Kids Have No Interest In UMC Activities

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Take the video games away and they’ll love skiing.

Not all people love skiing. My entire family hates it. But I agree that you just have to go and do [fill in the blank, doesn't have to be skiing], and the kids have no choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have never allowed our kids to have any video games, no consoles or apps on their phones that are video games. This keepsthem reading and playing a lot of sports, plus doing random crafty things and hanging out with friends. We also tell them when we are doing a family activity like taking a hike or going skiing and don’t ask for their input.

You can do all of those things and video games, of course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm reminded that a friend told me her kid complained constantly about tennis lessons until he got to high school and wanted to be on a varsity sport. Only then was he grateful.

That was me.  I grew up poor in China and dreamed about golf, tennis, music instruments but they were just dreams.  When I got to UNC Chapel Hill, I used my stipend money to purchase a used guitar and started learning the Beatles and Pink Floyd.  I caught the eye of a pretty white female student on campus, who is now my wife, got married and it allowed me to stay in the United States.  We have two boys and one girl and I made them take tennis, golf and music lessons (piano and guitar) at the age of five until they finished high school, no exception.  Both my sons and daughter fought with me like cat and dog until they entered high school.  Both boys were on the golf varsity team in the fall and varsity tennis in the spring while my daughter played on the girl varsity tennis team.  My boys won the tennis double 6A and team championship in their freshmen and junior year while my daughter won the state championship at her private school three years in a row.  They were very grateful that I did not let them quit golf, tennis and music.  Both boys graduated from UVA and daughter from UNC CH and they are doing extremely well financially.  The boys told me that they play golf with the company CEO and CFO at least once a month and that they get promoted quickly because of who they know. To OP, do not give up on your kid(s), you have to force them to do it. They might hate you now but when they enter high school, they will be very grateful to you. The ability to play music and being on the varsity team will get them girls.

Btw, if you have Asian friends, you will very likely see a piano, violin, viola, or Cello in their house.  That's just the way it is.

Okay, Tiger Dad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Take the video games away and they’ll love skiing.

Not all people love skiing. My entire family hates it. But I agree that you just have to go and do [fill in the blank, doesn't have to be skiing], and the kids have no choice.

+1. There is no amount of money in the world that would convince me to get on a ski lift. One of my kids feels the same way. Neither of us like rides at amusement parks either. You can force the kid to go on the vacation but please don’t force them to actually ski.

[Anonymous]

I can't exactly relate, because I did not grow up doing any of those things myself (we were not UMC). My son somewhat likes tennis (he plays once or twice per week), but hates skiing and has no interest in music. He's in a technology club at his high school, so with that and the tennis, it's not like he has zero activities.

[Anonymous]

No I can’t relate. Why force skiing? Find something they’d enjoy, not just what you’d enjoy. I’d hate skiiing.

[Anonymous]

I grew up UMC and did all those things but skiing. Hated all of them. Now UC and my kids do none of them as late teens, though we tried all. Too busy for skiing, music didn't take and they did not like tennis enough to continue. But, both playing D1 in college in other sports so I guess all is not lost.

[Anonymous]

I started taking my son skiing when he was 3. It’s just something we do, l don’t ask him if he wants to come.

He would the posing video games all day too if l let him. We have limits and enforce them.

[Anonymous]

OP, I can SO relate!
I won’t be reading the comments because I expect a lot of advice like limiting video games.
I’ve done all these things and tried and tried and I am giving up. If he wants to be a beer drinker with no interests - it’s on him.
I don’t take him on trips anymore (maybe I will later), I go and do my own thing.
Some people don’t care for developing their personality. It’s fine, at least my son is not a trouble maker or addict.
Maybe he’ll snap out of it later but maybe not. I am done here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Take the video games away and they’ll love skiing.

Not all people love skiing. My entire family hates it. But I agree that you just have to go and do [fill in the blank, doesn't have to be skiing], and the kids have no choice.

+1. There is no amount of money in the world that would convince me to get on a ski lift. One of my kids feels the same way. Neither of us like rides at amusement parks either. You can force the kid to go on the vacation but please don’t force them to actually ski.

Our kid is the same - fear of ski lift and also amusement rides. Took him skiing once in about 4th grade(?) with Boy Scouts and one ride on the lift was enough for him.

He's now 16 and asked to go to Universal last year when we were in FL, thinking he might be over his fear of rides. Nope. He went on one fairly tame ride and was done.

Now, he's asked for a snowboarding lesson - because some of his friends are doing it and he thinks it's cool. We are going to take him for a lesson soon, but honestly aren't expecting him to fall in love with it. I think his fear of heights is real and not something he'll grow out of.

[Anonymous]

Don't fret, OP. My kids have their noses in their devices all day too. I tried to get them into skiing, golf and water polo, but they had no interest. All they like are tractor pulls, WWF and fishin'.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have never allowed our kids to have any video games, no consoles or apps on their phones that are video games. This keepsthem reading and playing a lot of sports, plus doing random crafty things and hanging out with friends. We also tell them when we are doing a family activity like taking a hike or going skiing and don’t ask for their input.

What guy doesn’t play video games at one point in his life and never gave it up? Females too but at a lower rate.

Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Larry Page, Richard Branson to name a few are gamers. Men and women who grow up to be successful were probably gamers and or still are.

Like everything it’s moderation but your son will be like the awkward homeschool kid at work. “I have never heard of PS5 but my mom says I’m a great crafter”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh, the horror! Your kids aren’t interested in creating networking opportunities or being club champion. You’ve clearly failed as a parent and they’re not even old enough to take the keys of your late-model Mercedes.

It’s time to face facts. Not only will they never get into HYP, they’ll never even attain UMC respectability. It’s time to help them cultivate hobbies that will help them make friends among the mouth-breathers they’re destined to rub elbows with. Instead of piano, skiing and golf, get them familiar with demolition derby, hunting and bass fishing. If you have girls, cheer, pageants and/or barrel racing are acceptable alternatives.

See you at Cabela’s!

Amazing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Take the video games away and they’ll love skiing.

Not all people love skiing. My entire family hates it. But I agree that you just have to go and do [fill in the blank, doesn't have to be skiing], and the kids have no choice.

+1. There is no amount of money in the world that would convince me to get on a ski lift. One of my kids feels the same way. Neither of us like rides at amusement parks either. You can force the kid to go on the vacation but please don’t force them to actually ski.

Our kid is the same - fear of ski lift and also amusement rides. Took him skiing once in about 4th grade(?) with Boy Scouts and one ride on the lift was enough for him.

He's now 16 and asked to go to Universal last year when we were in FL, thinking he might be over his fear of rides. Nope. He went on one fairly tame ride and was done.

Now, he's asked for a snowboarding lesson - because some of his friends are doing it and he thinks it's cool. We are going to take him for a lesson soon, but honestly aren't expecting him to fall in love with it. I think his fear of heights is real and not something he'll grow out of.

You are quoting me. I’ll ride a jet ski in the warm water and have a great time. I don’t mind going fast but don’t want to be high up or go down anywhere quickly. Your son may never grow out of this. I went to Orlando with friends as a teen and stood on the side while my friends rode the rides.

[Anonymous]

OP has to be a troll. No interest in “UMC activities,” too funny. We are in the middle with regard to income- I hate the terms upper class, lower class and middle class.

So what your kid doesn’t like skiing, golf, or polo? When our kids were younger, we tried to expose them to a little bit of everything, save polo. Some activities/sports stuck, some didn’t. What stuck with my son was hiking and camping. I had always had a passing interest in these activities, but since my son was so into it, I got into it- it was, and still is, our thing. My other kid is really into baseball. We bond watching our favorite teams. Never did I consider whether these are “upper class activities.” That’s enough typing, got to take my oldest to a wine tasting /cheese pairing event at the Ritz.