Both of my kids have taken swimming lessons, and my oldest son (almost 4) had a blast with skating lessons last fall.

As we get closer to the elementary school years, I find myself wondering — when do we start our boys on sports teams?

goalie
Ian in his improvised goalie equipment.

I’m excited for our boys to play sports. I look forward to them learning about teamwork and having fun with friends. However, the thought of signing up for team sports makes me feel like I’m about to dive off a precipice. Is there any going back? Will my Saturdays be forever spent driving kids to practice, no longer the day we sleep late and stay in our jammies all morning?

I’m not sure our family is ready for a hectic sports schedule, but I wonder if we will ever be ready. I don’t want to wake up one day and find I have a fifth grader and a third grader who don’t know how to play baseball or basketball.

For that matter, I have the same struggle with any activity. Piano, for instance — I want my children to learn about music and have a good foundation, but when do I actually invest money and time into piano lessons and practice?

For today, I’m choosing to follow the path of peace and patience. For the moment, at least, we’ll focus on family swim dates at the Y and playing some backyard baseball. But I know I’ll be back at the precipice again, wondering when to take a risk and jump.

Has your family entered the world of sports and extra-curriculars? Do you have any advice? Any regrets? I’d love to hear stories from those who’ve already taken the plunge.