Kids Have No Interest In UMC Activities

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you framing this as a UMC thing? I would be upset if my kids were not into any activities besides video games. But do I care if it is not "UMC?" Who freaking cares?

I think the point is that, across multiple threads on this forum, people are exploring what it means to be MC and UMC and how people arrive at or maintain that status.

Look at the thread on raising kids in UMC DMV communities. Tons of posts ended up being about the wearing of Lululemon. There is a lot of discourse on this site about explicit class markers.

One of the characteristics that supposedly sets the rich apart from MC and UMC is that they do not spend a lot of time contemplating these issues.

This is the most asinine, mind numbing thread…and that’s saying a lot for DCUM, yet here I am. It’s real easy to look rich, but who really cares?! My dad’s company did service work for somebody, who when he was alive, was one of the most wealthy people in DC. He had a lot going on, but the last thing he cared about was flaunting his wealth. He lived in a modest home in Potomac, wore cheap suits, drove a Ford Taurus and vacationed in Fenwick Island. He also haggled my dad’s company about the price every time.

As for skiing, yes it’s expensive. That’s why I only do it once or twice a year, and it’s usually just Tomberline in WV. As another poster said, the issue with OP’s kid isn’t that they don’t like “UMC” activities, but that all they like is video games. Nothing wrong with video games, but need to have other hobbies or interests.

Let me guess: was the company Mars?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was wondering what a umc activity. **I never heard of an activity that a person did only to be with people wealthier.**
.

You’ e never heard of crew? Or sailing? Or any sort of polo?

Unless you are in a super wealthy area, these are not things any one does. Where I live, in my community on the west coast of 250,000 people in the county with a 24% poverty level and a lower-than-the-national-median-and-average-income? Absolutely no schools offer sailing (somewhat understandable as we’re not directly on the ocean) but there are plenty of bodies of water I have quite literally never in my entire life met anyone who did “crew” I don’t even think any schools (public or private) offer it here.

Even then, someone being interested and involved in crew is more realistic to me than someone interested and involved in Polo. Never met anyone involved in that either, or who’s ever even participated in that either.

So many of us on dcum live in completely different worlds. More extreme than any other site or forum I have been on. It’s quite honestly; both an eye opener as well as the perfect example of an elite sooo out of touch with the rest of us. Literally the kind of thing poked fun of on numerous sitcoms.

It’s reslly sad, honestly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was wondering what a umc activity. **I never heard of an activity that a person did only to be with people wealthier.**
.

You’ e never heard of crew? Or sailing? Or any sort of polo?

Unless you are in a super wealthy area, these are not things any one does. Where I live, in my community on the west coast of 250,000 people in the county with a 24% poverty level and a lower-than-the-national-median-and-average-income? Absolutely no schools offer sailing (somewhat understandable as we’re not directly on the ocean) but there are plenty of bodies of water I have quite literally never in my entire life met anyone who did “crew” I don’t even think any schools (public or private) offer it here.

Even then, someone being interested and involved in crew is more realistic to me than someone interested and involved in Polo. Never met anyone involved in that either, or who’s ever even participated in that either.

So many of us on dcum live in completely different worlds. More extreme than any other site or forum I have been on. It’s quite honestly; both an eye opener as well as the perfect example of an elite sooo out of touch with the rest of us. Literally the kind of thing poked fun of on numerous sitcoms.

It’s reslly sad, honestly.

Even though I’ve never met anyone involved with those sports, I do see them mentioned snd poked fun at for being elitist (not to mention have read the articles where high income families in high income areas get their kids involved in these sports because athletes=great chance acceptance at universities=niche sports available to select few=higher chance of getting accepted due to athletics.

Sorry, pressed submit too soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe you should try to find activities they like and not activities you think a certain income bracket should do.

Agree. Maybe the focus should be activities that are not video games, not just a certain set of activities. There are plenty of life-long activities they can start as teens.

This. Activities that could "come in handy," like what, closing the big deal on the golf course? Gross.

I'd say they need some physical activity and that should have been instilled a long time ago, but that's not what you asked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was wondering what a umc activity. **I never heard of an activity that a person did only to be with people wealthier.**
.

You’ e never heard of crew? Or sailing? Or any sort of polo?

Unless you are in a super wealthy area, these are not things any one does. Where I live, in my community on the west coast of 250,000 people in the county with a 24% poverty level and a lower-than-the-national-median-and-average-income? Absolutely no schools offer sailing (somewhat understandable as we’re not directly on the ocean) but there are plenty of bodies of water I have quite literally never in my entire life met anyone who did “crew” I don’t even think any schools (public or private) offer it here.

Even then, someone being interested and involved in crew is more realistic to me than someone interested and involved in Polo. Never met anyone involved in that either, or who’s ever even participated in that either.

So many of us on dcum live in completely different worlds. More extreme than any other site or forum I have been on. It’s quite honestly; both an eye opener as well as the perfect example of an elite sooo out of touch with the rest of us. Literally the kind of thing poked fun of on numerous sitcoms.

It’s reslly sad, honestly.

Sailing looks fun. Crew or water polo??? I’d rather hang with the commoners and play hoops or baseball.

[Anonymous]

I'd have a lot more sympathy if you just complained your kids didn't want to do the activities you wanted them to do.

These activities ARE middle class activities. The middle class is vast, OP.

We're wealthy and home-bound. My introverted, unathletic kids like to read and play video games. We like classical music (one sings in a choir, the other plays in a youth orchestra). One rides on horseback, sure, but that can also be a middle class activity if you do group lessons and never own your horse. My oldest is in college, and college admissions didn't care about his lack of sports on his application.

So... do what you want, parent how you want, but don't parse it by class, for goodness' sakes.

[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.

Kudos to you! I am doing a similar thing. I explain to my child that tennis, golf and some other activities will be a part of their life until they graduate HS. They are talented at the sports and activities they are involved in, plus have made friends along the way. I don’t need scholarships from the activities, I want to raise a well rounded person. Sitting home playing video games or watching tik tok is not participating in life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe you should try to find activities they like and not activities you think a certain income bracket should do.

Agree. Maybe the focus should be activities that are not video games, not just a certain set of activities. There are plenty of life-long activities they can start as teens.

This. Activities that could "come in handy," like what, closing the big deal on the golf course? Gross.

I'd say they need some physical activity and that should have been instilled a long time ago, but that's not what you asked.

I work for a tech company, think of Cisco Systems, Palo Alto network, Oracle, etc..., and we invite our clients to play golf every month at expensive places. A lot of our clients are government folks and senior leadership in the financial industry. Why do you think my company is doing this? Is that "gross" to you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe you should try to find activities they like and not activities you think a certain income bracket should do.

Agree. Maybe the focus should be activities that are not video games, not just a certain set of activities. There are plenty of life-long activities they can start as teens.

This. Activities that could "come in handy," like what, closing the big deal on the golf course? Gross.

I'd say they need some physical activity and that should have been instilled a long time ago, but that's not what you asked.

I work for a tech company, think of Cisco Systems, Palo Alto network, Oracle, etc..., and we invite our clients to play golf every month at expensive places. A lot of our clients are government folks and senior leadership in the financial industry. Why do you think my company is doing this? Is that "gross" to you?

No, dummy. Insisting your kids learn the activities for a planned future like this, which is actually quite niche, is stupid and gross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe you should try to find activities they like and not activities you think a certain income bracket should do.

Agree. Maybe the focus should be activities that are not video games, not just a certain set of activities. There are plenty of life-long activities they can start as teens.

This. Activities that could "come in handy," like what, closing the big deal on the golf course? Gross.

I'd say they need some physical activity and that should have been instilled a long time ago, but that's not what you asked.

I work for a tech company, think of Cisco Systems, Palo Alto network, Oracle, etc..., and we invite our clients to play golf every month at expensive places. A lot of our clients are government folks and senior leadership in the financial industry. Why do you think my company is doing this? Is that "gross" to you?

No, dummy. Insisting your kids learn the activities for a planned future like this, which is actually quite niche, is stupid and gross.

Different poster and I think it’s really smart, that’s the same reason I’m taking my kids overseas and having them learn more than one foreign language. It’s not that niche

[Anonymous]

Most umc people I know don’t allow their kids to play video games very often (like a few times a year) for this very reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe you should try to find activities they like and not activities you think a certain income bracket should do.

Agree. Maybe the focus should be activities that are not video games, not just a certain set of activities. There are plenty of life-long activities they can start as teens.

This. Activities that could "come in handy," like what, closing the big deal on the golf course? Gross.

I'd say they need some physical activity and that should have been instilled a long time ago, but that's not what you asked.

I work for a tech company, think of Cisco Systems, Palo Alto network, Oracle, etc..., and we invite our clients to play golf every month at expensive places. A lot of our clients are government folks and senior leadership in the financial industry. Why do you think my company is doing this? Is that "gross" to you?

No, dummy. Insisting your kids learn the activities for a planned future like this, which is actually quite niche, is stupid and gross.

Different poster and I think it’s really smart, that’s the same reason I’m taking my kids overseas and having them learn more than one foreign language. It’s not that niche

Not the same

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was wondering what a umc activity. **I never heard of an activity that a person did only to be with people wealthier.**
.

You’ e never heard of crew? Or sailing? Or any sort of polo?

Unless you are in a super wealthy area, these are not things any one does. Where I live, in my community on the west coast of 250,000 people in the county with a 24% poverty level and a lower-than-the-national-median-and-average-income? Absolutely no schools offer sailing (somewhat understandable as we’re not directly on the ocean) but there are plenty of bodies of water I have quite literally never in my entire life met anyone who did “crew” I don’t even think any schools (public or private) offer it here.

Even then, someone being interested and involved in crew is more realistic to me than someone interested and involved in Polo. Never met anyone involved in that either, or who’s ever even participated in that either.

So many of us on dcum live in completely different worlds. More extreme than any other site or forum I have been on. It’s quite honestly; both an eye opener as well as the perfect example of an elite sooo out of touch with the rest of us. Literally the kind of thing poked fun of on numerous sitcoms.

It’s reslly sad, honestly.

Crew is in public schools on the east coast. There has to be appropriate water source but it’s not an expensive sport compared to hockey. Water polo is also in some public schools and is becoming more popular. As long as there is a pool available water polo is inexpensive. Sailing again depends on access to water. There are a lot of public sailing programs but if you don’t own a boat it can be tough.

Polo on horses is abusive to the horses doing all the work. It was created in a different time. We know better now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe you should try to find activities they like and not activities you think a certain income bracket should do.

Agree. Maybe the focus should be activities that are not video games, not just a certain set of activities. There are plenty of life-long activities they can start as teens.

This. Activities that could "come in handy," like what, closing the big deal on the golf course? Gross.

I'd say they need some physical activity and that should have been instilled a long time ago, but that's not what you asked.

I work for a tech company, think of Cisco Systems, Palo Alto network, Oracle, etc..., and we invite our clients to play golf every month at expensive places. A lot of our clients are government folks and senior leadership in the financial industry. Why do you think my company is doing this? Is that "gross" to you?

No, dummy. Insisting your kids learn the activities for a planned future like this, which is actually quite niche, is stupid and gross.

Different poster and I think it’s really smart, that’s the same reason I’m taking my kids overseas and having them learn more than one foreign language. It’s not that niche

How long are you staying? Which language interests you?

[Anonymous]

What is the issue here?

Lots of teens love video games and social media.

What’s the problem? Really not seeing it.