Back To School: How Do You Avoid Overwhelming Children Balancing Class And Sports?

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – This week students in our area will head back to the classroom.

But with that comes homework, studying, sports, and more! So how much is too much?

"One is soccer practice, I have three practices a week and then a game on the weekend, then I have baking for the after school program," upcoming 4th-grader Sean Khanna said.

"After school I think I'm doing rock climbing and I'm doing coding after school," new 6th-grader Lucas Daly added.

For parents, those activities can build up quickly and result in a lot of running around.

"My son's sports schedule gets very overwhelming, then my daughter does have her activities, but I look at their schedules, look at what their times are and make sure I juggle and there's a balance between their activities and homework," parent Chetali Khanna explained.

Extracurricular activities are important for a child's social skills and eventually their resumes, but where should parents draw the line?

One expert suggests limiting students to focus only a few activities a week, rather than spread out trying to do too many things.

"You should make a list of the things that you want to do. Your child should make a list of the things they want to do. And then when you write out a schedule, you can actually fit them in," parent Erika Katz said.

Katz says you don't have to say yes to everything. She also recommends blocking time out for family meals.

"That gives your child time to really talk to you, you can really listen to them, and if they are overwhelmed that's the time you're going to find out," Katz added.

Parents should take a look at how much time their child is spending in front of a screen too. That can be more time consuming than you think.

Overscheduling can also lead to less sleep. According to recent data from WebMD, about a third of teenage students typically get six hours or less. The recommended amount is nine and a half hours.