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Finding affordable family fun

In this week's Mom of the House, Brianna Bell warms to the idea of enrolling her children in extracurricular activities
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According to a 2017 Ipsos poll, the average Canadian spends $1,120 on his or her child’s extracurricular activities, which includes community activities, sports and more.

I’ve always been hesitant to sign my kids up for recreational activities at a young age. Being a parent to three kids aged six and under means that I’m in a sweet spot where I don’t have to shell out much to keep my kids entertained. I’ve avoided spending money on programming for my young kids when I knew they’d barely remember it, and when there are so many free and fun programs available throughout the city.

This summer I’ve finally given in, and begun to explore a few activities with my kids. I found that my kids craved trying new things, and were eager to gain skills and sign up for fun programs.

A few weeks ago, I registered my two oldest daughters for their first-ever round of swimming lessons. I had heard through a friend that the City of Guelph offered daily swimming lessons that ran for two full weeks, instead of weekly lessons. I figured this would be a great way to spend two weeks, and would get us into an active routine and fill a portion of our day.

I was surprised by how much my kids loved swimming lessons. I worried that the daily lessons would become tiring, or even boring for them, but every morning they woke up and packed their bag, ready to leave shortly after breakfast. After a week of lessons, I grew a bit tired myself, and wondered if they’d like to skip a day. They refused, and dutifully attended every single lesson, gaining new skills and strengths as budding swimmers.

I was surprised by how my kids rose to the challenge, and how quickly they improved as swimmers through their daily practice. I also loved how affordable the lessons were, and promised that once their lessons ended I’d register them again for another round.

According to the Ipsos poll, the No. 1 extracurricular that children participate in is swimming. Affordability is a factor in parents’ decisions, like mine. But I also think parents believe in the practicality and necessity of learning the basics of swimming. As a child I was never sporty or athletic, but I did learn how to swim, thanks to the lessons my mom enrolled me in from a young age. I hope to offer my kids the same courtesy, knowing that learning the skill of swimming is something that could be life-saving, but also life-improving in many ways.

One of my favourite parts of swimming lessons was receiving their report card at the end of the two weeks. Both of my kids passed, but the kind remarks from the swimming instructor were encouraging to them, and myself. It was a great boost to their confidence as swimmers, and children.

I’ll still be hesitant going forward with what I choose to enrol my children in for extracurriculars, but I am starting to open up to the idea that there are fun and affordable programs available, and that our family might be better off for participating in them.

To register for swimming lessons through the City of Guelph, check out the fall/winter program schedule.


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Brianna Bell

About the Author: Brianna Bell

Brianna Bell is a Guelph-based writer who focuses on events, small businesses, and community stories. In addition to GuelphToday, she has written for The Guelph Mercury and The Globe & Mail.
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