Sports

I grew up playing sports and loved it, now my kids are playing and they love it, even I love it.  I don't love the crazy hours it entails though.  When I was a kid playing rec leagues, we did not practice like kids do these days, nor play these crazy late hour games, so it frustrates me to say the least.  Last night was J & H's first softball game, they have had practice for a month, 3 to 4 times a week each, sigh.  The games last night were slated for 6 p.m. and 7:15 p.m., H being the later one. Her game got a late start, so they ended up playing until 9 p.m. Really?? Come on people, these are 7 & 8 year olds, they really DO NOT need to be playing that late when they have school.  The kids did not get into bed until 10 last night since we still had to eat and finish homework and not to mention it takes us about 15 to 20 mins to get home from the ball park.

Being our first year doing this many sports or ones that play so late in the week vs the weekend, I am still learning the ropes. I don't know how parents do this, keep up with homework, dinner, and still manage to get everything else done.  We have got to figure it out soon as games go through the end of May and I don't want to struggle every week with it.

Any advice?