6yo DD is not interested in activities

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Damn, this post is straight up DCUM bubble CRAZY.

She's SIX! She wants to play, outside and inside, not listen to adults direct her. That's what she does all day at school.

Swimming, sure, it's a safety issue. Everything else? DROP IT. For at least a year, maybe more. What a waste of time and money when free play is better for her anyway! Use the money you're saving to buy some really good, warm outdoor clothing for her and you and take her outside every day after school, rain or shine. Invite neighborhood friends, too.

In the long run, you'll be protecting her mental health:

https://www.npr.org/2023/10/31/1209763238/how-lack-of-independent-play-is-impacting-childrens-mental-health

No need to yell at me. I do take her and her younger sibling outside a lot. Even in the cold. But, I’ve been frequently sick and worn out recently. Also, I *would love* to take the neighbor kids out with me and often text their parents, but they are almost always busy in activities and afterschool. I figured if you can’t beat em join em but that’s not going to work out so we will go back to our independent activities-free lifestyle I guess (but keeping swim). My DD is really unhappy about the other classes and I don’t have the heart to force her.