Do you let your kids do sports/activities you don't enjoy?

[Minnie824]

As parents, especially with younger kids, we go to all the events, games, competitions, etc for whatever sport or activity your kids are in. But what if you really dislike that sport or activity that your child loves? Do you let them do what they want and just suffer through it every week, or do you not let them participate, and try to steer them towards something else? I'm talking more for travel/competative teams that require travel, and sometimes entire days and weekends of your time for your kids to participate.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

My DD did Twirling for 3 years and we hated it. The whole weekends were shot with day long competitions. As long as she liked it we'd suffer. She went on to other sports and decided to drop it.
When she started playing lacrosse we knew nothing about the sport and didn't care for it. Now I love it!
Give me a baseball game and a college lacrosse game on TV the same day and I'm set!!

 

[golfgal]

Yes, all of our kids played traveling soccer at some point and time. I hate watching soccer. The worst was when the boys were on one team. We were the ONLY non-homeschooling family that played on that team. Usually we at least had fun talking with the other parents but not that team. I think the parents of that team said about 2 words to us all season, very cliquey. When they overheard us say we were going to go watch the new Harry Potter movie that had just been released, they wouldn't even SIT by us after that .

 

[allison443]

As parents, especially with younger kids, we go to all the events, games, competitions, etc for whatever sport or activity your kids are in. But what if you really dislike that sport or activity that your child loves? Do you let them do what they want and just suffer through it every week, or do you not let them participate, and try to steer them towards something else? I'm talking more for travel/competative teams that require travel, and sometimes entire days and weekends of your time for your kids to participate.

Yes, I let my kids choose their activities even if I find those activities boring to watch, or I don't like the sport. It's about them and their enjoyment, not me and my entertainment. And yes, I have sat through many long games, all day long competitions where my kid performed for three minutes, etc.

Now if I felt an activity was unsafe that's different. But just because I "dislike" something I wouldn't prevent them from doing it. They have participated in many sports/activities that weren't even available when I was growing up. Some of their favorite activities were things I might not have picked for them.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Both my kids had dance lessons for a few years, and dance was never really something I was interested in at all. We went to competitions and recitals, though. We really hated having to go to the dance competitions that were more than an hour away. It was such a pain in the butt. Fortunately for me, they both grew out of this activity after a few years.

Also, my daughter was in jazz band in middle school. I like music, but I don't really like jazz (it depends on the song). Sounds like my son is going to join, too.

 

[happygirl]

If they start it they finish it

 

[golfgal]

Both my kids too dance lessons for a few years, and dance was never really something I was interested in at all. We went to competitions and recitals, though. We really hated having to go to the dance competitions that were more than an hour away. It was such a pain in the butt. Fortunately for me, they both grew out of this activity after a few years.

Also, my daughter was in jazz band in middle school. I like music, but I don't really like jazz (it depends on the song). Sounds like my son is going to join, too.

Oh, I forgot about dance. DS16 did hip hop with some friends for a few years, the 3 1/2 hour recital was just TOO much. It was happy when he started high school and dance wouldn't work with his marching band schedule .

 

[NMAmy]

I find pretty much any sport a snooze so, no, I didn't make those kinds of restrictions. If I had, she'd never have played any sport.

My only restriction was just one activity per season.

 

[Pigeon]

For the most part, they can do what they want. I have one dd who is a pretty serious musician. I know nothing about playing music, but have supported and encouraged her in this (and paid the whopping fees, to boot).

But I retain veto power. I would not let them sign up for traveling sports leagues. We just do not have enough hours in the week to be doing that. As it is, many hours of my evenings and weekends are tied up in kid activities. Dh and I both work full time, and I'm exhausted trying to fit everything in as it is. I watched the stuff my sister went through with her kids in those leagues, and I'm not going there.

I would not let them play sports I consider dangerous (football) or activities I find degrading (cheerleading).

 

[Northstar]

Luckily we have just one child to think about. I simply can't imagine how people cope if they have two or three, and they decide they like different sports.

Our DD fell in love with cheerleading at the age of 9. I knew nothing about it, but it was her sport, she was passionate about it, I wanted to make it possible for her to follow her passion.

Well, the trouble with cheerleading (don't hate me, cheer moms and dads) is that competitions eat up a whole weekend, and for that weekend, our DD is performing for 2 X 2 1/2 minutes. That's right, 5 minutes of watching our DD perform and hours of watching other teams. Which would be fine if we loved cheerleading, but I gotta say, for the first hour it's interesting and then I put in my earplugs and open my e-reader.

So it's a sacrifice, but I think the payoff (DD's involvement in a team sport she loves) is worth it.

 

[karenos]

I am not a big fan of attending a 2 hour, 8 year old baseball game. Not the most exciting way to spend 2 hours on uncomfortable metal bleachers, but my DS is a huge baseball nut, so I do it for him.

We will probably sit farther away from the game this year because this year the boys start to pitch - watchout!!!

karenos

 

[eliza61]

Wrestling. Both my sons did wrestling. I hate it to this day. every day practices, day long meets. ugh and waiting for your weight class.

One of us was always at a meet.

 

[castleview]

The only thing we haven't "let" the kids do is tackle football because we don't believe that's necessary before high school. Now there are plenty I haven't encouraged .

 

[jen0610]

We are not soccer people. Two years ago, DD wanted to play soccer instead of softball. While it was not our cup of tea, we cheered her and her teammates on. When the season was over for the spring and she said that she didn't want to sign up for the fall season, I silently did this . Said it wasn't what she expected.

Forward to the next spring and while she doesn't want to play on a team, she does like to kick the ball around with a certain boy who is big into soccer and could she - meaning she and I - go to some of his games to watch him play. So even without a kid playing, I went to games and cheered on her friend and his teammates and silently did when the spring season was over.

When the fall season started and most of his games were at the same time DD had to be at the dance studio, while mom expressed disappointment that DD would only get to see a couple of his games that season, mom was silently doing this . Not sure yet what I will be silently doing for the spring season, he doesn't have the schedule yet. But I am sending out this that it will be very similar to the fall schedule.

 

[mjkacmom]

It's my second time dealing with farm league (ds12 did it, too). OMG - games are 2 1/2 hours, kids can't pitch, so that the batters who don't take wild swings at the balls are all walked, walked, walked. After 5 runs, the innings switch. Softball at this age is worst - they don't call strikes, and they don't call outs, so every child is up every inning. It's like watching the grass grow.

Irish dancing competitions = Irish time. Competitions are always running behind, kids dance, then you wait and wait for scores. It's an all day event, with a couple of minutes of dancing. Just the prep - wigs, headbands, make-up, sock glueing, carting all of your stuff - in complete and utter crowds and chaos.

I do enjoy the soccer, basketball, and flag football - there's more of a time limit. Ds12's baseball is actually good, but it's still long. Musical theater is great - just drop off at rehearsals, and then watch the show.

ETA - we have 3 travel teams this season alone, in addition to local teams. DH is trying to get dd8 to do travel soccer in the fall - I could kill him.

 

[LJRJR]

My son (9 years old) plays on the travel hockey team. I really knew nothing about the sport or how dedicated some families are to it. His first season just ended and during the year my husband and I would say that no way are we signing up for the team next year. However, try outs are this week, and because my son lives to play hockey, we will be there. I spend alot of time at the cold hockey rink, and I wake him up at crazy hours of the morning (4 a.m. a few times) to go play games 1 1/2 hours away. He hops out of bed as if it were Christmas morning to go. As a family we went away for a weekend for a tornament.

If I knew that I was really not interested in a sport, I would try to steer my child away from that. However, if they are just crazy about something, I would let them play. Travel teams take up alot of time, and can be very expensive, so know what you are getting yourself into. My daugther did do competitive dance, however, her dancing school closed, and she has decided to just focus on ballet taught by a wonderful professional ballerina. I did steer her in the direction of doing something non competitive, and she hasnt once asked if she could be involved in competitive dance again.

 

[Magic Mom]

I pretty much let my kids choose what sports they liked regardless of my interests. However, when it comes to all day weekend cross country meets, sometimes I won't go. I love my kids and enjoy watching them compete (most of the time) but I won't always travel 2 hours and then sit around for 8 hours just to watch them run for 18 minutes, then drive 2 hours home. I have a life too.

 

[mickey&arielsmom]

Mine both swim on the swim team, take ski lessons in the winter/ spring, dd takes dance classes, and ds starts football in August. They're all ok, but any sport gets old when you're driving them all over and sitting through the practices and events!

 

[minniecarousel]

ugh! wrestling....when my oldest was in middle school, he decided to try wrestling. Since he was a big boy, it turns out he was paired up with an experienced wrestler. That boys mom yelled "squeeze him, squeeze him!" during their match. I came unglued. Seeing my son so out of his element was downright painful for me. I had to let him know that I wouldn't be going to any more matches. Coincidentally, he quit the team. I never felt bad, knowing that I probably influenced his decision. I hate wrestling!

He's the son who went on to be big man on campus in drama at high school. Now that - I enjoyed! He really isn't much of an athlete. That was his younger brother's niche.

We enjoyed all the soccer games, away tournaments, baseball & tournaments that younger son participated in. In fact, when he graduated from HS, all our "spectating" came to a screeching halt. DH & I missed all that.

 

[kinntj]

I hate sitting out in the cold watching soccer. DD8 played from 4 years old to 6. I was happy when she chose not to continue in the fall.

Now, my DD7 wants to play soccer. She's upset that there's no new volunteer coaches for the girls who would make up two new teams this spring. We have to find something else for her to do and hope that there's a spot open for fall soccer. We'll try to get her into camp for the summer too.

They both want to do golf lessons this summer and that I don't mind watching. I also take my Nook to read while waiting.

We don't influence our kids in any way when they pick what they want to do. If I could have my way, everything would be indoors and we would never travel.