I’m starting to worry we’re pushing our 7-year-old too hard. Between soccer, lacrosse, piano lessons, and the usual mountain of schoolwork, he’s constantly on the go. Lately, he seems exhausted and irritable, and I’m wondering if it’s all too much for him. On one hand, I want him to experience as much as possible and not miss out, but on the other, I’m worried we’re overdoing it. How do you strike the right balance? Should we pull back on some activities? Would love to hear your thoughts.
Haha, oh man, this sounds like my kid two years ago. He was signed up for everything from soccer to chess club yes, chess! He’d fall asleep during piano practice or on the car ride to games. One time, we found him snoozing in his lacrosse gear. 
Eventually, we had a family “board meeting” (complete with snacks), and he got to vote on what stayed and what went. His pick? Soccer and video game nights. The rest got cut, and honestly, we all felt better. Sometimes, less is more, right?
Hey Kevin, it sounds like you’re a super involved dad, which is awesome! One thing to keep in mind is that kids are incredibly resilient, but they also need time to recharge. Maybe try keeping a couple of activities he loves and see if you can carve out one or two free days each week for him to just relax. You might be surprised how much a little unstructured time can help. It’s all about finding that sweet spot, and it sounds like you’re already well on your way.
I hear you loud and clear, Kevin. My son is the same age, and we’ve had some serious talks about this. He was in basketball, piano, and swimming all at once, and we noticed the same thing tired, cranky, and just not himself. We decided to sit down with him and ask which activity he truly loved and could maybe do without. We dropped swimming, and it made a world of difference. He still stays active, but now he has more downtime to just be a kid. Trust me, scaling back won’t make him miss out on life. It might even make the activities he sticks with more enjoyable.
We went through this exact dilemma last year with our 8-year-old. After talking with his pediatrician, we implemented a “free day” policy one day a week where there are zero scheduled activities. It’s been a game-changer. Turns out, rest and boredom are crucial for kids’ creativity and mental health. We also made sure he had a consistent bedtime routine to ensure quality sleep. He still gets to do the activities he loves, but now he has the energy to enjoy them more fully. If you haven’t already, maybe chat with him about what he loves most and see if he’s open to scaling back a bit. You’ve got this, Kevin!