Is Your Child Overscheduled?

According to an article on Parent & Child Magazine's website, the following 12 questions can be used in assessing whether your child may be overscheduled:

"• Does he act grouchy, mopey, or irritable?
• Can she fall asleep at bedtime?
• Are his grades slipping? Does he finish his homework?
• Has she started overeating?
• Does he zone out in front of the TV?
• Is she complaining of stomachaches, headaches, or mysterious illnesses?
• Does he grumble about being bored?
• Is she over-anxious about getting approval from authority figures?
• When you're heading out the door, does he throw a tantrum or "lose" equipment?
• Does she pick fights with her siblings or complain you don't love her as much?
• Can he keep track of where's he's supposed to be?
• Is her schedule draining you or your family members?"

The article concludes that you may want to re-assess your child's after-school schedule if he "exhibits a few of these behaviors on an ongoing basis." It also provides a link to more tips on evaluating extracurricular activities.