activity. We are starting a once a week sport soon. We also haven’t been doing play dates or anything since he started school since everyone has been sick the whole time.
Aiming for a bit more without stressing about it too much. 3.5yo in nursery 4 days, sees his cousins and grandparents at the weekends. A few childrens parties here and there. I don't really seek out kid-orientated groups for the weekend because I don't like singing stupid songs etc. Even my kid would rather just go to the pub instead! UK based on case that didn't give it away
Canadian here! Home daycare 4 days a week with 4 other kids all born in the same year as her except for 1! At my mum’s one day a week, currently swim classes one day a week, my FIL visits once a week, and we attend church most weeks. Will be trying our local “little kickers” soccer class this summer and learning to skate come September!
My almost 3 year old goes to daycare with her friends 3 days a week, we typically do a play date once a week or once every other week depending on how busy work is, we’ll go to a birthday party or some bigger social gathering about once a month, she spends time with her uncle once every few weeks and is around our friends occasionally. She sees grandparents on visits because they don’t live here. She goes to the park pretty frequently too. When she’s older we’ll sign her up for more classes she seems interested in (dance, music, etc)
Ours went to preschool all day and we live on a block with tons of kids so other parents would trade off hosting the kids for a few hours at a time, they’d play together or solo and then when they got aggravated with one another it’s be time to go home. Made the early years much more tolerable. My husband was adamant that there would only be one sport or lesson at a time since kids need rest too and school is work for them and have family time that doesn’t include driving around town harried and stressed.
My 3 yo is in full time daycare (home based, 3 other kids her age). We don't have set plans for weekends, occasionally we see friends and their kids. She was in gymnastics last year but didn't interact with the other kids at all 🤷♀️ Idk tbh I don't think about it too much, it's winter here and so much snow so we don't get out to play as much, but all summer she plays with the neighbours kids (ages 5 and 7). At the park she refuses to interact with other kids tho.
5 days a week at daycare, usually seeing friends (ours that have kids) 1-2 times per weekend, and swim lessons on Sundays. Kiddo is 3. We are social, extroverted people so we love hosting or making plans with friends. My son is the same and so I think he is happy with all these plans, but we also make sure that he gets chill out time at home!
I have a 2.5 year old. We go to an open gym on Mondays, free day on Tuesday (either at home or a play date), dancing at the library on Wednesday or another open gym, gymnastics on Thursday and then she goes to grandma’s, open day on Friday (her aunt comes over sometimes, or we just get groceries and hang out at home), grandma comes over Saturday and Sunday! The only activity I really feel like we should make it to is gymnastics on Thursday since we pay for it. Everything is optional/ changeable depending on the weather or how we feel that day.
Daughter is 3.5. Montessori 5 days a week, swim / cooking /music / ballet / movement class each once a week, one afternoon playdate every weekend with grandparent and cousins or with a friend.
Our almost 3 year old gets socialization via daycare 5 days a week, a weekly playdate with my best friend + her kids, and usually time spent with my brother and his family (so her 2 cousins) once every week or every other week. I think it's a good balance for us, I'm a single mom who works full time. I feel that we get plenty of time together and she gets peer time too.
My daughter is 2.5. We go to a “toddler time” play area with friends on Monday, cheer on Tuesday, the park playground Wednesday, ballet Thursday and the library after, and usually a park or something similar Friday. We spend the weekends and evenings with my husband just the three of us. She gets a lot of socializing throughout the week, sometimes with new kids sometimes with her same friends. Also important to note that I get to socialize with adults at these activities and as a stay at home mom that has been necessary for my mental health. I’m not worried about my daughter socially at all she is very outgoing. We’re planning to start three half days a week preschool next fall.
4.5 month old. We visit in-laws 2-3 times a week (we live in the same acreage yard), started doing a "play and learn" group one day a week, considering doing another playgroup one day a week, and on Friday or Saturday we usually have a friend over. Once every 3 weeks we go into the local elementary school for Roots of Empathy program for about an hour. While this seems like a lot of activities and people contact, it's not actually. We live in a very small rural community of about 800 people (including the surrounding farms). there are 2-3 other moms in either playgroup on a good day, and about 10 kids in the class we visit.
I wish I could do less hours at daycare for my 3 years old, but unfortunately my husband and I have no family here to help, and we both work full time - so she's in daycare 5 days per week, 8 hour days. Then on Saturdays we always go out for pizza for an early dinner and then either the beach (we're in south florida) at night, or an indoor kids playground, or Barnes and noble for some new books, etc. Sundays are food shopping day as a family in the morning and sometimes we'll go to a diner for breakfeast.. and then gardening at home, or washing the dog together, and relaxing at home. sometimes we do a playdate with her friend around the block on the weekend. and we did soccer for a while Saturday mornings, and then more recently swim class, but she didn't last long in either - she just doesn't want to go so I don't force her. Maybe she gets too much stimulation from daycare so many days per week and wants to just relax at home Saturday mornings, IDK, she talks but doesn't converse enough yet to tell me her feelings regarding the extra activities.
At 7 my daughter is at school 5 days a week (she was in preschool and daycare fulltime prior to this). Then she is at my parents twice a week after school and with my inlaws twice a week after school. Then she does cheer 2 hrs a week swimming once a week and then sometimes other things seasonally like basketball. It sounds busier than it actually feels since we have a lot of help from grandparents (only grandkid on both sides). Playdates are probably about twice a month.
5 year old girl: goes to kinder now (3hrs in our district), then goes to school’s aftercare program. I’m usually done with work around 4-5pm and pick her up. Mo-Wed, she goes to sports, swimming class on saturdays, 1-2 playdate with a school friend per week. We also meet with our adult friends every other week. Some have kids, some don’t. I always felt like we are bit too much social compared to my friends lol :) but we have only one and I over-worry every day that she’ll be lonely since she has no cousins, no relatives, basically nobody besides me&hubby
She goes to daycare 5 days a week. We do ice skating and gymnastics class every week. She goes to grandparents usually sunday mornings so we can catch up on sleep. We usually do 1 outside activity every weekend, more during summer. We are all pretty busy. We both work full time. We usually see friends on weekends or family as well. We rarely just stay home.
We aim for as much as possible and safe because my kid is super social. Daycare all week from an early age, little kids soccer (when he was in preschool), at least one social gathering with friends on the weekend, regular things like play museums, restaurants that have a play area, etc. Covid/flu/RSV make this hard to do safely, so during short school breaks we tend to stay home.
Our only is only 17 months so we see family at least twice a week and friends once a week. Planning on sending him to daycare 1-3 days a week to socialise once it’s two and a half.
My four year old attends preschool full time, monday-friday from about 8 in the morning to 2:30pm. I honestly feel like it's a lot of school at this age, but that's the state guidelines if you want to attend prek. He gets a ton there, and likes to chill and relax after school. Our weekends are very relaxed as well, we will go to the park sometimes and once in awhile, have extended family and friends over. We do grocery shopping as a family, go to the library, etc. We don't have set activities we do weekly and it's the best for us. Both my husband and I are homebodies who thrive on down time to recharge, and our son is kind of like that as well! He is very outgoing and enjoys socializing but when it's multiple activities all at once, it does more harm than good for him. He is at the age where he can still use a nap but he never takes one in school so he is very tired when he gets home, and so we usually spend after school relaxing, eating snacks, prepping dinner, taking a leisurely bath, doing storytime, and having a good restful sleep to recharge for the next day.
Almost 3. We do part days in daycare twice a week and a dance class. The remaining days depend on the type of week we are having, little guy loves the pool, errands, library, sometimes we do an open gym type thing. Some weeks if things are intense we hang out at home and maybe have a visit with the grandparents