Sports or drugs? How would you have responded?

[Anonymous]

Do people not realize the sporty kids are the ones drinking and vaping and doing drugs? It's common knowledge if you have a kid in high school.

But also, it was a joke OP and who cares. Not your circus. MYOB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course not, and he doesn’t either. You criticized the way he spends his weekends and he felt defensive about it so make an offhand remark. He could have said “keep teens busy and they don’t have time to get into trouble!” and you probably wouldn’t have thought twice about it. That is what he meant.

Keeping teens busy doesn't guarantee anything. If they really want to do drugs, they'll find a way. Alot of athletes at my school also did drugs

Agree that keeping teens busy doesn't guarantee anything - they will find a way. However, elite sports are meaningful deterrents. My kid, who is curious to a fault, largely stays out of trouble because he is overscheduled. When he's had free time, he sneaks out and likes to roam the city basically looking for trouble. We provide him with a safe and loving home environment, but he's more Holden Caulfield than a Boy Scout. Also, since a pretty young age, coaches have emphasized the importance of health and nutrition on sports performance, and the idea of not being able to play his sport because he fails a drug test is probably the biggest deterrent he has right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course not, and he doesn’t either. You criticized the way he spends his weekends and he felt defensive about it so make an offhand remark. He could have said “keep teens busy and they don’t have time to get into trouble!” and you probably wouldn’t have thought twice about it. That is what he meant.

Keeping teens busy doesn't guarantee anything. If they really want to do drugs, they'll find a way. Alot of athletes at my school also did drugs

Agree that keeping teens busy doesn't guarantee anything - they will find a way. However, elite sports are meaningful deterrents. My kid, who is curious to a fault, largely stays out of trouble because he is overscheduled. When he's had free time, he sneaks out and likes to roam the city basically looking for trouble. We provide him with a safe and loving home environment, but he's more Holden Caulfield than a Boy Scout. Also, since a pretty young age, coaches have emphasized the importance of health and nutrition on sports performance, and the idea of not being able to play his sport because he fails a drug test is probably the biggest deterrent he has right now.

Agree. Not a guarantee. But I am pretty sure that MY teen (a girl, so this could make a difference, too) does not drink, vape, and maybe more primarily because of her sport. She told me she and a couple of the other girls had a conversation with their travel coach about whether she ever drank/got drunk in college. She said she did but not often because of her (and their) sport. She said she did not even drink on her 21st birthday because she had a game the next day. My DD has gotten really into nutrition (and not at all in a worrisome/ED kind of way) recently, also because of her sport. She focus on "fuel" and gaining muscle. I do think for some kids, sports can keep them from doing drugs. Maybe I am naive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course not, and he doesn’t either. You criticized the way he spends his weekends and he felt defensive about it so make an offhand remark. He could have said “keep teens busy and they don’t have time to get into trouble!” and you probably wouldn’t have thought twice about it. That is what he meant.

Keeping teens busy doesn't guarantee anything. If they really want to do drugs, they'll find a way. Alot of athletes at my school also did drugs

Agree that keeping teens busy doesn't guarantee anything - they will find a way. However, elite sports are meaningful deterrents. My kid, who is curious to a fault, largely stays out of trouble because he is overscheduled. When he's had free time, he sneaks out and likes to roam the city basically looking for trouble. We provide him with a safe and loving home environment, but he's more Holden Caulfield than a Boy Scout. Also, since a pretty young age, coaches have emphasized the importance of health and nutrition on sports performance, and the idea of not being able to play his sport because he fails a drug test is probably the biggest deterrent he has right now.

Agree. Not a guarantee. But I am pretty sure that MY teen (a girl, so this could make a difference, too) does not drink, vape, and maybe more primarily because of her sport. She told me she and a couple of the other girls had a conversation with their travel coach about whether she ever drank/got drunk in college. She said she did but not often because of her (and their) sport. She said she did not even drink on her 21st birthday because she had a game the next day. My DD has gotten really into nutrition (and not at all in a worrisome/ED kind of way) recently, also because of her sport. She focus on "fuel" and gaining muscle. I do think for some kids, sports can keep them from doing drugs. Maybe I am naive.

It kept me away from trouble so I approve your statement

[Anonymous]

I dont see anything wrong with OPs comments. If people overschedule their families with sports or other activities, they shouldnt complain. They are adults and should understand the schedule they are signing up for. Nobody told them they HAD to sign up for x amount of travel teams that each cost $1,000+ per season. I listen to these parents at my kids' games all of the time. What do they want a medal? I feel like it is some sort of humble brag. I was just walking my dog the other day and my neighbor had to run up and tell me that his son is on 4 basketball teams and how hectic it was. What is the correct response? Did his son sign up and pay for these teams? No way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was a joke.

Right?! It's not that deep, folks. The answer is to laugh and move on. He does not actually believe the only choices are drugs or travel sports.

+1
Jeazie peazie people, it’s like when work people ask you how you are doing and you reply, “living the dream”

That said, there are significant studies that youth sports, especially for girls, inhibit drug experimentation (and pregnancy).

It was a joke, rooted in fact, but not a one or the other statement.