Generation All Signed Up

I was sitting at gymnastics in the upper observation room packed with parents last Saturday watching my youngest son.  The dad sitting next to me got a phone call. This is how it went.

"Yeah, got her signed up for the meet."

"Yeah, softball practice is this afternoon."

"She may have to miss girl scouts, but that is just the way it goes."

"Keeping an eye on our two year old is hard, she is running around everywhere here."

"Don't know if we can fit the zoo or Lauritzen gardens in."

"I know it's a beautiful day, but the kids have so much on the calendar."

"Be home in a little bit"

That's when it hit me, these are the "generation all-signed up" kids and parents like me have the "generation all-signed up" disease.  The "all signed up generation" have parents split up driving kids to different activities in different corners of town, younger siblings who know a childhood playing on bleachers while games are played, and families unable to enjoy beautiful spring afternoons hanging out due to a calendar full of events.

You know you have the disease if you have any of the following symptoms:  the inability to say no to sign up sheets, a need to move up from rec to competitive sports, free nights on the calendar are few and far between, fast food dinners are the norm, and when more time on the week-ends is spent on bleachers instead of home.

This "generation all signed up" epiphany caused me to take a really hard look at my calendar.  It is so subtle how the signing up process goes. Each activity sounds like a superb idea, but once all the activities get on the calendar,  it's a hot mess.  And just like that, "generation sign-up" disease spreads.  

What happens to all these "generation signed up kids" when high school is over? While running with my oldest  son, we talked about his buds who were super involved high schoolers. Are they still playing soccer, football, basketball, playing instruments, involved in clubs?  Surprisingly, the answer is NO!  The "generation all signed up" kids are breathing a sigh of relief in college. Finally they are sign up FREE!

I want to learn from this.  As summer is fast approaching, the only thing I plan to sign up for is a pool pass.  The white van is staying put, and we will make fabulous memories playing in our own yard, with our family and friends, and having lots of BBQ's on the deck!