Spread Too Thin

I have mentioned before on this blog that I have a talent for being able to remember and recite lines from movies at length.  This week, a particular line from Bilbo Baggins in The Fellowship of the Ring is coming to mind.  (The line also features in the book, if I recall correctly.)  Bilbo tells Gandalf, the wise old wizard, that he feels “thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread.”

It is important to know what one’s limits are.  It is equally important to set boundaries so those limits are not exceeded.  Otherwise, one can experience irritability, burnout, and/or exhaustion.  It may seem like this is an especially “grown up” or American problem, what with our culture of “work-aholism”, but it can affect kids just as much.

If kids are involved in a lot of extracurricular activities, going back to school can be tough, because now, they have to juggle being in classes most of the day, homework, and all of the fun things they want to be involved in after school.  Kids can burn out just like adults can, but they don’t necessarily have the same coping mechanisms that adults do.  Therefore, it is the adult’s responsibility to set boundaries and limits for their children.

Keep this in mind as kids finish their first week back at school.