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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Well, I will admit that I did force my son to play sports, year round (basketball, lacrosse, and flag). First year I invested a ton of money in lax gear. He hated it. He hated it because he was not as good as many of the other kids. He hated it because he was not as coordinated and the sport is very technical. He would sometimes cry on the way to games.  He ended up loving lacrosse and made the travel team. the first summer of travel he fractured his toe. He was crying and crying that he could not play lax for a few weeks. He then was laughing at himself that he used to wish he would break his leg so he did not have to play.

Similar thing happened when he started basketball. He actually cried in the middle of the game beucase he kept on double dribbling and getting calls made on him. He had one game where he was on fire and scored. Ever since then his confidence went through the roof.

The reason I forced him is because I knew the ONLY reason he did not want to do the sports is because he lacked confidence and felt like he did not measure up. As he practiced and got better, he gained his confidence and now would be devastated if I made him opt out. I would not have forced him had he had other interests that took priority. I knew in my heart that he just needed to build his abilities and then he would be OK.

I'm not saying this is for everyone, but for me, as a parent, I will not nurture my kids fears and insecurities. I'm all about building confidence through accomplishments (not just by words and a "good job") and through them working hard and being proud of what they have done on their own. I think the sports and stick with it has served my formerly shy and insecure son well and helped turn him into a confident and proud young man.[/quote]

+1 . There is really no excuse not to play just one team sport on the rec level. Like anything else that requires a skill, it doesn't get really fun until you obtain a certain level of mastery--I'm thinking piano lessons, art, math, reading, etc. Also, whether you care to admit it or not, among boys, the ability to join in on a team sport gives one a huge leg up socially. It's not just about making money and certainly not about getting a college scholarship, or even about fitness (which one can obtain by oneself) but about the ability to make friends and acquaintances throughout life. It's about also the ability to appreciate sports as a spectator. Winning and losing as a team, learning how to win and lose gracefully, and to endure through struggle are major life lessons that are most easily taught by playing a team sport. [/quote]

This is a really judgmental statement to assume that team sports, even on the rec level, should be an expectation for all kids.  Some kids, obviously not yours, don't do well in a team environment and your contention negates the myriad reasons why.  Maybe they are shy, have attention issues, are self-conscious, are just have zero interest in team sports when a more individual pursuit, sports or otherwise, is a better fit.  I resent your one-size fits all approach, and this comes from a parent of a kid on a team sport.
  [/quote]
I love these I'm not-judgmental, but really am judgmental posts.

As a teacher, I think that there are very, very few kids who would not benefit for team sports. Being shy, having attention issues, being self-conscious, lacking interest are NOT good enough reasons to not join a team sport. If your kid has issues to the point where s/he is harming other kids, then s/he should NOT be on a team. However, too many parents like you--who has a kid with none of these issues, it seems--don't realize that kids will not develop resilience if their parents and teachers do give them the tools, practice, and confidence to overcome normal obstacles in life. Being shy as a 5 year old is not a good reason to discourage social activities. Love of sports often develops with repeated exposure to them--not all kids love sports from the womb. There are many situations in life where adults "don't do well," but the competent ones manage to get through them and survive. Don't be an enabler for other people's kids. [/quote]

I love teachers who think they know everything.  There is a cost and benefit to all things.  Sometimes the cost outweighs the benefit.[/quote]

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