'I thought parenting was hard enough... then came the extra-curriculars.'

When I became a parent, I expected the usual challenges. Sleepless nights. A few rounds of mastitis. The humiliation of your first public toddler meltdown.

What I wasn't prepared for was the pressure cooker of extracurricular activities.

Watch: This Glorious Mess host Annaliese Todd shares the parenting challenges no one warns you about — from sleepless nights to emotional overload. Post continues below.

Just when you think you're finally getting into a rhythm: packing lunches without crying, remembering book week, the after-school storm rolls in. Suddenly, it's not enough to raise a kind, healthy kid. Now they also need a six-day schedule, a team uniform, musical talent and core strength to rival Simone Biles.

First, we have swimming. In Australia, it's basically a legal requirement. A life-or-death skill. So, of course, we swim.

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Then the maternal child health nurse casually says, "I assume you're doing gymnastics." It's great for coordination, balance and fine motor skills. Okay then. I guess we're doing gymnastics too.

I'll warn you right now. Dancing is a slippery slope. Toddler's doing ballet — adorable! But ballet leads to jazz, tap and acrobatics. Each with its own costumes, its own schedule, competitions and its own set of direct debits. Do you simply say 'no'? I don't know how.

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I love how far we've come with girls in sport, but this gives us even more activities to consider! When I was in primary school, footy was strictly a boys' thing. Now, almost every girl in my daughter's class plays Auskick. Thankfully, gymnastics clashes with footy. A scheduling win I never thought I'd celebrate.

I haven't even touched on the school extras. Instead of after-school care, there are options like Little Engineers, Music Lessons, Drama Club, Coding, Golf and Chess. I kid you not, there is a club for 'The Beep Test.' Surely, that's a sign we've gone too far? There's a sign-up sheet for everything but rest.

Not everything is chosen out of passion though. Some activities are absorbed by social osmosis. They're 'gently' encouraged. The whispers start at the end of Prep. Parents forming basketball teams in hushed tones like it's the schoolyard version of the NBA Draft. Everyone plays basketball on Fridays. You represent the school, but the school isn't involved. (Smart move, honestly.) Parents coach. Which means I coach. Which means I'll be outsourcing to ChatGPT.

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If you don't remember growing up doing this many activities, it's because we didn't! In fact, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, in 2003 only around 30% of Australian children were involved in cultural activities outside school. By 2017–18, that number had skyrocketed to 96%, and it currently sits at around 94%.

We're all carrying the same mental load. Full-time work. Birthday parties. Groceries. School fundraisers. Laundry that multiplies when no one's looking. And now, throw in a logistics manager for a tiny human's career in sports, arts and possibly engineering.

How can we do it all? Well, we're not.

A recent ING Australia report found 93% of parents say they've made sacrifices to cover the cost, including 24% who've given up their own hobbies. On average, we're spending $1,779 per child each year on extracurriculars, amounting to over $4.7 billion annually across the country.

Of course, we're doing this for good reason. It comes from a place of love.  It's wanting to give our kids every opportunity. To see what lights them up. To help them find their thing. 

Listen: On This Glorious Mess, Leigh Campbell and Tegan Natoli unpack the mental load of parenting, overscheduling kids and the cost of busy family life. Post continues below.

But how much is too much? Experts suggest one or two activities per week is plenty. Dr. Elise Waghorn from RMIT says overscheduling can leave kids overwhelmed and stressed, with little time left to rest or play.

Paediatric professionals echo this, urging parents to maintain balance and ensure unstructured time is protected.

And I'm going to listen to the experts on this one, because something has to give and currently, it might just be my sanity — and my savings.

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