My Kids Don't Do Activities

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/13/your-money/childrens-activities-no-guarantee-of-later-success.html

I am no Tiger Mom.  My kids are all older elementary school age and I have never signed them up for activities.  The oldest did piano lessons for a couple years until my friend stopped teaching due to family needs.  That's right, no soccer, no dance class, no karate.  Nothing.  No weekend games to get in the schedule.  No recitals to sit through.  And now with this article, I feel even better about myself.  Isn't it great to find something which justifies your world view?

My kids are kids.  They play, they bicker, they spend way too much time on electronics.  They scooter and play with kids in the neighborhood.  My theory is that when they get to middle school they can sign up for school sports and extracurriculars.  Until then I'm not going out of my way to sign them up for stuff.  When they are older they can complain to friends about what a bad Mom I am.  For now I want my schedule to be free to do what we want when, not juggling to fit in our needs around some activity they will declare they hate after I spent a couple hundred dollars.

Hey kid, go outside and play!