What do your kids participate in? Why?

[smkiya]

I'm curious about what other parents have signed their kids up for and why.

Just before DD was 3 we signed her up for Tae Kwon Do. This was DH's idea, he said he wanted his daughter to be able to defend herself. She loved it! She'd still be doing it but when they sold the business she wasn't fond of the new owners (me either). A year passed without any extracurriculars and she is now beginning guitar lessons. She loves gymnastics too! I still have the 2008 Summer Olympic episode on DVR that shows Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson's winning floor routines. DD knows their routines inside and out, performs it in the living room even now. So gymnastics may be in her future.

DS has learned to do flips. I decided to try and sign him up for a class (he's 15 months). We have 2 trial classes next week. One at Little Gym and the other a mommy and me music class. I'll choose the one we like best.

I was always into the Arts. I never played a sport. I was always into Theater, writing, choir, and played the viola in elementary and junior high. I went to a Performing Arts High School. My mom never signed me up for anything, I just told her what I wanted to do and she said ok. But I started at age 7 doing plays and playing viola. I was a very ambitious kid.

DH didn't do anything. (no comment )

My questions are.... What made you choose to send your child to play soccer rather than martial arts, or piano instead of cheer? There are so many things to choose from when they are young (3-7); what if anything influences your choice?

 

[Magpie]

We let our kids try out all sorts of things when they were little. Gymnastics, taekwando, scouts, theatre, lego science, cooking, dissection (really!)... most of it they just tried for a few months or a year. Swimming we did for four or five years because I consider it a life-saving skill that everyone should learn. Otherwise I was willing to let them try different things. We're lucky we could afford it. I never did much as a kid, except for a few things that my school nominated me for and I got to do free. We didn't have much money for extras. Plus, I felt really guilty the one time my mother saved up to get me skating lessons and it turned out I didn't like skating as much as I thought I would. I'm glad my kids didn't have to worry about wasting my money.

Now my kids are teenagers. My daughter chooses her own extra curriculars from what's offered at her high school - since she enjoyed dissection so much as a little girl, she's heading down a science path. My son is taking saxophone lessons by choice (sort of) and violin by necessity (to increase his school options for next year).

My son would probably drop out of music if he could, but it's the only non-video-game related thing he does with any real skill, so until he finds a different talent we'll be keeping him in band.

 

[JVL1018]

My daughter(almost 11) does dance. Because when she was 4 she said, I want to take dance. I took her to a pay as you go place because I didn't know if she'd like it. She just started her 7th year there and still loves it. It's once a week for an hour and a half.

She cheers, because since she was in K and we'd see the cheerleaders practicing up at the park by our house in the fall, she'd ask when she could start--which was 3rd grade. She started that year and is in her 3rd year of cheering.

Soccer and softball we encouraged her to try starting at 5. Soccer she didn't like so she didn't play again after that 1st year, but she has stuck with softball and loves it.

She asked to play basketball 2 years ago and decided she just liked shooting baskets in the driveway, didn't like the agressiveness of the game, so she didn't go back to that.
She said she wants to do indoor soccer this winter, so we'll sign her up.

She also plays the clarinet(did a summer program every morning for 6 weeks and she plays in school) and is in the chorus at school, chorus is a half hour before school once a week. Loves both of them. Both were her choice. Last year she played violin, this year switched to clarinet. I just let her choose.


My son(9) plays baseball and has since he was 5-same thing as our daughter- we encouraged him to try it(both my husband and I played baseball/softball as kids). He likes it and will be playing again this year.

Never wanted to play soccer, which was fine with me, so never did a fall sport.

He SAYS he wants to play football, but he is so freaking lazy, I can't imagine him even getting through football summer practices and camp. I told him if he realllly wanted to play, he can play next year. He insists he does, so we shall see..

Last year in the winter he wrestled, the year before that he did basketball, he was ehh about both. In both instances he played because I told him he had to do something in the winter other than sit around my house playing video games.
This year he said he wanted to play indoor soccer in the winter without me saying he had to do anything, and so we're signing him up for that.

He wants to join chorus next year(4th grade is the earliest you can join and he's in 3rd), but so far doesn't want to take an instrument.

 

[lpereira]

We are only doing ballet for our 4 year old. She goes 2 times a week but the second class is a Saturday "fun" class where they wear costumes and dance with Cinderella. She practices 15 or so minutes a day 4 days a week. In the summertime she takes a once a week gymnastics class. Other than that we like to keep her on unscheduled entertain yourself time. We didn't need swimming lessons as she has been in the water since the cord dropped off and has picked it up on her own. The "you can't push them under the water even if you tried" built in floating device bathing suit helps
She started ballet just before she was 3. Gymnastics just this past summer.
I think it is better to do one or two things to the best of your ability. Some of the other children in my daughters class are always rushing from one activity to the other.

 

[Liberty Belle]

My oldest was in gymnastics, but he's pretty much stopped it altogether. He just turned 17. The only thing he's really involved with now is the Young Democrats at his school. He likes Ultimate Frisbee and plays it with friends occasionally, but there is no club for it. I told him to try and start one, but that didn't go over well.

My seven year old is in Cub Scouts and on the school's Academic team. He usually plays fall baseball, but isn't this year. Oh, and he's wanting to start karate, but we haven't signed up yet.

Why? It's because that's what they're interested in. Not sure if you're wanting a different type of answer.

I re-read your post and see that you're talking about younger kids, for the most part. We started my oldest in gymnastics because he was just naturally gifted there. In fact after his very first lesson, the instructor asked us where he'd been trained. We also got them both in swimming lessons for obvious reasons. My oldest was in soccer, tball, and soccer when he was younger. Honestly it's been about 12 years, so I can't remember if he suggested it or if we did, but he always enjoyed them.

My youngest we encouraged to join baseball not because he was so in love with baseball, but because he's not really natrually athletic like his brother, so we thought it might be a good sport for him. He also did some gymnastics and some soccer, but really didn't take to them.

 

[TN Hockey Mom]

My oldest DS, who will turn 12 tomorrow, took ice skating lessons at 2 years old. He then started playing hockey at age 4 and has been playing ever since. He has also taken swimming and karate. He plays baseball in the spring, but has only decided to do that for the past 2 seasons.

My 10 year old DS played 2 seasons of soccer when he was younger. He now plays baseball in the fall & spring and he plays basketball in the winter. He has taken art lessons in the past as well.

DS11 takes guitar lessons and has for the past 3 years. DS10 takes piano lessons and has for the past year. They also like to teach each other their instruments, therefore, they'll probably both end up knowing how to play guitar and piano.

We'll let them try anything if they ask, however, they're only allowed to choose 1 sport per season, which can be a problem now that they have sports they consider "their" sports (instruments are year around). Most of the time, DH and I have to split up to take them where they're suppose to be. There's no way we could do more than 1 sport per child per season, especially since they play differrent sports. Luckily, the same guy teaches them both their instruments and he comes to our house to do it.

I never got to do anything as a child. My parents divorced when I was 7 and I was the oldest of 3 girls. My dad had full custody of us and he worked 2nd shift. We stayed with my grandmother and it would have been too much for her to run us to extra-curricular activities.

DH played basketball all the way thru high school. His mom wouldn't sign him up for anything that wasn't at school. She didn't want to take him anywhere and she wouldn't pay for anything extra.

DH and I want them to be well rounded and to have opportunities that we didn't have. We also want them to be able to decide for themselves whether or not they enjoy something. We don't force them to do anything, but if they ask to do something, we'll find a way to make it happen. Our only requirement is they have to finish what they start. For example, if they want to play football and I sign them up, they have to continue playing for the entire season. They can't quit after a couple of practices and/or games. They don't have to sign back up the following season but they have to finish out their original committment. This makes them think long and hard before we sign them up for something new.

 

[golfgal]

A lot of it started because of what was available for their age group-at 5 Tae Kwon Do was about all that was available and they needed something to do. Then as they got older a lot of what they signed up for were things they wanted to try or their friends were doing. Our only rule was if they signed up for it they had to finish the season, which wasn't a problem. Our oldest did TKD, Soccer, one season of football, ran cross country for a couple years, ran track for a couple years and was in the marching band. TKD and Soccer we signed him up for because they were available for his age, the rest he wanted to try for whatever reason. The only one I DIDN'T like was football because he was so small.

The twins did TKD, soccer, basketball, golf, dance, marching band. TKD was because they saw their older brother do it, soccer because their friends talked them into joining, basketball because they both liked to play, golf because they grew up golfing and they are good at it, DD did dance when she was 4 because she could, DS did dance in middle school because his friends were (hip hop). The all did marching band because they like it.

Eventually you will find things that they are better at then others. DS15 REALLY loves playing basketball but isn't very good. He figured that out on his own, for example. When they are little it's a lot of try it and see if they like it.

 

[palmtreegirl]

DS(10) does Cub Scouts & he has kids classes when we're at church Wednesday and Sunday nights.

DD(14) has church youth group and a bi-weekly girls bible study called Bright Lights. She also has youth group activities.

Up until this year the kids did Upwards basketball and DD helped DH coach last year since she aged out. But this year DS has decided he doesn't want to do it.

That's plenty for us because we like to have a lot of family time together.

 

[jen0610]

DD13 - She has been dancing since she was 3. She dances at the same studio I went to as a kid. I put her in because I knew it would be good for her, getting exercise and meeting new people. She loves it and is now up to 4 classes, 1 competion class and 1 production group.

She played t-ball/soft ball from the time she was 5 until 10. We put her in because her brother played, she was always around and wanted to be out there like her big brother. She loves to play, but got sick of the crap with the league, so she choise not to continue playing. Now, she would rather have an extra dance class.

She played soccer one year. It was the 1st year she didn't play softball. She wanted to try it, quickly found out it wasn't for her. She finished out the season and now only kicks the ball around with her friends.

She played basketball 2nd grade thru 6th grade in Upwards. They are stopping the league in the 6th grade, so last year was her last year. Don't know if she will tryout for the school team or not. She started for the same reason at t/softball, her brother played.

She did pom-poms for 4 years. She wanted to try it out, was offered as an after school class. She loved it, until there was an owner change and she didn't love it with the new owner. Would do it again with the old owner or the old staff ever started up a new company.

She bowled for 3 years. Yep, she started because her brother was bowling. Quite because of it became harder to fit into her dance, poms, and ball schedule. Now, she would rather take an additional dance class then league bowl.

DS15 - He played baseball from the time he was 5 until he was 13. Loved it, but like his sister, got feed up with the crap from the league and stopped playing.

He played flag football for 3 years. He wanted to try it. Like it for the 1st year, it was ok the 2nd year (bad coach), hated it the 3rd year (even worse coach).

He ran track in 6th grade. Wanted to do it, found out it wasn't for him.

He played basketball in 2nd to 7th grade, Upwards. Should have played in the 8th grade but not enough boys signed up. He wanted to try it.

He bowled for 4 years. He wanted to try it. Stopped when the kids he bowled with stopped.

He has been playing the clairnet and bass calirnet for the last 4 years. He loves it. He wanted to sign up for band in the 6th grade and this was the horn he choose to play. Is in marching band this year as a freshman and is loving every minute of it.

He danced for 2 years. 7 and 8 years old, if I remember correctly. He did it cause he sister did, he followed in her footsteps for once. He would stand in the doorway of her tap class and watch. He'd be doing the dance right along with them. The owner would pull him into the class and let him be a part of it. So the next year, we asked he wanted to try. It only lasted 2 years, but at least he gave it a whirl.

I think that is everything that they do/did.

 

[robinb]

My DD swims and dances. She swims because she loves the water. When she was just 4 years old she could swim the length of a 25-yard pool and by the time she was 5 and in kindergarten she was on swim team. She joined swim team because she could not take the regular Red Cross swim classes until she was 6 and she was bored with the pre-school classes. She has been on the swim team ever since.

She started dancing at 2-3 years old at the YMCA. She now dances at a local dance studio. She dances ballet and hip hop.

 

[Colleen27]

The only thing I really decided for them was swim lessons; they've all been in lessons since toddlerhood and the 2yo and 9yo still have weekly classes. To me, that's a basic, essential skill for kids growing up in our waterfront community and our boating family. Beyond that, I left activity choices up to them and didn't really push organized activities prior to school-age.

DS12 wrestled for two seasons, took guitar lessons for two years, took karate for a summer, particpated with the local 4H garden group for four years, spent a year in Tiger Cubs and then rejoined scouts as a Weblo and now a Boy Scout, has played seven seasons of Little League, plays drums in the school band, and is currently in the middle of his third season of football. And now that he's at the middle school, he's looking forward to robotics club and science olympiad.

DD9 is my joiner, and I have to limit her a bit or she'll sign up for everything and end up needing to be in three places at once. She took three years of jazz, ballet & tap, cheered for a year, played a year of soccer, was on the student council at her old school, takes piano lessons, has been a Girl Scout since Daisies, involved with the 4H gardens since kindergarten and the full group as of this year, played four seasons of Little League so far, and takes horseback riding lessons over the summers. She bounces around between cheer, dance, and soccer because they overlap so I only allow one per year, but the rest falls into place fairly easily so I don't say no to a whole lot.

I trust that they'll both narrow things down a bit as they get older and come to know what they're good at/enjoy. DS12 is starting to get there - nothing gets in the way of football, and he's quite good at it. Scouts is important too, enough for him to stand up to some light teasing from his jock-friends over it, and he wants to go all the way to Eagle Scout. He dropped guitar lessons in favor of band, and has already talked to the band director about whether he'll be able to continue in high school even though he's going to be playing football (and yay! he will - marching isn't required, he can just take symphonic & jazz). All the rest he's interested in if and only if he can fit it in around the more important activities.

 

[monorailsilver]

I have 3 kids & here is their life in extracurricular activities:

DD#1-9/4th grade-

18mo-Gymboree, Why? Because it was a place for me to get out & meet new moms. But the moms were the foo foo, I'm too good for you, look at me moms but my dd had fun. She stopped that when she turned 3 because that was the age they stopped.

Age 3-7 she did gymnastics. We started it because she was already doing stuff like that at home. She liked it but towards the end she would pay attention to the team practicing & why should I pay all that $$$$ for her to watch others & not do anything.

Age 7-present-Girl Scouts but that is only about twice a month during the school year.

Kindergarden, 1st & 2nd grade-t-ball/coach pitch baseball. Why? Because it cheap thru park & rec & she can try it to see if she likes it. She didn't want to play in 3rd grade but she does want to play next spring (softball). It is still cheap.

1st & 2nd grade-basketball. Why? She wanted to, her friends were playing & it is thru park & rec so it is cheap still & she can decide if she likes it.

K-present (4th grade) soccer. She likes it. Her uncle played thru HS & it is a good sport to learn team work. The past 2 years she has been on the travel team. Last year she hated it because her coach was a $($(($(*#*&&#&#&&#&#&# and that is putting it lightly. This year she has a new coach & loves it again.


DS, age 7:

I tried him in Karate & he wouldn't pay attention so that was out.

He also started soccer when he was in Kindy (currently in 2nd grade) & still plays. He loves it. He said he runs like "lightening."

He also plays t-ball because he wants to. Next year he will do coach pitch baseball.

And he did basketball last year & will most likely do it again.

All 3 are still pretty cheap so I want them to play to see if they like it so they know if they want to pursue it.

He is also in Cub Scouts.

I did not enroll him in Gymboree because I had 2 kids when he was old enough & $$$ got tight plus I didn't want to be with the foo-foos from the other towns that went there.

Oh dd#1 & ds did track this past spring & LOVED it.

DD#2-4½

She just started soccer last week. And she will play t-ball in the spring (again cheap).

 

[dislaney]

I tried to expose my kids to many different activities when they were small. They might have only tried it for the season and decided it wasn't for them but they were exposed to it. Our only rule was if they started some sort of team activity they had to finish out the season even if they didn't really like it. Each has pretty much picked the one that they have wanted to focus on and are still doing it now.

At one point or another they have done Gymboree, Gymnastics, Dance, Volleyball, Tennis, T-ball, Soccer, Basketball, Art classes, Tennis, Cheer, and Swimming. Oh and one played an instrument at school too. No wonder it felt like I was always driving them somewhere.

 

[Pigeon]

My older dd does select chorus and a select strings group at school, and she's in a regional youth orchestra. She also takes private violin lessons and her school music teacher is tutoring her in the viola. She started with violin lessons in 4th grade as all students in our district do. She just happens to be musical, and she decided to audition for these groups. She also volunteers with a dog rescue and takes Tae Kwon Do.

These things were all her idea. I tried to get her interested in soccer or softball, but she never wanted any part of doing a team sport. She might do intramural track and field because she enjoys the long jump, but I'm not seeing how she's going to fit it in.

Younger dd takes ballet and tap, and does gymnastics. Again, her request, and she also had no interest in the more common team sports. She takes flute at school and also has private lessons.

I'm not athletic or musical. I did do dance as a kid. Dh did track and field. We would have supported most activities if our kids were interested, with the exception of the extremely violent or fanantic sports teams or cheerleading. Those would be a non-starter.

 

[jme829]

dd17 is a third year varsity volleyball player and she plays JO in the spring, although after the school season she may be done, because herB club will probably not have an 18's team this year ..it'll be the first year since she was in 5th grade that she won't be playing past November Volleyball is her passion so this will be a huge adjustment for her....however, she'll probably help coach a younger team so she'll still get some volleyball in. And she plans on playing intramural at college next year.

dd11 plays softball April-October (we have 2 weekends left..) on 3 different teams (rec team in spring, tournament team over the summer and now fall ball).
She is also in girl scouts (cadettes) and plays the violin, although that is an actual scheduled class at school once they hit middle school, so there isn't really anything 'extra' involved except a few concerts per year. She is also in a bb gun league for 8 weeks in feb/mar. She is going to tryout for her sisters JO volleyball club this year as well, but they can't play school ball until 7th grade (which I'm sure she will next year).

ds9 is in cub scouts (webelos 1) and just started playing cello. He has lessons once per week before school and then again just a couple of concerts. He was playing baseball, but didn't really enjoy it. He is going to give spring soccer a try. He's not a sports kind of guy for the most part. He also does the bb gun league.

Both dd11 and ds9 want to take tennis lessons next spring and they both take swimming lessons.

DD17 works and takes a college class on top of volleyball and high school, so thats more than enough for her.

DD11 also has a list of clubs she wants to sign up for this year, so this should be a fun year..lol I have to kind of 'nudge" dd17 and ds to try things, but dd 11 wants to try it all...we kind of have to limit her some for my own sanity!

They tell me what they want to try and I look at it and see if we can do it. While I did push ds to try baseball again this year, ultimately I let him decide and he just didn't want to do it.

I too feel they should try whatever interests them, but make it clear that if they do sign up , they have to at least finish out the season/commitment. They don't have to sign up again, but they do have to follow through the first go round.

 

[Magic Mom]

When they were younger, my kids tried a lot of things, swim lessons for a bit, gymnastics, soccer a few seasons, school clubs, etc. Ds is in college now, but DD has settled into running cross country ( she started that because her brother did it and she had the opportunity to run for the same team several years ago), horse riding ( her discipline is show jumping and she devotes a huge amount of time to it), the technology team at school (that's iffy for her, I think she will drop it after this year), and band. She also wants to run track and play volleyball. We'll see.

 

[bumbershoot]

DS is 6 now; we joined the Y when he was 5. We homeschool, so in between learning work we'll go there for various things.

In this last year he's taken swim lessons every session (an absolute, especially since my brother has a pool), he's taken several sessions of gymnastics, and recently he's started paid classes of ballet. He was part of a homeschool PE program last school year, where two days a week they met and did various things...that was cool. He's also taking aikido now.

DH is a TKD blackbelt and doesn't believe in letting little kids in until they are mature enough to take it seriously...that happened since DS was 6. So that's why we waited for the martial arts. DH is happy that the Y people don't allow kids to take TKD until they are 7, because it's a very serious sport and is to be taken seriously.

The more we are at the Y, the more I get to work out and the more friends DS makes, so it's great for us.


I didn't take anything as a child because I was extremely shy and didn't want to put myself out there...that and my mom was really broke. But there was always PE until end of 11th grade. But I never did a team sport until sophomore year of college! And then I wondered why I hadn't before...then again, my HS didn't have Crew.

I might very well sign DS up for one of the local rowing clubs, as long as they have a masters group that I can get in on (and as long as they have a *shrimpy person's* masters boat for me, LOL, 'cuz I'm only 5'3"), but that'll come later, once he swims even better!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Dd10 is in dance and has been since 3. She enjoyed dancing and it was one of the few independent (non mommy and me) activities and it was fairly inexpensive. She continues. Now that we have moved, the dances are not combo here. She wants to do hip hop but has dropped tap. We do jazz and ballet for well roundedness. She doesn't enjoy them, but it helps round her out. Gymnastics was added at age 7 to help with the stretching and skills. Music lessons in the form of piano and later violin instead---that is how she learns music since we homeschool.

Dd8 does dance...but she is even more into it than sister. Does gymnastic for the same reasons as well as violin. She is also more sporty---so does soccer.

Both now also do swimming.

Seems like a lot...and it is. But we are fine with it.

Ds will play soccer beginning in spring...he has been able to dribble since 12 months...but has to wait until he is 4. He also likes to dance and we will allow it. He can't until he is potty trained. He was doing mommy and me gymnastics. In our new location--we will enroll him after he is potty trained. Music will begin when he is 6 or 7. Probably piano first.

Our kids do the things they enjoy. Since we homeschool...there is time to do all of these things.

The only required activity is ISR survival swimming. All have done it. My youngest will take it in January or when she is crawling...whichever occurs later. (must be 6 months and crawling before they can enroll). They take refreshers each summer until they are 5. (each refresher is shorter than the prior year...usually by 5, it is just a 1 or 2 day skill check).

 

[tebi73]

My DS9 is a pretty active kid.

He started Taekwondo when he turned 3 and just earned his Black Belt this August. He has also played baseball since he was 4. He started his 2nd year of Football on August 1st. He begged me last year to let him play, so I finally gave in. It's probably his favorite sport so far. He's just built like a football player. He just started a "Hoops 101" class afterschool this year too.

He is also in the youth choir at our church and loves to sing.

He is hoping that he will be chosen for this years "Destination Imagination" team at school. It is for 4th and 5th grade students. It is a creative competition team made up of about 10 or 12 kids and they do skits and compete in a big "world" competition in Tennessee sometime in the spring. He is very excited about getting to try-out for this finally! I hope he makes it.

DH & I like to encourage him to try pretty much anything he likes, but I think "mom" is pretty much maxed out right now!

 

[golfgal]

dd17 is a third year varsity volleyball player and she plays JO in the spring, although after the school season she may be done, because herB club will probably not have an 18's team this year ..it'll be the first year since she was in 5th grade that she won't be playing past November Volleyball is her passion so this will be a huge adjustment for her....however, she'll probably help coach a younger team so she'll still get some volleyball in. And she plans on playing intramural at college next year.

dd11 plays softball April-October (we have 2 weekends left..) on 3 different teams (rec team in spring, tournament team over the summer and now fall ball).
She is also in girl scouts (cadettes) and plays the violin, although that is an actual scheduled class at school once they hit middle school, so there isn't really anything 'extra' involved except a few concerts per year. She is also in a bb gun league for 8 weeks in feb/mar. She is going to tryout for her sisters JO volleyball club this year as well, but they can't play school ball until 7th grade (which I'm sure she will next year).

ds9 is in cub scouts (webelos 1) and just started playing cello. He has lessons once per week before school and then again just a couple of concerts. He was playing baseball, but didn't really enjoy it. He is going to give spring soccer a try. He's not a sports kind of guy for the most part. He also does the bb gun league.

Both dd11 and ds9 want to take tennis lessons next spring and they both take swimming lessons.

DD17 works and takes a college class on top of volleyball and high school, so thats more than enough for her.

DD11 also has a list of clubs she wants to sign up for this year, so this should be a fun year..lol I have to kind of 'nudge" dd17 and ds to try things, but dd 11 wants to try it all...we kind of have to limit her some for my own sanity!

They tell me what they want to try and I look at it and see if we can do it. While I did push ds to try baseball again this year, ultimately I let him decide and he just didn't want to do it.

I too feel they should try whatever interests them, but make it clear that if they do sign up , they have to at least finish out the season/commitment. They don't have to sign up again, but they do have to follow through the first go round.

Check with the local colleges to see if they have an 18 and over team-many of them do.