'I've been to all the kids' activities. If you can only sign up to one... make it this.'

There’s a saying that "the days are long, but the years are short", and if I had a dollar for every time someone said it to me as a sleep-deprived mother of a newborn, I’d be a millionaire. 

With a nanny... and a lot more sleep.

The quote has pretty much disappeared from my conversations now that my kids are older, and I’m spending more time obsessing over school than sleep schedules. Which is odd, because as a working parent, it couldn’t be more relevant right now.

I love my life, but I feel like we’re constantly racing against the clock. Days blur into weeks and before I know it, another year has passed.

With three daughters all under the age of seven, I’m well-acquainted with the feeling of trying to squeeze a week's worth of activities into what feels like a single day. 

There’s school drop-off and pick-up, lunchboxes, homework, housework, actual work, birthday parties and the ever-growing mountain of laundry. When it comes to spending our limited family time on extracurricular activities, the choices are endless. But the reality is, we can’t do it all. I regularly try, and it always ends in tears. Normally mine.

That’s why I’ve had to get strategic about how we spend our time. We have a "one scheduled activity per day" rule that keeps life in check. Then it’s about prioritising what’s most valuable. After years of trial and error, these are my top four:

1. Swimming lessons

There’s one activity that stands out above the rest — one that I make sure we always have time for, no matter how busy life gets. That is swimming.

Growing up in Australia, surrounded by water, swimming is a non-negotiable life skill. The girls have been doing weekly lessons for years; I love seeing them make new friends in class, watching how they’ve improved and noticing the self-confidence that comes with mastering a new skill.

My mum was a competitive swimmer as a teen, and she made sure that my sister and I were comfortable in the water from an early age.

My mum the swimming champ. Image: Supplied. 

It’s a tradition I’m determined to pass on to my own children — not for the trophies, and not just for the joy of swimming (although it has made holidays so much more fun), but because it’s an essential skill that could one day save their lives.

If you’re thinking about getting started, now is the perfect time. In the lead-up to the spring and summer season, Rackley Swimming offers great class availability. As a proud, family-owned swim school with over 34 locations across Queensland, Rackley's friendly and qualified staff are committed to helping children develop essential water safety skills.

With nearly 30 years of experience, Rackley offers a range of programs tailored to all ages and abilities. Whether it’s their free Baby Splash program to encourage a love of water early on or advanced squad training, Rackley has something for everyone. 

Image: Supplied. 

2. Free stuff at the library

If there’s one truth about kids’ activities, it’s that they can add up quickly. So, it’s good to have some free options in the mix, especially when they’re young and would be just as happy at home playing with an empty box.

For the really little ones, nothing beats Rhyme Time at the library. These sessions are perfect for introducing babies and toddlers to the world of words, rhythm and imagination. It’s an easy, low-pressure way to start socialising (for baby and for mums who hate the forced networking that comes with parenting). It helps to develop early literacy skills, and someone else does all the admin.

But it’s also a fleeting activity. Before you know it, they’re ready to move on to something more challenging. There’s Story Time and Playgroup, but for me, nothing beats the memories of my little ones being absolutely mesmerised by a silky scarf at Rhyme Time. So, enjoy it while they’re small and not too squiggly.

3. Dance classes

Ballet was one of the first activity we signed the girls up for when they were old enough to walk. Yes, I’m a card-carrying feminist, and yes, there’s also something about watching them twirl around in tutus that brings a smile to my face every time. Both things can be true.

Ballet is more than just an adorable photo opportunity — it’s discipline wrapped in grace. The girls have learned to follow instructions, take their turn and share the spotlight with others. It’s a gentle way to ease into structured activities, teaching them commitment without too much pressure.

Image: Supplied. 

4. Saturday sport

If ballet is about structure, Saturday soccer is about social life. Saturday mornings at the kids' soccer have become something of a family tradition.

It’s got nothing to do with the excitement of watching my child score their first goal, learning lessons about resilience or joyfully running around with teammates.

It’s that my friends go to soccer with their kids.

For one glorious hour every week, we just sit and catch up. As a parent, it’s hard work to maintain friendships. It takes a huge amount of scheduling, aligning dates and times, navigating nap schedules and then figuring out where to go that’s kid-friendly but still does a decent poached egg. Then you finally get there, and you’re so busy dealing with the kids that the poached egg goes cold and there’s no time for any proper conversation.

If it seems like I’m not paying attention to the kids, it’s because I’m not. Don’t judge me. Or do — I’m not paying attention.

Pro tip (that proves I pay a tiny bit of attention): if you’ve got lots of kids, get their surname on the back of the uniform, not their first name or you’ll be paying for a lot of new kits.

Sign your kids up to Rackley Swimming before the end of September, 2024 for a two-week free trial. 

Feature Image: Supplied.