Why do parents force kids play a sport that they don’t want to?

[Anonymous]

They force it because every middle schooler wants to quit to allow for additional hours of group texts and hanging out doing absolutely nothing productive with friends.

[Anonymous]

This year is the first year my kids don't have any sports activities after school. They didn't want to do anything sports-related, and although I wasn't happy with that, various events conspired to make it happen.
They've become a little soft, so next year we will do something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the last 3 years in my kid’s baseball teams, there are always parents saying that their kids prefer to play soccer/football/other sports. Their kids find baseball boring. These are mostly 8 and 9 years old kids and why do parents do this? Why cannot they just let their kids pick the sports they enjoy?

Well baseball is a hard sport to learn while soccer is very easy. That is why there are 3 million kids soccer teams. Run around and kick a ball. Try and score in the net. Kids start at age 3. Baseball has a learning curve and the young kids need to learn to hit, catch, throw, run bases, know where to throw it and when, etc... It is a learning game. You need to use your mind and you can't just run around. If you get a great coach who makes it fun, it is awesome. But many aren't. Same with softball.

[Anonymous]

My son would do nothing unless forced. He would not leave the house. So we make him try things. Even when he hates it, he often likes some of it. I hate forcing him to do things. It actually is painful for me. But at one point, he actually thanked us for making him do things.

[Anonymous]

It was my original idea to have my daughter play soccer. Left to her own devices, she would sit around all day and watch TV. So if you asked her about soccer, she might express the idea that she would rather be watching TV.

When she's actually playing, she enjoys it. When she is actually practicing, she mostly enjoys it. And she's very noticeably improved. But I think it's important for people to have daily physical activity. I've given her other athletic options and she prefers soccer, so soccer it is.

I don't think 8-year-olds always know what's good for them; that's why we parents get to make the decisions.

[Anonymous]

I've always found that parents push/encourage their kids to do the sport they did growing up. Even if done subconsciously, for example, by telling stories of how much fun you had playing baseball and showing old trophies, which influences your son to play baseball.

I know of a lot of parents in my kid's circle who play the sport in which their parent grew up playing. Dad played little league football, then HS football, and some college football at a smaller school, so the son plays football. Or the dad played football in HS but wasn't good enough to play in college, so he pushes his son to play and be better.

Also, a lot of the time kids may not realize their athletic potential, so they're guided by the parents. For example, my son plays soccer. He loves soccer and kept his grades where we requested, so we allowed him to join a travel team. He's good at soccer, but not amazing. He made his HS team, but I really don't see him playing in college. What he's amazing at is running. He's got the stamina of a long distance runner but also has speed. However, he hates just running without a purpose (not scoring a goal). I tried to push him to join cross country as a way to condition for soccer, but in the end after doing two of the "trial" practices to see if he wanted to join the team, he passed. It was just too boring for him.

[Anonymous]

OP i agree it's annoying.

but i also don't think you're really asking why. you're just venting.

[Anonymous]

My kid has to pick a sport (or physical activity of some type) and an instrument and then commit for the year. They don't have to be good at it but they have to try and give it a shot. I think it's good for my kids and they don't get a vote ...

[Anonymous]

My son was like that with basketball for a full season. I made him sign up again a second season. This was because bball was the only winter option for us. He was not happy. After the second game he loved basketball and was selected for thr all stars team. Now I cant get one out of his hand. Its bball all day long.

[Anonymous]

Sometimes kids get excited about something and then are less excited. But as parents I know we do teach our kids that if you make a commitment to an activity you stick with it for the entire season. Maybe that's what you are seeing. Baseball may seem like a fun and exciting sport but I can imagine the devastation for children who realize that it requires a lot of sitting around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They force it because every middle schooler wants to quit to allow for additional hours of group texts and hanging out doing absolutely nothing productive with friends.

Ok but why not let them choose the sport that interests them? I think that was the original question.

[Anonymous]

I wonder that too, op. I coach soccer and it's obvious which kids don't want to be there. Their attitude is incredibly negative and they don't try hard, they don't listen and it can affect the way my team listens. It's frustrating from the coach's perspective. If a parent pulled me aside and said "Larla has anxiety and that's why she's acting this way" I would be more understanding, but the parents of those kids who act up the most are the least likely to pay attention or even show up to practice and games.