Are you way too busy? Many teens' lives are filled with activity, but for some kids, the price may not be worth it.

Emily Rooney likes to keep busy. The 13-year-old from Quincy, Massachusetts, plays on three soccer teams. She also suits up for two hockey teams, runs cross-country, and plays basketball at school. At the same time, she participates in drama, chorus, and student council. Tuesday afternoons are devoted to church school. And Friday afternoons find Emily at a school club that helps kids in poor countries.

Sound hectic? "If you like doing all the stuff you do," Emily says, "it's never a problem."

Many teens agree. They prefer to pack in all the sports, clubs, and other extra activities they can. A recent University of Michigan study found that since 1981, there has been a sharp decrease in free time for kids. After homework, chores, and other duties, the amount of free time has shrunk by about 40 percent. Meanwhile, time spent in organized sports and other activities has risen dramatically. But experts warn that there is a limit to how much activity kids can handle.

"What happens when kids are overscheduled is that they get more stressed out, they get more irritable, they're lacking enough sleep, and in general their well-being is not as good," says William Doherty, a professor of family social science at the University of Minnesota.

Home life has suffered, too, in the last few decades, as family meals and vacations have fallen by the wayside. Now, many people are wondering whether young teens should be spending less time achieving and more time just living.

One Activity After Another

Why are kids today busier than ever? Child-development expert Dorothy Sluss says that today's kids often have less freedom to run around and play by themselves. Parents fear crime even in well-off neighborhoods. Also, in many families, she says, both parents are likely to have jobs outside the home.

So kids take part in more after-school activities, like sports, games, and clubs. "Children are going to one activity after another in which they are competing," Sluss says. "There is a constant focus on competition."

Dr. Alvin Rosenfeld, a child psychiatrist, says that teens often shift themselves into overdrive. But parents get caught in the competitive cycle, too. Many feel their kids need the extra edge that sports, music, and other activities provide. Without it, a good college or the right job might be out of reach.

"Parenting has become the most competitive sport in America," Rosenfeld says.

From Busy to Burnout 

William Doherty says that teens and parents have to find their own limits. "Some kids are very high energy and other kids need more time to kick back," he says. For both types, it can be hard to recognize when "busy" turns into "burnout."

The signs of burnout may include:

* Falling grades (although sometimes grades actually improve as teens struggle to keep up);

* Trouble staying awake in class, or relying too much on caffeine;

* Constant crabbiness at home or with friends.

Even the kids who seem to handle pressure best can burn out--or secretly desire to fail at something so that they will have time alone.

And ironically, a too-busy schedule may end up working against the ambitious student. Top colleges like to choose well-rounded, enthusiastic individuals, not necessarily students with a long list of activities. Overscheduled kids often find they don't have time to do their homework properly, and to really learn. A student with mediocre grades will not be a desirable candidate for many colleges.

Finding a Balance

Finding the proper balance can be tough. Scott Peterson, 13, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, takes a break when he feels overwhelmed. "Sometimes I feel like I'm getting cheated [out of free time] and kind of relax more when I'm supposed to be up doing other things," he says. Scott sometimes skips a martial-arts lesson or finds other wiggle room in his busy schedule.

Some researchers think the key is to encourage families to spend more time together and less time on the go.

Doherty, who helped found a group called Family Life First, says regular meals with no television should be a top goal. "This does not mean that if a family cannot have dinner together the kids are doomed," he says. "But they have to find other ways to connect."

At the same time, Dorothy Sluss insists, teens should look at ways to simplify their lives. "They don't have to be Superkid," she says. "It's OK if you just like science. It's OK if you just like books. It's OK to just do one or two things. This isn't a race."

Your Turn

Think About It

1. How much activity is best for you? What responsibilities in your life just wear you down?

2. Make a schedule of your after-school activities. Hew much free, unscheduled time do you have? Do you need more free time in your life?

OBJECTIVES

Students should understand

* Many U.S. teens participate in several activities each day, leaving little time for leisure;

* Researchers disagree on the benefits and disadvantages of "overscheduling."

TEACHING STRATEGY

Ask students to describe the activities in which they participate after school. How many students participate in sports? How many pursue a hobby or meet with a club? How many work at a job or complete a chore at home?

BACKGROUND

U.S. pediatricians report a rise in chronic fatigue, stomachaches, and sleep disorders in young people. A New Jersey hospital has begun offering yoga, massage therapy, and alternative medicines to help young patients relax. A healthy diet and discussing feelings of being overwhelmed can also help teens suffering from "burnout."

THINKING SKILLS

COMPREHENSION: Why has "overscheduling" become a concern? (Some child-development experts fear that today's kids pack too many activities into each day. These experts warn that little free time can result in feelings of stress and exhaustion and compromise young people's ability to learn.)

MAKING CONNECTIONS: How has competitiveness among some teens and their parents contributed to overscheduling? (Many teens, either on their own or with the urging of their parents, pursue several activities in the hopes of gaining acceptance to a good college or attaining a good job. These teens and parents believe that such a commitment will provide the competitive edge needed for academic and professional success.)

ACTIVITY

HOURS IN A DAY: Instruct students to create a pie chart detailing how their time is allotted--including sleep--in a typical day. Does anything about the chart surprise them?

STANDARDS

SOCIAL STUDIES, GRADES 5-8

* Individual development and identity: How an abundance of activities, in and out of school, can have both helpful and harmful effects on the lives of many U.S. teens.

RESOURCES

PRINT

* Marsh, Carol, The Savvy Kid's Book of Smarts: How to Think, Figure Things Out, Budget Your Time, Money, Plan Your Day ... (Gallopade Pub Group, 1994). Grades 7-8.

* Rosenfeld, Dr. Alvin & Nicole Wise The Over-Scheduled Child: Avoiding the Hyper-Parenting Trap (St. Martin's Griffin, NY, 2001). Adults.