How bad is it to not have “a thing” for the kids to do? They don’t do Battle of the Books, Girl Scouts, karate, gymnastics, soccer, softball, swimming, Science Olympiad, STEM classes, yoga, golf, tennis. No cooking classes, no dance. Nothing. No Gymboree, no “read along at the library”, no play dates.As an introvert, I struggle to find a reason to leave the house. When the girls say they don’t want to do something, I think “sweet, I’m tired anyway”. They watch a lot of YouTube and sit around. A Lot.I’m embarrassed and sad, scared for them, afraid I’ve waited too long to force them into “something” and now they are too old to feel good about their participation with other kids that have been doing this “thing” since they were three...I don’t even know where to start looking for things to do. We have a healthy social life and I hear other parents talk about the 1,000 activities their kids do and I feel like a piece of sh!t parent. Like the absolute worst.Am I ruining their lives because I’m not forcing them into something? Am I scarring them forever by not providing a rigid schedule and a million sportsing activities? They are happy, well adjusted and socially appropriate kids. Everyone at school loves them. They are calm and relaxed, but I worry myself sick that they are going to feel lost because I haven’t exposed them to “things” and made them get really good at something.Where do I find the things? The things they want to do, that will make them happy and well rounded? All the other parents seem to know where to find things to do, but I feel so lost, so unaccomplished.Thanks for the safe space to type this all out. I’m recognizing how much I have worried about this since they were born, hence the “Gymboree” and library time references. via /r/Parenting http://bit.ly/2sN4zlZ
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