How 10 Parents Give Their Kids Downtime

Wake up. Get dressed. Eat breakfast. School drop-off. Soccer for one kid. Gymnastics for the other. Dinner. Homework. Sleep.

If this kind of super-regimented routine sounds familiar, well, that’s no surprise. Today, children under 12 have precipitously less free time than any generation before theirs, as unstructured play and moments of respite have taken a backseat to a roster of activities that would exhaust most adults, much less young kids. In the race to be so-called “good” parents who extend every opportunity to our children, we may have inadvertently pushed aside valuable play.

The seven parents ahead have made a concerted effort to build downtime into their schedules, and while it certainly comes with its speed bumps, they’ve found it worth their while — both now and, they predict, as their children grow up. One technique may just inspire you.

This post is sponsored by GoGo squeeZ.

1
/7:
Allow Boredom

1/7
:Allow Boredom

2
/7:
Send Kids to Their Room — To Play

2/7
:Send Kids to Their Room — To Play

3
/7:
Put It on Their Chore List

3/7
:Put It on Their Chore List

4
/7:
Instill It From an Early Age

4/7
:Instill It From an Early Age

5
/7:
Make It a Daily Ritual

5/7
:Make It a Daily Ritual

6
/7:
Read Their Cues

6/7
:Read Their Cues

7
/7:
Avoid Overscheduling

7/7
:Avoid Overscheduling

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