Education / 17 September, 2026 / Ellie Thompson
Swimming on Monday. Football on Tuesday. Music on Wednesday. Gymnastics at the weekend. Sound familiar?
For many families, extracurricular activities have become an almost automatic part of childhood. We want our children to try new things, build confidence, make friends and discover what they love. But somewhere along the way, have we started to believe that every empty space in their diary needs filling?
In this episode of Parental Control, Ellie Thompson welcomes education expert Katharine Radice back to the podcast. With more than 20 years’ classroom experience and in-depth knowledge of education and adolescent development, Katharine advises schools nationally and internationally and is the author of The Parent’s Guide to Exam Stress.
Together, they ask a deceptively simple question: how many clubs should our children actually be doing?
From the benefits of extracurricular activities and the warning signs of an overscheduled child to knowing when to let kids quit, Katharine explores whether every child really needs a packed diary and how much of the pressure is actually coming from us as parents.
And what about doing absolutely nothing?
They also discuss the importance of boredom, free play and giving children the space to simply be children. Because perhaps the question isn’t how much more we can fit into their week, but whether we’re in danger of scheduling the childhood out of them.
Katharine Radice is an education expert, author of The Parent’s Guide to Exam Stress, and has spent more than 20 years working with teenagers and their families, supporting students through the pressures of secondary school, exams and university preparation.
A former secondary school senior leader, Katharine has extensive experience in both school and university teaching, alongside a deep understanding of adolescent development, academic pressure and long-term student success. She currently combines freelance writing, coaching and consultancy with part-time teaching at a Cambridge secondary school and a pastoral role at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, while advising schools in the UK and internationally on exam stress, parent support and student wellbeing.
The Parent’s Guide to Exam Stress is a new release and available via all usual booksellers.
Website:Â katharineradice.co.uk
To join Katharine’s mailing list for a fortnightly conversation piece about supporting children through school, it’s https://katharineradice.
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