Kids Quitting Extracurriculars?

[bex1973]

Sept 9, 2022 6:20:09 GMT -5 sonrisa said:

Sept 8, 2022 19:23:04 GMT -5 k3am said:

Apparently we’re the odd folks out here. I make them agree before signing up that they’ll see it through for at least what I’ve paid for
.

i generally fall here, but signing up a 6 year old to a three day a week commitment based upon a single clinic feels like a learning opportunity about what you commit to for the parents more than the kids.

I'm sitting on this bench too.

[grover]

Check out park district for cheer- our park district has it once a week vs multiple nights. My 5.5 year old loves activities over the summer multiple days a week, but during school year we limit it to one activity once a week. She wanted to stick with dance so we ended up finding a school year long mini company that only does Saturday morning class.

In the evenings she's a hot mess during the school year.

[gerberdaisy]

We go through this a lot too. DS (5) is doing flag football which is similar, 2 practices and a game every week. After the first game, he wanted to quit. It was hard and the kids were big. We talked it through, figured out that he loves football, but its the games that scare him. So we keep going to practices and missed the last game and will play it by ear for this week. At this age its hard to find the balance of responsibility and just wanting them to find something they enjoy.

However, soccer was a different story. Both my kids hate soccer with a passion. DS wouldn't get out of the car for Tball at first because he saw a soccer goal and though I was tricking him into playing soccer. That sport we quit and never looked back.

[lilafowler]

Is it lame that I think 3 days a week is a lot for most kids? Maybe I’m biased because my 12 year old kid isn’t a joiner (like me 😂😭) and I know I personally wouldn’t want to commit that much time bringing her to and back and having to be there. But I AM a jerk so…

4 years of Girl Scouts every other week and cookie sale obligations were enough for me.

[lilafowler]

Sorry if my post sounded combative. I’m grouchy and feeling a bit defensive lately in regards to parenting.

[abs]

Sept 9, 2022 8:25:36 GMT -5 lilafowler said:

Is it lame that I think 3 days a week is a lot for most kids? Maybe I’m biased because my 12 year old kid isn’t a joiner (like me 😂😭) and I know I personally wouldn’t want to commit that much time bringing her to and back and having to be there. But I AM a jerk so…

4 years of Girl Scouts every other week and cookie sale obligations were enough for me.

It isn't lame at all.  I agree with you.  It's crazy to me that sports require such a commitment at such a young age now.  It isn't healthy in so many ways.  In a lot of cases it leads to burnout and injury.  DD is in a sport now that requires 3 days a week and I am one million percent over it.  She is loving it and after this month she gets a 3 month break but still.  It's a lot and isn't for everyone.

[hermione]

My 9yo joined cross country this year and seems to hate it. I keep telling her to quit since it's an individual sport and her absence will impact nothing. So, that's where I'm at, lol.

[foundmylazybum]

We ALWAYS have the right to change our minds!


As many others have said, a point of curiosity for me is really, "what changed?" And "is everything ok?"


I think the definition of extracurricular is that they are..extras..so they should be adding to life. Not taking away! If it starts taking away, stop. But I think being able to say what changed and having comfort, exploration and acceptance around that is also important.

[redheadbaker]

Sept 8, 2022 18:28:42 GMT -5 lessel said:

I have a giant bag full of expensive as hell karate sparring gear only used once collecting dust in a closet that says you can quit. 😬

Same, but sub hockey equipment.    

[sent]

Sept 9, 2022 8:30:21 GMT -5 lilafowler said:

Sorry if my post sounded combative. I’m grouchy and feeling a bit defensive lately in regards to parenting.

I think this is my baseline feels.

[Bernadine]

No, I totally agree three days a week was a lot. I was surprised it was that often.

I’ve decided to let her quit. But I’m hoping she’ll want to be a cheerleader for halloween, since I dropped a lot of money on her competition uniform. Lol.

[karinothing]

I think I would wait a bit longer. DS is 7 and he certainly goes through days where he doesn't want to do gymnastics or baseball but other days loves it. Mostly it is just he is in to what he is doing at home and doesn't want to break off from it so I just keep the house very boring before we have an activity lol. So I guess what I am saying is one day she could hate it and the next she could love it. 

Honestly I am on the flip side from a lot of folks here. My kids are in a ton of activities and I hate being at home.

[formerlyak]

I see you decided to let her drop, but I am team stick it out for the season. DS8 LOVES all sports. Like can't get enough. And even he some days is not into being there. Having coached before, it is also kind of a pain when someone drops and you don't have as many subs or, in the case of cheer or dance, when formations have to change because your team is smaller than you anticipated. When I coached soccer, I had two parents talk with me about how their kid wanted to try it, but wasn't really loving it. The assured me it had nothing to do with me, their kids just weren't sporty. But they let me know that they did ask the kids to stick it out. Knowing this, I made sure when we had enough players for subs, they sat out when they started to really lose interest. And I tried harder to be sure to give them goals for each game. Easy things like "your goal is to make sure that kid on their team doesn't get the ball past you". They had a much better time when they felt like they had a success each game. Maybe talk with the coach before dropping.