Avoiding activities that meet on the weekend?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m just curious what these kids are going to do on weekends in their teen years when they are not established in an organized sport or activity. I personally just think it’s short-sighted, but it’s none of my business.

They can hang out with their friends, especially if they have neighbor friends. Hang out with family some, finish up any homework, just relax. Kids don't have t0 busy all the time. These were my teens years and I'm so happy they were.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m just curious what these kids are going to do on weekends in their teen years when they are not established in an organized sport or activity. I personally just think it’s short-sighted, but it’s none of my business.

Right? You can't just show up and say you'd like to be on the team, can they teach you to play? Or suddenly develop an interest in the orchestra with no prior experience. But, that's on them, nobody is starting threads worrying about the people who are apple picking on the weekends or criticizing them. I may not understand, but it's not my life. Oddly, the anti-sports people are really bothered by people who play sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m just curious what these kids are going to do on weekends in their teen years when they are not established in an organized sport or activity. I personally just think it’s short-sighted, but it’s none of my business.

Right? You can't just show up and say you'd like to be on the team, can they teach you to play? Or suddenly develop an interest in the orchestra with no prior experience. But, that's on them, nobody is starting threads worrying about the people who are apple picking on the weekends or criticizing them. I may not understand, but it's not my life. Oddly, the anti-sports people are really bothered by people who play sports.

DP, but the bolded is really not true. You're projecting.

Also, I'm a parent who grew up playing sports in elementary school (soccer, softball) and hated them, but went along because all the kids in my parents' social circle were doing them. I found sports I loved in high school (cross-country, track, swimming to a lesser extent) and was good enough to letter in each. Because they were affiliated with the school, they didn't take over my life, so I had time on weekends to venture into the city with friends, sleep in, earn money babysitting, do homework, whatever. I was a competitive rower in college and after, despite my lackluster athletic performance in elementary school.

And now, there are SO many things that teens can do on weekends. Want to learn rock climbing? Yoga? Go for hikes? Take a cooking class? The world is your oyster! Heck, with enough creativity and persistence (and money), plenty of kids could get private coaching and try out for their school's JV team in a given sport. If it's something like cross-country or track, many kids can excel with little prior experience.

Or does that not count, since it's not a travel sport?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m just curious what these kids are going to do on weekends in their teen years when they are not established in an organized sport or activity. I personally just think it’s short-sighted, but it’s none of my business.

Right? You can't just show up and say you'd like to be on the team, can they teach you to play? Or suddenly develop an interest in the orchestra with no prior experience. But, that's on them, nobody is starting threads worrying about the people who are apple picking on the weekends or criticizing them. I may not understand, but it's not my life. Oddly, the anti-sports people are really bothered by people who play sports.[/quo

Oh I'm not anti sports or anti activities. It's just a preference. In high school, I knew kids who did so much they practically lived in the car or at school. That life was not for me. Even with my own kids, I don't elieve in overscheduling even if that is what they want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m just curious what these kids are going to do on weekends in their teen years when they are not established in an organized sport or activity. I personally just think it’s short-sighted, but it’s none of my business.

Right? You can't just show up and say you'd like to be on the team, can they teach you to play? Or suddenly develop an interest in the orchestra with no prior experience. But, that's on them, nobody is starting threads worrying about the people who are apple picking on the weekends or criticizing them. I may not understand, but it's not my life. Oddly, the anti-sports people are really bothered by people who play sports.

DP, but the bolded is really not true. You're projecting.

Also, I'm a parent who grew up playing sports in elementary school (soccer, softball) and hated them, but went along because all the kids in my parents' social circle were doing them. I found sports I loved in high school (cross-country, track, swimming to a lesser extent) and was good enough to letter in each. Because they were affiliated with the school, they didn't take over my life, so I had time on weekends to venture into the city with friends, sleep in, earn money babysitting, do homework, whatever. I was a competitive rower in college and after, despite my lackluster athletic performance in elementary school.

And now, there are SO many things that teens can do on weekends. Want to learn rock climbing? Yoga? Go for hikes? Take a cooking class? The world is your oyster! Heck, with enough creativity and persistence (and money), plenty of kids could get private coaching and try out for their school's JV team in a given sport. If it's something like cross-country or track, many kids can excel with little prior experience.

Or does that not count, since it's not a travel sport?

Go through the sports threads and there are a myriad of topics arguing about the pointlessness of sports. Can you point to similar threads about theater or band?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m just curious what these kids are going to do on weekends in their teen years when they are not established in an organized sport or activity. I personally just think it’s short-sighted, but it’s none of my business.

Right? You can't just show up and say you'd like to be on the team, can they teach you to play? Or suddenly develop an interest in the orchestra with no prior experience. But, that's on them, nobody is starting threads worrying about the people who are apple picking on the weekends or criticizing them. I may not understand, but it's not my life. Oddly, the anti-sports people are really bothered by people who play sports.

DP, but the bolded is really not true. You're projecting.

Also, I'm a parent who grew up playing sports in elementary school (soccer, softball) and hated them, but went along because all the kids in my parents' social circle were doing them. I found sports I loved in high school (cross-country, track, swimming to a lesser extent) and was good enough to letter in each. Because they were affiliated with the school, they didn't take over my life, so I had time on weekends to venture into the city with friends, sleep in, earn money babysitting, do homework, whatever. I was a competitive rower in college and after, despite my lackluster athletic performance in elementary school.

And now, there are SO many things that teens can do on weekends. Want to learn rock climbing? Yoga? Go for hikes? Take a cooking class? The world is your oyster! Heck, with enough creativity and persistence (and money), plenty of kids could get private coaching and try out for their school's JV team in a given sport. If it's something like cross-country or track, many kids can excel with little prior experience.

Or does that not count, since it's not a travel sport?

Go through the sports threads and there are a myriad of topics arguing about the pointlessness of sports. Can you point to similar threads about theater or band?

Exactly. Here is one of the most recent ones: https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1061838.page

As I said, anti sports people really hate that other people play sports. And almost every sports player I know has other hobbies. My own kids are into scouting, piano, dance, cooking and hiking. They just also happen to like sports. Why do you assume all these kids are one dimensional?

[Anonymous]

We do rec sports which amounts to 1 practice during the week and 1 hour long game on Saturdays. It hardly takes up our entire weekend. This past weekend our game was at 9am, we were done at 10am. Still the rest of the day to hang. We had some family time and DC had a friend over for a few hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m just curious what these kids are going to do on weekends in their teen years when they are not established in an organized sport or activity. I personally just think it’s short-sighted, but it’s none of my business.

Right? You can't just show up and say you'd like to be on the team, can they teach you to play? Or suddenly develop an interest in the orchestra with no prior experience. But, that's on them, nobody is starting threads worrying about the people who are apple picking on the weekends or criticizing them. I may not understand, but it's not my life. Oddly, the anti-sports people are really bothered by people who play sports.

DP, but the bolded is really not true. You're projecting.

Also, I'm a parent who grew up playing sports in elementary school (soccer, softball) and hated them, but went along because all the kids in my parents' social circle were doing them. I found sports I loved in high school (cross-country, track, swimming to a lesser extent) and was good enough to letter in each. Because they were affiliated with the school, they didn't take over my life, so I had time on weekends to venture into the city with friends, sleep in, earn money babysitting, do homework, whatever. I was a competitive rower in college and after, despite my lackluster athletic performance in elementary school.

And now, there are SO many things that teens can do on weekends. Want to learn rock climbing? Yoga? Go for hikes? Take a cooking class? The world is your oyster! Heck, with enough creativity and persistence (and money), plenty of kids could get private coaching and try out for their school's JV team in a given sport. If it's something like cross-country or track, many kids can excel with little prior experience.

Or does that not count, since it's not a travel sport?

Go through the sports threads and there are a myriad of topics arguing about the pointlessness of sports. Can you point to similar threads about theater or band?

No, because I have better things to do with my life than getting butthurt because some parents don't see the value of travel sports.

I *love* sports. I met my DH watching football and am still slightly bitter he has since decided he doesn't like it. That doesn't mean I want most of my family's free time to be taken up by sports. Hell, this thread has been taken over by sports-obsessed parents insisting that their kids play all the sports and also have time to do all the things on weekends and why can't people appreciate that???

Be secure in the decisions you make and then let it go, already.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m just curious what these kids are going to do on weekends in their teen years when they are not established in an organized sport or activity. I personally just think it’s short-sighted, but it’s none of my business.

Right? You can't just show up and say you'd like to be on the team, can they teach you to play? Or suddenly develop an interest in the orchestra with no prior experience. But, that's on them, nobody is starting threads worrying about the people who are apple picking on the weekends or criticizing them. I may not understand, but it's not my life. Oddly, the anti-sports people are really bothered by people who play sports.

DP, but the bolded is really not true. You're projecting.

Also, I'm a parent who grew up playing sports in elementary school (soccer, softball) and hated them, but went along because all the kids in my parents' social circle were doing them. I found sports I loved in high school (cross-country, track, swimming to a lesser extent) and was good enough to letter in each. Because they were affiliated with the school, they didn't take over my life, so I had time on weekends to venture into the city with friends, sleep in, earn money babysitting, do homework, whatever. I was a competitive rower in college and after, despite my lackluster athletic performance in elementary school.

And now, there are SO many things that teens can do on weekends. Want to learn rock climbing? Yoga? Go for hikes? Take a cooking class? The world is your oyster! Heck, with enough creativity and persistence (and money), plenty of kids could get private coaching and try out for their school's JV team in a given sport. If it's something like cross-country or track, many kids can excel with little prior experience.

Or does that not count, since it's not a travel sport?

Go through the sports threads and there are a myriad of topics arguing about the pointlessness of sports. Can you point to similar threads about theater or band?

No, because I have better things to do with my life than getting butthurt because some parents don't see the value of travel sports.

I *love* sports. I met my DH watching football and am still slightly bitter he has since decided he doesn't like it. That doesn't mean I want most of my family's free time to be taken up by sports. Hell, this thread has been taken over by sports-obsessed parents insisting that their kids play all the sports and also have time to do all the things on weekends and why can't people appreciate that???

Be secure in the decisions you make and then let it go, already.

Lol no, the thread was started by someone bitter that nobody else was available on the weekends and they want to do other things. OK? So just do that. Talk about being insecure in your own decisions!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m just curious what these kids are going to do on weekends in their teen years when they are not established in an organized sport or activity. I personally just think it’s short-sighted, but it’s none of my business.

Right? You can't just show up and say you'd like to be on the team, can they teach you to play? Or suddenly develop an interest in the orchestra with no prior experience. But, that's on them, nobody is starting threads worrying about the people who are apple picking on the weekends or criticizing them. I may not understand, but it's not my life. Oddly, the anti-sports people are really bothered by people who play sports.

If you want to talk short-sighted, it's assuming that what your kid is into at age 8 or whatever is what they'll want to do when they're 14. If you're expecting a kid to suddenly develop an interest as a teen, I don't know how you can prepare for that ahead of time -- other than, perhaps, exposing them to a multitude of things as a kid and not single-tracking them for a specific sport. (Which I'm not suggesting the PPs above are doing, btw).

But also, if a teenager suddenly does develop an interest out of the blue, there are usually options for exploring that interest short of joining a team full of people who have been doing said activity for the past decade. Private music lessons, club sports, pickup games, art classes, etc. In fact I would say some of my most rewarding high school experiences were when I quit the softball team and gave myself the time to pursue totally new things -- theater, tennis lessons, ceramics, swimming. All of which welcomed me as a newbie. I think I had some fleeting regret that I'd pursued softball so seriously instead of soccer, but even then I was able to kick a soccer ball around with friends even if I couldn't join the JV team. The idea that you're promoting sports for your ES kids simply so that they have something to do as teenagers feels sad for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We do rec sports which amounts to 1 practice during the week and 1 hour long game on Saturdays. It hardly takes up our entire weekend. This past weekend our game was at 9am, we were done at 10am. Still the rest of the day to hang. We had some family time and DC had a friend over for a few hours.

+1. I don't understand how one rec league game for one child takes up an entire weekend. Last weekend we did a baseball game, karate, playdate, and lunch, and it was still only noon when we were done!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m just curious what these kids are going to do on weekends in their teen years when they are not established in an organized sport or activity. I personally just think it’s short-sighted, but it’s none of my business.

Right? You can't just show up and say you'd like to be on the team, can they teach you to play? Or suddenly develop an interest in the orchestra with no prior experience. But, that's on them, nobody is starting threads worrying about the people who are apple picking on the weekends or criticizing them. I may not understand, but it's not my life. Oddly, the anti-sports people are really bothered by people who play sports.

DP, but the bolded is really not true. You're projecting.

Also, I'm a parent who grew up playing sports in elementary school (soccer, softball) and hated them, but went along because all the kids in my parents' social circle were doing them. I found sports I loved in high school (cross-country, track, swimming to a lesser extent) and was good enough to letter in each. Because they were affiliated with the school, they didn't take over my life, so I had time on weekends to venture into the city with friends, sleep in, earn money babysitting, do homework, whatever. I was a competitive rower in college and after, despite my lackluster athletic performance in elementary school.

And now, there are SO many things that teens can do on weekends. Want to learn rock climbing? Yoga? Go for hikes? Take a cooking class? The world is your oyster! Heck, with enough creativity and persistence (and money), plenty of kids could get private coaching and try out for their school's JV team in a given sport. If it's something like cross-country or track, many kids can excel with little prior experience.

Or does that not count, since it's not a travel sport?

Go through the sports threads and there are a myriad of topics arguing about the pointlessness of sports. Can you point to similar threads about theater or band?

No, because I have better things to do with my life than getting butthurt because some parents don't see the value of travel sports.

I *love* sports. I met my DH watching football and am still slightly bitter he has since decided he doesn't like it. That doesn't mean I want most of my family's free time to be taken up by sports. Hell, this thread has been taken over by sports-obsessed parents insisting that their kids play all the sports and also have time to do all the things on weekends and why can't people appreciate that???

Be secure in the decisions you make and then let it go, already.

Lol no, the thread was started by someone bitter that nobody else was available on the weekends and they want to do other things. OK? So just do that. Talk about being insecure in your own decisions!

If that's what you read from the OP's actual, original post, I have no words.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m just curious what these kids are going to do on weekends in their teen years when they are not established in an organized sport or activity. I personally just think it’s short-sighted, but it’s none of my business.

Right? You can't just show up and say you'd like to be on the team, can they teach you to play? Or suddenly develop an interest in the orchestra with no prior experience. But, that's on them, nobody is starting threads worrying about the people who are apple picking on the weekends or criticizing them. I may not understand, but it's not my life. Oddly, the anti-sports people are really bothered by people who play sports.

DP, but the bolded is really not true. You're projecting.

Also, I'm a parent who grew up playing sports in elementary school (soccer, softball) and hated them, but went along because all the kids in my parents' social circle were doing them. I found sports I loved in high school (cross-country, track, swimming to a lesser extent) and was good enough to letter in each. Because they were affiliated with the school, they didn't take over my life, so I had time on weekends to venture into the city with friends, sleep in, earn money babysitting, do homework, whatever. I was a competitive rower in college and after, despite my lackluster athletic performance in elementary school.

And now, there are SO many things that teens can do on weekends. Want to learn rock climbing? Yoga? Go for hikes? Take a cooking class? The world is your oyster! Heck, with enough creativity and persistence (and money), plenty of kids could get private coaching and try out for their school's JV team in a given sport. If it's something like cross-country or track, many kids can excel with little prior experience.

Or does that not count, since it's not a travel sport?

Go through the sports threads and there are a myriad of topics arguing about the pointlessness of sports. Can you point to similar threads about theater or band?

Yup, you don’t see it as much on this board but you absolutely see the anti sports bent on the sports board (ironically) and it’s a level not directed at dance, the arts, robotics etc even at the intense competition levels.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m just curious what these kids are going to do on weekends in their teen years when they are not established in an organized sport or activity. I personally just think it’s short-sighted, but it’s none of my business.

Uhhh you can't think of a possible thing they could do? When I was in high school I did over 800 hrs of community service. I also worked at a lab doing medical research one summer. I tried out for the school musicals and got a part. I directed a middle school play. My husband mentored a high schooler that was interested in finance and investing. Since then he's graduated college and is working at a hedge fund.

Of course the experience of focusing on a sport or activity has benefits but it's not the only.option.

[Anonymous]

DD is not into sports or most organized activities that require a long-term commitment, so our weekends are free. She likes artsy things like drama club and chorus, which are weeknight school year activities. I’m not sad about it or worried about her future. It does mean she has to work around her friends’ busy schedules for play dates.

Our best friends are the opposite. Their kids play sports year-round and their weekends are always booked. It does mean that when we visit them, it’s often at a game because they have very little free time. But it works for them and they like staying busy.