Early Morning Practices – Necessary or Overkill?

It’s 5:45 am The house is quiet, the sky is still dark, and I’m already on my second cup of coffee. Why? Because it’s Saturday—and that means there is an early morning practice over 40 minutes away. No school, but no sleeping in here.

When the Weekend Starts Before Sunrise

There was a faint rustle of sheets and a sleepy voice asking, “Do I have practice today?” And with that, we were off—shaking off the covers, hustling through breakfast (if you can call a granola bar breakfast), and getting out the door while the rest of the world still seemed blissfully asleep.

The only upside? No weekday work meetings to juggle from the car. But let’s be honest—just because it’s Saturday doesn’t mean it’s slow. It means stacking practices, errands, maybe a birthday party, and trying to remember when we last bought groceries. Weekend warrior takes on a whole new meaning when you’re a parent.

Are We Doing Too Much?

Back in my day (yes, I said it), sports practices happened after school. Weekends were for tournaments and maybe a sleep-in or two. But today, if your kid hasn’t fully committed to a sport by age six, it can feel like they’re already behind. The pressure to “specialize” young has turned into a full-time family operation.

I love that my kids are active. I love the confidence and discipline sports give them. But when I find myself driving before sunrise, only to tag-team pickups and practices until nearly 10 pm—I have to ask: is this pace sustainable? Are these early practices really necessary, or are we just trying to keep up with a culture that equates commitment with exhaustion?

The Family Impact

Let’s be real—these schedules impact the whole household. Siblings get dragged along. Meals happen in the car. And weekends? They're starting to look a lot like weekdays with a slightly more relaxed dress code.

But we show up. We always do. Because we want the best for our kids. Still, I think it’s okay to question whether “the best” needs to happen before sunrise.

If You Know, You Know

So here’s to all the parents fueling up with coffee and drive-thru breakfast sandwiches, making it work one carpool at a time. Early morning practices may be a rite of passage—but let’s not forget to check in with ourselves along the way.

Because sometimes, showing up for your kids also means protecting your peace—and maybe, just maybe, sleeping past 6 am every once in a while.

To all the parents behind the wheel, in the stands, and everywhere in between: I see you. You’re doing the early shift like a champ.