I’ve been talking ("and talking and talking,” some readers will say) about an article by William Doherty, of the University of Minnesota, with the provocative title See How They Run. His theme is that “… for many kids, childhood is becoming a rat race of hyperscheduling, overbusyness, and loss of family time.”

I’ve also said that I think the question is important to Grow With the Flow readers, because I suspect that there are potentially negative cognitive consequences when too much of a child’s time is structured and shaped by adults and adult agendas.

Professor Doherty notes that one of the issues is that there is a prodigious number of activities available to the average kid today. If we, as parents, feel the need to provide every opportunity to our child, the plethora of activities may rob that child of the important cognitive opportunities that grow from self management and independence.

Play a game for me, suggested by the article?

Do some research. Check newspapers, school counselor, friends, bulletin boards, etc., and estimate how many different structured activities your child could join. Before- during- and after-school clubs or programs, city classes and recreation opportunities, athletic or other ongoing programs sponsored by independent organizations, commercial programs to advance any number of goals or skills, church organizations or civic-minded groups: In one grand total, how many opportunities are there?

If you take the time to do the research, take a moment more and add a comment to this article, with your results. (Mention your child’s age, since that may be relevant to the number of activities.)

How many were there when you were a kid? How many can your child possibly do? How do you balance all these great opportunities with research that says our kids are better off eating with their family, hanging out in the back yard, making their own activities? And do you agree? (I’ve heard counters to this argument that say the activites have become a place for families to come together, not be pulled apart.)